Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure Deputy Minister Sayan met with young people at the closing session of the Hacktrick Cybersecurity Conference.
Speaking at the session held at the Information Technologies and Communication Institution, Sayan stated that expressions such as cybersecurity, cyber world, and cyberspace have been mentioned very frequently lately. Drawing attention to the importance of the cyber world and cyberspace, Sayan noted that cyber attacks have turned into the areas where the strongest struggles must be waged.
"Cyberspace is an ocean, and we are like fish in that ocean," said Sayan, expressing that this ambiguity also closely affects security concepts. Comparing finding cyber attackers to looking for a needle in a haystack, Sayan said, "Determining whether the perpetrator of the attack is a state or an organization is quite a challenging issue. Unfortunately, some states can exploit the ambiguity or ownerlessness of cyberspace for their own interests. Here, a strong cyber intelligence network comes into play. As you know, the fundamental feature of cyber intelligence is to collect information using various cyber tools in order to respond to cyber security threats."
Emphasizing that their goals are to manage the risks brought by the internet through a holistic approach involving all stakeholders, to be prepared against cyber incidents, and to ensure continuity by exiting these incidents with minimal damage, Sayan explained that they are conducting studies for all stakeholders to gain the necessary training and experience to ensure cybersecurity.
Drawing attention to the fact that cyber attacks have changed dimensions over time, Sayan said, "As the digital world becomes increasingly complex, cyber attacks are also becoming more complex in the same direction. Now, the first bullets that start wars are fired through computers. Today, the areas most exposed to cyber attacks are the metaverse universe we have started hearing about frequently recently, the NFT world, objects in space, and cryptocurrencies. Especially NFTs, which will be directly linked to the metaverse universe, are whetting the appetites of cyber attackers. In recent months, we have witnessed hackers creating malicious NFTs, gifting them, and thereby gaining access to users' wallets."
Deputy Minister Sayan: We Will Arm Ourselves with Knowledge and Rush into the Cyber Arena for Digital Mobilization
Emphasizing that with the increasing emergence of security vulnerabilities in satellites, we may witness cyber attacks targeting the infrastructure and communication of space technology this year, Sayan said, "When money becomes entirely software, the number and methods of computer hackers stealing and manipulating bitcoin and altcoins will definitely change. In other words, as technology advances, security will always have the highest priority. Metaverse, NFT, space, cryptocurrency—perhaps becoming inseparable parts of tomorrow's youth's lifestyles—will bring risks along with them. Here, I would like to remind our young friends in particular of our President's declaration of the upcoming period as the 'Digital Mobilization Period' and his words: 'It is to prepare our own people, our own youth, for this inevitable future in the most correct, secure, and equipped manner.' Today is May 29. We know May 29 as the day history opens and closes. Our May 29 will also be in the cyber realm without forgetting our history. You are all around the age at which Fatih conquered Istanbul. We will train ourselves so well that, just as our ancestors rushed to the battlefield with the first weapon they took in their hands during the mobilization period, we will arm ourselves with knowledge and rush into the cyber arena for digital mobilization."
Pointing out that an era of cyber wars has begun where cybersecurity experts serve as "paid cyber soldiers," Sayan stated that the need for cybersecurity experts by companies, public institutions, and countries is increasing day by day.
Stating that, while conducting cybersecurity efforts as the Ministry, training qualified human resources that will create added value has always been among their priorities, Sayan concluded his speech by saying, "The participation of new recruits into our army protecting our cyber homeland as a result of our talent hunts and trainings makes us happy. In this context, we welcome everyone who says, 'I am here for the security of our country.' As the Ministry, our goal is to take the work we do every new day one step further with the capabilities and efforts of our youth. The only way to carry us strongly into the future is an economy strengthened by domestic and national production. For this, there is no need to rediscover America. The only thing we need to do is to advance towards our 2023 targets by leveraging the power of the National Technology Move initiated by our President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, which serves as an important guide for us."
After the program, Sayan chatted with the young people one by one and took photos.