As part of the “Days of science and innovation 2023” festival, organized by the Ministry of science and technological development of Montenegro, the conference “Cyber Security in the service of business improvement: Gaining a competitive advantage through risk optimization” was held. The event was organized by the Science and technology park of Montenegro, the University of Montenegro, and the company Sky Express Montenegro, with the support of ICT Cortex and the Regional center for cyber capacity building (WB3C). The conference brought together cybersecurity experts who discussed key topics and challenges faced by startups, small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), and the education sector.

Velibor Bošković, director of the Science and technology park of Montenegro and the main organizer of this event, emphasized the importance of cyber security for the startup and IT community in Montenegro. He stated that the Science and technology park will continue to support the development of this field, considering it highly encouraging for the growth of the digital economy, the IT community, and innovation.

In his opening address, prof. Nedeljko Latinović,pd, director of the Center for interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary studies at the University of Montenegro, as a representative of the University of Montenegro co-organizers, highlighted the strategic importance and perspective of developing multidisciplinary study programs and research that reflect modern trends in science and education.

The first panel of the conference, “Startups and SMEs (Not) Immune,” focused on dispelling common misconceptions and prejudices about cybersecurity in the SME sector. The panelists, including mr.Velibor Bošković, director of the Science and technology park of Montenegro, mr. Tiodor Jovović, CBO of Sky Express Montenegro, mr. Bertrand Fauconnier, CEO of Stratos Advisory Services, ms. Branka Džakula, Information security advisor, and mr. Aleksandar Obradović, Cyber security consultant, under the moderation of mr. Džemal Lekić, Digital transformation consultant, discussed the prevalent misconception that smaller organizations are “too small” to be targets of cyberattacks. This often leads to a relaxed attitude towards cyber risks, positioning them high on the list of targets for cybercriminals. Through interactive discussion and analysis of real cases, the panel explored how and why startups and SMEs are often targeted, and how investing in cybersecurity is an essential investment in the long-term security and stability of business operations. Practical strategies and solutions for risk reduction and strengthening defensive mechanisms were also discussed.

The second panel,”EdTech – Enhancing capacities in cybersecurity education,” focused on improving educational capacities in the field of cybersecurity. The panelists: Prof.Nikola Žarić, phd, professor at the faculty of Electrical engineering, University of Montenegro, mr. Andrej Nikitin, cyber security engineer at Sky express, Predrag Puharić, director of the cyber security Excellence Centre in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Marko Lakić, Forensic Expert, and Iva Lazić, IT Security Engineer, under the moderation of D Andreja Mihailović, phd, associate at the Faculty of Law, University of Montenegro, highlighted the importance of developing and adapting educational programs. The structure of the new interdisciplinary master’s program in “Information Security” at the University of Montenegro was also presented, aimed at educating competent personnel in this field, capable of addressing the increasingly complex challenges in the cybersecurity space.

A special segment of the panel was dedicated to a virtual tour of the CybSafe platform, an innovative software EdTech solution developed by a team of engineers and psychologists. It is based on a behavioral model of human behavior analytics and its susceptibility to manipulative social engineering techniques, such as phishing, spam, and other attacks. Thanks to a donation from Sky Express Montenegro, employees and students at the University of Montenegro will have the opportunity to benefit from this platform, which simultaneously provides protection and education for its users. The platform’s goal is to optimize the risks arising from human error, identified as the primary cause of all cybersecurity incidents. The discussion focused on the integration of innovative educational tools and programs and their contribution to developing competencies for effective prevention, detection, and response to cyber threats.

The conference provided valuable insights and opened space for constructive dialogue on improving cybersecurity. We hope that the initiatives and solutions presented at this event will contribute to creating a safer business and educational environment. Undivided expectations were highlighted that the exchange of ideas and dialogue initiated at this panel will inspire the future of education in the field of cybersecurity and contribute to enhancing capacities in this key area, which has been defined as a strategic national priority.