The Silesian University of Technology and ITG KOMAG joined ISAC GiG
On Friday, August 26th this year, The Silesian University of Technology and ITG KOMAG signed an agreement on joining the Information Exchange and Analysis Centre (ISAC-GIG) in the field of cybersecurity for the mining and energy sector. The event was attended by the Undersecretary of State in the Ministry of State Assets - Minister Piotr Pyzik.
The signatures under the agreement were placed by: Vice-Rector for General Affairs of the Silesian University of Technology prof. dr hab. Eng. Bogusław Łazarz, Dean of the Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation prof. dr hab. Eng. Franciszek PLEWA, and on behalf of ITG KOMAG, dr hab. Eng. Dariusz Prostański. ISAC GiG was represented by the Director - Aleksandra Mraczek-Krzak and the Chairman of the Management Committee of the ISAC Information Exchange and Analysis Centre - GIG prof. dr hab. Eng. Piotr Toś.
- “Our university intends to develop scientific research in the field of digital security. We are starting postgraduate studies, and in the future we are also planning other forms of education and important research projects. The mission of the university is to participate in all processes important from the point of view of development that are taking place in the country. To support them in substantive way would not be possible without good, constructive cooperation with economic and social partners” - said prof. Bogusław Łazarz.
Established on June 3rd , 2022, at the Ministry of State Assets, the ISAC-GIG Information Exchange and Analysis Centre is one of the first projects of this type in the country, the first one which is gathering companies that play a key role in energy security. So far, only two such centres have been launched in Poland, i.e., ISAC-Kolej in the railway sector and the Reputational Centre of Electronic Communications (ISAC-UKE) in the telecommunications sector. ISAC-GIG develops and promotes standards and recommendations for the mining and energy sector in the field of broadly understood cybersecurity, closely cooperating in handling security incidents and cyber attacks affecting entities in this sector.
- The idea of establishing ISAC-GIG was born out of the needs arising from the instability of our times and is to encourage the exchange of knowledge, information, experience and good practices in the use of security measures for ICT systems in the mining and energy sector of our country - Minister Piotr Pyzik said. - Today, the security dimension is considered in a much broader context. Not only the safety of mining crews, but also cybersecurity, the aim of which is to effectively eliminate threats to the functioning of a mine, both on the surface and underground - added Prof. Dariusz Prostański.
The accession of ITG KOMAG and the Silesian University of Technology to ISAC GIG is the next step in cooperation, after the launch of jointly conducted elite postgraduate studies " Cybersecurity of industrial systems " at the Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation at the Faculty of Mining, this year. The studies were created in order to implement the assumptions and ideas of a safe, digital Silesia 2050. The postgraduate studies, launched on the initiative of ITG KOMAG, are the first ones that cover not only information technology (IT), but also automation (OT) of industrial systems and elements of certification of products and services in the field of cybersecurity. The first students of this course will be employees of entities operating in the mining sector in Poland.
Director Aleksandra Mraczek-Krzak from Central Mining Institute recalled that both institutions have been successfully cooperating in the field of research and education for many years. Prof. Franciszek Plewa pointed out that cybersecurity has been one of the fields of study at the Faculty of Mining, Safety Engineering and Industrial Automation for several years now.
- “There is a lot of interest in this discipline, but we would like it to be even greater. What happened today will certainly pay off in the field of postgraduate studies. We also hope that the industry will send its employees to us with the intention of expanding their competences. I think that it will also be worth launching 1st and 2nd degree studies in this field” - summed up prof. Franciszek Plewa.
