Advancing cybersecurity cooperation and software handover in Albania

On June 10, the Ambassador of the European Union to Albania, Silvio Gonzato, met with the Head of the National Agency for Information Society (AKSHI), Ms. Mirlinda Karçanaj, and the Head of the National Authority for Electronic Certification and Cybersecurity (AKSK), Mr. Igli Tafa, to review the key achievements of the EU-funded project “Cybersecurity Rapid Response for Albania, Montenegro, and North Macedonia,” to which the e-Governance Academy contributed by facilitating the procurement of advanced cybersecurity software.

This strategic initiative was launched in response to the large-scale cyberattacks that affected the Western Balkan region in 2022. By offering technical training and expert consultancy, the project aims to strengthen cyber resilience and enhance the capacity of Western Balkan countries to manage and respond to cyber crises effectively.

‘The European Union considers cybersecurity a top priority. To achieve this, we have developed a very tight partnership in cybersecurity and cyber diplomacy with Albania and Western Balkan countries, with the support of capable and authoritative partners such as the e-Governance Academy from Estonia, a world leader in cybersecurity. The project was rolled out at a crucial moment for Albania and the region and it successfully worked with Albanian institutions to enhance cyber resilience, boost technical capacity and promote regional cooperation,” Ambassador Gonzato said.

In Albania, the project has closely collaborated with AKSHI and AKSK to build and expand their operational cybersecurity capabilities. As part of the support, the institutions received 120 000 euros worth of advanced cybersecurity software, including Greynoise, Acunetix, and Cognyte Luminar.

• Greynoise provides real-time data on internet-wide scanning and attack activity, enabling security teams to reduce false positives and focus on genuine threats.
• Acunetix is a powerful web application security scanner that helps identify a wide range of vulnerabilities.
• Cognyte Luminar offers advanced analytics tools that support the detection and mitigation of cyber threats.

“The tools purchased by the EU at the request AKSHI and AKSK have been transformative in detecting and addressing web application vulnerabilities across government and critical sectors. Breached and leaked credentials are being investigated and the users alerted and attackers undertaking reconnaissance are being disrupted. The agencies have used the EU funds to address a wide range of cybersecurity issues nationwide. This has lead to measurable and rapid improvement in cybersecurity, a fitting response to the attacks of 2022 and testament to the dedicated work of the staff in Tirana and Brussels,” said Alex Ashby, Senior Expert on Cybersecurity Western Balkans.

Merle Maigre, Project Lead and Head of the Cybersecurity Competence Centre at the e-Governance Academy said that the cooperation with Albanian institutions has been both effective and close-knit. „Incident response coordination, along with focused and results-driven teamwork, have been the hallmark of AKSHI and AKSK.”

This handover marks a significant milestone in strengthening Albania’s cybersecurity landscape and deepening EU–Western Balkans cooperation on digital resilience.