Ministry of Defence launches Military Computer Emergency Readiness Team

On 15 February, at the Ministry of Defence, the Minister of Defence, Raimonds Bergmanis, and the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, Jānis Garisons, opened a Military Computer Emergency Readiness Team (MilCERT).

The MilCERT will monitor information and communication technologies of the Ministry of Defence and institutions by its subordination, including of the National Armed Forces.

"Opening of the MilCERT is a significant step toward development of capabilities of the National Armed Forces, and it will improve operational effectiveness of our Armed Forces," said the Minister of Defence.

"In our daily life, we are more often using modern technologies and devices, and also the National Armed Forces and the entire defence sector is not an exclusion. We need to think about corresponding security solutions in the field of cyber defence," emphasised the chief of the MilCERT, Lieutenant Colonel Guntis Smilgzdrivs.

Tasks of the team will include disclosure, processing, and prevention of cyber incidents as well as safety checks of communication networks of the defence sector.

MilCERT will also assist and consult personnel, responsible for cyber safety in the defence sector. MilCERT will participate in cyber training and cooperate with institutions of Latvia and other partnering states in the field of cyber safety.

MilCERT will operate in close cooperation with CERT.lv, the institution that is responsible for preventing information technology incidents.

In 2015, representatives of the MilCERT participated in a NATO training event “Cyber Coalition 2015” and in a training event of the Baltic States “Baltic Ghost 2015”.

MilCERT acts under operational authority of the State Secretary of the Ministry of Defence, and its formation was launched by an order of the Minister of Defence on 1 December 2014.

As of 1 January 2013, CERT.lv acts under authority of the Ministry of Defence.

Anete Gnēze
Head of the Media Relations Section
Military Public Relations Department
Phone: (+371) 6 7335093, Cell: (+371) 2 6474087
E-mail: anete.gneze@mod.gov.lv