Defense Minister Viola Ahed in the National Assembly.Image: trapezoid
In the wake of the Xplain scandal, federal parliament has opened the door for state governments to insist on mandatory cybersecurity testing of important products.
The federal government must have the legal basis and financial resources to examine the cybersecurity of network infrastructure, devices, and applications. That's what Parliament wants. The National Council submitted a motion to this effect on Thursday.
He voted 122 to 62 in favor of the initiative Committee on Security Policy of the Council of State (SIK-S). The motion is based on serious data theft and business interruption by authorities, public institutions and federal companies.
What's the problem?
Proponents of regular security checks argue that cyberattacks now pose a real threat to public life and, increasingly, private life. Not only are the number of attacks increasing, they are also becoming more technically sophisticated and potentially more damaging.
However, there are no laws, binding standards and minimum requirements or product liability for softwareSIK-S complained. As a result, insecure products and applications enter the market that can be exploited by cybercriminals around the world, as well as nation-state actors.
“It's a wild growth with no clear rules.”
Federal Councilor Viola Armheld
A handful of committee members opposed the request. Their spokesman, Senior Vice-President of the National Council Mauro Tuena (ZH), said that prevention of hacking attacks is recommended. But the federal government should not intervene with “unlimited” amounts.
How does the Federal Council argue?
The Federal Council agrees with the parliamentary mandate. Defense Minister Viola Amherd said a key point was the financing of safety testing. Answering “yes” does not mean the federal government will cover the cost of the exam. These costs should be borne by the “needers”.
Federal Councilor Amkhed recalled that this was not the first time that cybersecurity tests had been requested through a parliamentary initiative.
“Back in 2019, the Federal Council was asked whether a testing center for digital products would be established. Two years ago, you discussed a motion to support a testing facility in Zug; it was ultimately rejected by the Council of State.”
The Federal Council has been supportive of the push for cybersecurity audits. There is no doubt that people need to take a closer look at what security digital products do or do not provide.
With the EU about to implement the Cyber Resilience Act This question becomes even more important. This regulation will be implemented in 2027. It will require manufacturers of products with digital components to provide evidence of safety. Against this background, it is particularly important for Switzerland to address this issue.
The Federal Cyber Security Office “performs an extremely important task” in this regard and must be supported accordingly.
source
(DSC/SDA)
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