The project "Collaboration with Transnational Internet Corporations in the Fight Against Hybrid Threats," executed by the Association of Cybersecurity Organizations of Azerbaijan (ACOA) with the support of the Agency for State Support to Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) of Azerbaijan, has been successfully completed.
The project investigated the role of transnational internet corporations (TICs) in the context of hybrid threats, analyzing the international standards applied in areas such as information security, privacy, and compliance by global internet corporations like Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon, Cloudflare, TikTok, and others. The study also assessed the applicability of these practices to the national context and evaluated strategic conclusions regarding Azerbaijan's fight against hybrid threats.
Within the framework of the project, a series of educational seminars were held at Baku State University, Baku Higher Oil School, Baku Engineering University, Western Caspian University, and the Academy of the State Customs Committee. Faculty members and students from the universities actively participated in these events.
The goal was to enhance cybersecurity literacy among young people, strengthen cooperation between the government, private, and academic sectors in the fight against hybrid threats, and improve mechanisms for mutual cooperation with transnational internet platforms. During the seminars, risks posed by hybrid threats in the information space, legal and practical approaches to mitigating them, collaboration with transnational internet corporations, security standards, technical requirements, and cybersecurity hygiene rules were extensively explained. Project leader Tabriz Jafarov presented the legal and practical nuances of the topic.
On November 29, the final event of the project took place, attended by ACOA members and experts, as well as representatives from state agencies and higher education institutions. ACOA’s Executive Director Rauf Jabarov welcomed the guests and noted that hybrid threats are one of the most serious risks to the security of states and organizations in the modern era. He stated that these threats are executed through diverse methods such as information manipulation, cyberattacks, social engineering, and economic influence. Their primary danger lies in their simultaneous effects in both digital and physical environments, creating confusion within society and difficulties in governance. Therefore, coordinated cooperation between state agencies, the business sector, and transnational internet platforms is of special importance. To increase resilience against hybrid threats, public education, the application of innovative technologies, and ongoing monitoring are crucial.
Project leader Tabriz Jafarov presented the findings of two studies (“Information Security and Applied Standards of Transnational Internet Corporations” and “Experience of States in Collaborating with Transnational Internet Corporations Against Hybrid Threats”). These studies systematically analyze the security approaches of global internet platforms and the collaboration models implemented by various countries in the context of hybrid threats. The research compares user statistics, countries of operation, service sectors, financial indicators, and growth rates of TICs, evaluating their strengths and weaknesses, as well as comparing aspects of the Community Standards that regulate their interactions with users, along with ethical and legal compliance. Consequently, an approach has been proposed to strengthen our country's resilience against hybrid threats, and recommendations have been developed concerning standardization in the context of cooperation with TICs.
Later, Elvin Balajanov, a representative of the National Cybersecurity Center of the of State Security Service of the Republic of Azerbaijan, emphasized that information security requirements are being further tightened through strategies and regulatory documents adopted at the state level. Additionally, advanced technologies are being implemented for early detection of cyberattacks, and information exchange with international partners is being carried out. The Ministry regularly organizes educational and training programs to enhance security standards both in state institutions and the private sector, aimed at increasing the country's resilience against hybrid threats.
Ayaz Abishov, Deputy Director of the Department of Informationization of the Education System of the Ministry of Science and Education of the Republic of Azerbaijan, noted that developing modern, practical-oriented teaching materials on the subject of hybrid threats for universities and secondary schools is one of the priority directions. These materials aim to teach students and pupils to recognize risks such as information manipulation, cyberattacks, and social engineering in a timely manner. The application of these materials in educational institutions increases the digital literacy of young people, making them more resilient against hybrid threats. The Ministry’s collaboration with universities and expert institutions in this area was also highlighted.
During the meeting, the outcomes of the project, the impact of the seminars, the involvement of youth in the process, and the contributions to the overall cybersecurity ecosystem were discussed. The future development opportunities of the project and new collaboration prospects were also evaluated.
Throughout the project, hundreds of young people gained comprehensive knowledge about hybrid threats, information security, cybersecurity hygiene, and the security standards and requirements of transnational internet corporations.
You can access the report documents prepared based on the research conducted within the project through the following link:
https://bit.ly/3XJJVSr
