Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) Director Yigal Unna on Wednesday, 5 Nissan, hosted visiting Bulgarian President Rumen Radev at the directorate’s national CERT in Beersheva. They were accompanied by the Bulgarian Deputy Foreign Minister, senior officials from the president’s office, Israel’s Ambassador to Bulgaria, Bulgaria’s Ambassador to Israel and a major delegation of government representatives and business leaders.

The visit was the first by a foreign head of state to the national CERT and the cyber park and constitutes a milestone vis-à-vis Beersheva’s role as the cyber capital of Israel.

Director Unna gave a briefing on the INCD including its responsibilities and coordination with other cyber bodies in Israel, the cyber threat and the main efforts in the field. He and the Bulgarian President discussed expanding bilateral development and cooperation in light of the INCD’s policy of increasing cooperation with countries in Central and Eastern Europe.

The delegation toured the national CERT’s facilities including the security operations center which is responsible for monitoring and defending government ministries, the center for cooperation with the Finance Ministry and the Energy Ministry’s cyber center for energy and water.

The delegation also visited the Beersheva cyber park and observed Israel’s cyber ecosystem. The park, which is a unique world-class center, includes the national CERT, Ben-Gurion University and approximately 20 companies.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem/ photo credit: Avi Davidi)