About Diagonal:Developed by the FrenchGendarmerie and originally designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, health institutes and municipalities, Diagonal is a pre-diagnostic tool that assesses cyber maturity and identifies actions to enhance protection against cyber threats. On 12 June, this tool was donated to public administrations across the Western Balkans as part of the WB3C's support in buillding cyber resilience of the region.

Why Diagonal?

With the rise in cyberattacks, it is crucial for public administrations to be well-prepared. Diagonal helps in understanding vulnerabilities and developing an effective security strategy. It facilitates the identification of priority projects to secure against online threats and supports strategic decision-making.

Key Objectives of Diagonal:

• Assess cyber maturity: Understand the current level of cybersecurity within the administration.
• Identify improvements: Suggest both human and technical areas for enhancement
• Collect data: Gather statistical information on prevalent cyber threats.

Main features:

• Cyber risk assessment and strategy development.
• Monitoring and awareness programs.
• Evaluation of service provider dependencies.
• GDPR compliance checks.
• Technical infrastructure security.
• Incident response and business continuity planning.

This initiative is part of a series of actions by WB3C to support Western Balkans administrations, significantly contributing to building regional cyber resilience. Diagonal is not a replacement for a comprehensive audit but serves as an essential first step in fortifying our defenses against cyber threats.

Major David Toulotte of the Commandement du ministère de l’Intérieur dans le cyberespace (COMCYBER-MI), one of the co-creators of the tool, and Colonel Laurent Baille of the French Gendarmerie - ComCyber-MI Strategic International Cooperation, together with Cedric Grousset, Director of Studies of WB3C, presented the software to our beneficiaries and held workshops on its use.

As cybercrime continues to evolve and pose a growing threat, it is crucial that local-level law enforcement be equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge to effectively combat these digital threats. For this purpose, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) developed a specialized training program for prosecutors and investigators in the Western Balkans administrations with a view to building capacity at the local level. This week, 60 participants from Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina (Federation of BiH and Republika Srpska) attended a second round of intensive 4 day training, following a week of theoretical training .

This comprehensive training, led by experts from the WB3C and regional institutional experts, will equip 30 prosecutors and 30 investigators with the latest tools and techniques to  tackle a range of cybercrime challenges. From darkweb, #cryptocurrency-based crimes and ransomware attacks to open-source intelligence gathering (OSINT) and mutual legal assistance (MLA), participants will engage in hands-on exercises to enhance their investigative capabilities.

This initiative represents a significant step forward in strengthening the capacity of local authorities to combat the growing threat of cybercrime. Through this collaborative effort, Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina will be better equipped to protect their citizens and businesses from the devastating impacts of digital attacks.

As technology continues to advance and cybersecurity becomes a crucial topic in international and regional discussions, cyber diplomacy emerges as a cornerstone of modern foreign policy. Collaboration among governments, the private sector and civil society is essential to address the evolving cyber threats and shape a secure and prosperous cyberspace. With the rise in malicious cyber activities, the role of cyber diplomacy has evolved to address the current threat landscape and engage in global cyber policy discussions.

Panel 4 of the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) Regional Conference on 11 June, led by Tadej Rupel, Cyber and Digital Ambassador of Slovenia, discussed some of the critical aspects of international collaboration in the field of cybersecurity such as:

• EU's digital diplomacy efforts and their correlation with cyber diplomacy
• Private sector contributions to cyber diplomacy in the Western Balkans
• Civil society's role in promoting collaboration in cyber diplomacy
• European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA)'s utilization of digital diplomacy in capacity-building in the Western Balkans

Key takeaways provided by our distinguished panelists are:

• Multistakeholders such as DiploFoundation, Geneva, support global cyber diplomacy by providing training and capacity-building for diplomats, conducting policy research, facilitating multistakeholder dialogues, and developing resources.
• AI can provide valuable assistance to diplomats, especially smaller countries with less resources available, in processing datasets to produce high quality reports.
• Private companies like Microsoft play a vital role in cyber diplomacy through public-private partnerships and threat intelligence sharing.
• Higher education must incorporate social sciences to align with evolving technologyneeds.
• The EU has implemented legislation and legal frameworks to address the changing security landscape and protect the open, free, and stable cyberspace.
• ENISA supplements national authorities and agencies through capacity-building and skill development initiatives in both tactical and technical domains.
• The French Ministry for Europe and Foreign Affairs is actively involved in cyber diplomacy by engaging in bilateral and multilateral dialogues to establish norms and transparency, supporting EU-wide cybersecurity efforts, and promoting international cooperation and responsible state behaviour in cyberspace\u200B.

Panelists of this session were: Demosthenes Ikonomou Nikolas Ott Erna Catic Vladimir Radunovic Andreja Mihailovic, PhD Mahé Dersoir