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Poland May Become a Global Leader in the Cyber Security Sector - the report of the Kosciuszko Institute

Poland has a chance to become a global leader in the cyber security sector. The potential of the country is reflected by an increasing value of the domestic ICT market, which reached over USD 8.5 billion in 2016. Each year, Polish universities educate about 30,000 graduates of IT degrees. "We should start treating cyber security as an investment rather than as a cost," writes the Kosciuszko Institute in its latest report "Security through Innovation. The Cyber Security Sector as a Driver of Economic Growth".


According to the authors of the publication, the cyber security products and services sector may become a strong pillar of the Polish economy and, similarly to other countries, increase the security of the state and the industry. According to the data quoted in the publication, the value of the global cyber security sector has reached USD 120 billion, and it is estimated that it will double by 2022. Polish cyber security products and services based on innovative solutions can prove to be the country’s competitive export goods.

 

Poland has the potential to develop a strong cyber security sector. The nature of the Polish economy enables the development of a national specialization in that field. However, this requires a coordinated and well-thought commitment of the state, stresses Dominik Skokowski, expert of the Kosciuszko Institute and the editor of the report.

 

According to the authors of the study, who have analyzed the development of the cyber security sector in Great Britain, Israel and Singapore, it is essential to keep the state actively involved in both the civil and military areas. The support of the public administration is needed at every stage, starting from the development and implementation of the national strategy, through the development of appropriate coordinating mechanisms, and ending up with designing an R&D program, the authors of the report state. Also, it is worth using the opportunities stemming from Poland's membership in such organizations as the European Union (EU) and NATO.

 

A close public-private cooperation in the area of cyber security will also play a key role, as it should support the development of innovative solutions. Thanks to the use of the knowledge and know-how of the private sector, we are capable of developing a prosperous market and successfully compete against global leaders. Several countries, which are currently recognized as the global leaders in the area of cyber security, have already followed that path, including Israel, whose revenues generated by the cyber security sector reached USD 3.75 billion in 2015, which accounted for over 1% of the country’s GDP. Great Britain is another example - the value of its exported cyber security products is estimated at about USD 2 billion.

 

In the case of Poland, the state should provide domestic companies with friendly institutional and legal environment. The administration should create conditions enabling Polish companies, including start ups, to increase their competitiveness and support their foreign expansion. In addition, Poland should also develop a strategy for long-term image-building activities which would promote domestic companies and the Polish know-how.

 

It is currently hard to imagine a development of a modern, globally respected country without the participation of domestic IT companies. This is connected with cyber security and the concept of cyber sovereignty, but also with an economic pragmatism. A business success of domestic companies is not only a benefit for their owners and employees, but also for all citizens. In addition, these companies make a significant contribution to the state budget, says Zdzisław Wiater, Director of the Military Division in Asseco Poland. Currently, Poland can use the enormous potential of domestic IT companies, which have gained experience over the last 25 years, to build a strong position of our economy and increase the security of our country and its key sectors, he adds.

 

The goal of the report of the Kosciuszko Institute “Security through Innovation. The Cyber Security Sector as a Driver of Economic Growth” is to identify the most important steps which have to be taken to develop a strong national cyber security sector based on innovative products and services. The publication includes an expanded analysis of key aspects of public-private partnerships, the development of the ICT and cyber innovation market, the role of the military sector, and the case study of the states which are leaders in the cyber security area. Asseco Poland is a partner of the report.

 

More information about the report: http://www.ik.org.pl/en/cyber-economy-report/
The full report is available here: http://www.ik.org.pl/wp-content/themes/ik/report-img/security-through-innovation.pdf
 

 

The Kosciuszko Institute is a non-governmental, non-profit research and development center established in 2000. The mission of the think tank is to contribute to the socio-economic development and security of Poland as an active member of the European Union (EU) and NATO. The institute specializes in developing strategic recommendations and directions for key public policies which provide substantive support to Polish and European policy makers. The reports and analyzes prepared by the think tank's experts are independent and apolitical. Their conclusions are an important source of information for the private sector and civil society.


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