Türkiye thwarts over 400 cyber attacks daily: Minister

ANKARA

Türkiye prevents more than 400 major cyber attacks every day, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said in a written statement on Sept. 19.

"We are protecting electronic communication infrastructure and other critical infrastructures against cyber threats. We are developing rapid detection and early response capabilities for cyber incidents with technological measures," Uraloğlu said.

His statement came after hundreds of electronic devices exploded in Lebanon earlier this week.

Over two days, pagers and walkie-talkies used by Hezbollah detonated, wounding and even crippling some fighters, but also maiming civilians connected to the group’s social branches.

Uraloğlu cited the deadly incidents as a reminder of the increasing cyber threats facing global infrastructure.

The device explosions appeared to be the culmination of a monthslong operation by Israel to target Hezbollah members.

"Some 422 major attacks and 11 million malicious access requests are prevented in Türkiye every day," Uraloğlu said, providing insight into the work of Türkiye's computer emergency response team (USOM).

USOM constantly monitoring 17 million IP addresses for vulnerabilities, with 140,000 major attacks thwarted last year, according to Uraloğlu.

"Ensuring communication systems and national cyber security is of strategic importance in a digital world that has been changing rapidly in recent years and is full of threats," he said.

"Multifaceted activities such as the security of critical infrastructures, protection of personal data, increasing national defense capability and growing the digital economy are being carried out."

Türkiye also collaborates with domestic telephone operators to enhance its cybersecurity capabilities, Uraloğlu noted

“We are conducting bilateral information sharing and coordination studies with national and international stakeholders," he said.

"We are also conducting regulation, inspection, monitoring and vulnerability scanning studies for the protection of critical infrastructures."

Earlier in the day, defense sources said Turkish forces use only locally developed communication systems and software.

"In case of any involvement of a third party in the production process, we have additional detailed control mechanisms in the procurement and production process," the sources told local media.