Federal Council wants to further strengthen protection against cyber attacks
Published: Friday, Dec 15th 2023, 12:01
Updated At: Friday, Dec 15th 2023, 12:02
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The Federal Council wants more tools to combat cyber attacks on critical infrastructure. In future, for example, it wants to be able to prohibit the procurement of suppliers of IT solutions that are considered problematic for Switzerland's security.
On Friday, the national government instructed the responsible Communications Department Uvek to submit a draft for the revision of the Telecommunications Act. In short, the aim is to increase the security of telecommunications systems and digital infrastructures in Switzerland.
Specifically, the Federal Council should be able to prohibit the procurement, installation and operation of equipment. It intends to intervene in the case of suppliers that are considered problematic for Switzerland's security or that are owned, controlled or influenced by a foreign state that poses a geopolitical risk to Switzerland.
Telecommunications companies should also be obliged to procure and operate equipment, systems and software in connection with the provision of telecommunications services from different suppliers. Additional restrictions are to apply to equipment, systems and software in connection with the provision of telecommunications services that are considered to be high-risk.
Finally, the Federal Council envisages increased security requirements for the procurement and operation of devices, systems and software for the next tender for mobile radio frequencies in 2028.
Criticism of Chinese influence
The risks associated with digital infrastructures are high despite the measures already taken, the Federal Council wrote in a report. According to the report, many processes today run via digital networks and systems that have security gaps or could be the target of cyber attacks. "Critical infrastructures can be hacked or sabotaged via the telecommunications infrastructure."
According to the Federal Council, the Swiss cybersecurity sector should be able to provide suitable national control and certification bodies in the long term. Parliament had called for the minimization of geopolitical risks in connection with the further development of infrastructures such as 5G.
The measures are to be modeled on similar efforts in the EU. There have been security concerns in EU countries in the recent past, particularly with regard to the technology of the Chinese Huawei Group. For this reason, high-risk providers are to be kept out of core areas of the networks.
The Federal Council wants to minimize the risks in a general and non-discriminatory approach, as it writes. Economic freedom and the proper functioning of competition must be ensured in the best possible way.
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