Critical infrastructures: Switzerland's most important data
What is the most important data in Switzerland in the event of a crisis - and how do we make it available?
The most important takeaways from the podium of the Swiss Data Alliance on April 16, 2024 with Manuel Suter(Federal Office for Cybersecurity), Tom Kleiber(Switch) and Marc Holitscher(Microsoft).
WHICH DATA FOR WHICH CRISIS?
The relevance of data depends on the context. Hardly anyone is interested in coronavirus case numbers anymore. With regard to the future, we therefore need to ask about the context: which data is important in which crisis scenario?
PROTECT DATA VS. MAKE DATA AVAILABLE
The protection of data and the availability of data are two different goals that require different measures. It makes sense to discuss the necessary structures downstream.
EVERYDAY LIFE VS. DIGITAL SOVEREIGNTY
Reducing IT dependencies is a sensible goal in shaping everyday digital life. However, "digital sovereignty" is only an issue if Switzerland as a whole is affected. Watering down the concept of sovereignty is detrimental to us, especially in view of possible crisis scenarios. (See concept paper on data sovereignty)
COVID-19 has dramatically demonstrated how data suddenly becomes existentially important for Switzerland in crisis situations. It is advisable to define the most important data for Switzerland's well-being with a view to various crisis scenarios (energy supply, environmental disasters, wars) and to ensure their availability on the part of the authorities, operators of critical infrastructure and other data providers in the event of an incident.
In particular, this also includes special digital protection, security management and the storage structure for this data. This is also called for in a corresponding motion by the Security Policy Committee of the Council of States, which was unanimously adopted. The new Federal Office for Cyber Security (BACS), which has been part of the Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) since January 2024, is responsible for implementing the motion.
