Empowering Women for Cyber Tech

01.10.2024

Empowering women for CyberTech is one of the strategic objectives of the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C). By joining forces with our partners Urad Vlade Republike Slovenije za informacijsko varnost, CEP - Centre for European Perspective, Women4Cyber Slovenia and Women4Cyber Montenegro we worked with women from different industries and administrations across the region on understanding the political, economic, societal and technical context in which cyber threats occur and empowering them to champion, lead and develop new talent for the cyber industry.

Over the two days, from 29 September to 1 October, 18 women cyber experts from the public and private sectors from the Western Balkans, gathered at WB3C for a workshop to learn, share knowledge and discuss gender based crimes that occur in the digital space and how to stay safe. We covered a number of topics, from understanding the context which gives rise to cybercrime, to raising awareness, developing and empowering new talent for cyber tech and leveraging the existing expertise and leadership we have among women in the region, to champion women's greater participation and leadership in this industry.

By working in partnership with leading organizations specializing in women4cyber, we reinforce the importance of regional and international cooperation in tackiling cybercrime and building our collective response to growing cyber threats in the Western Balkans region and globally.

Other news and events

Cyber Training for Judges and Prosecutors

WB3C has successfully concluded a three-day training programme designed to strengthen the capacities of local judges and prosecutors in addressing cybercrime and cyber-enabled crime.

Delivered by WB3C’s in-house trainers, the programme provided participants with a solid foundation to better understand, manage and process complex digital cases.

The training was structured into four thematic blocks:

Typology of cybercrime
Digital evidence collection
Open Source Intelligence (OSINT)
Introduction to cryptocurrencies

This activity is part of WB3C’s ongoing efforts to support the judiciary in building the necessary knowledge and tools to respond to evolving cyber threats.

OSINT Training for Law Enforcement

Today, Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) launched a specialized training program designed to equip law enforcement professionals from the Western Balkans with practical skills in open-source intelligence (OSINT) and digital investigations. The training is being led by Brigadier Chief Cyril C. of the French National Police, WB3C's in-house trainer, whose extensive expertise ensures participants gain valuable insights grounded in real-world investigative experience.

The program combines theoretical learning with practical exercises, enhancing participants' ability to identify threats, gather digital evidence in lawful ways and support informed decision-making.

The training will address critical aspects of digital evidence preservation, security checks to prevent data leaks, and safe navigation of the darknet.

Additionally, participants will develop skills in data collection and metadata analysis to extract valuable insights from publicly available information.
This initiative is designed for English-speaking law enforcement officers, particularly those attending WB3C training for the first time, reinforcing their capacity to address emerging digital threats.

European People's Party Visit to WB3C

Yesterday, the Western Balkans Cyber Capacity Centre (WB3C) had the pleasure of welcoming a delegation from the European People's Party, led by Minister of Energy and Mining, Admir Sahmanovic accompanied by State Secretary of the Ministry for Public Administration Dragisa Janjusevic and Aleksandar M. Andjic, Montenegro's National Coordinator for WB3C.

Director of WB3C, Gilles Schwoerer, along with Katarina Zajec, Minister Counsellor at the Slovenian Embassy in Podgorica, greeted the delegation. They provided a tour of our facilities and presented an overview of WB3C's mission and ongoing initiatives. In addition, our cybercrime experts introduced the guests to WB3C's cyber investigations curriculum, highlighting how we are equipping participants with practical skills to address real-world cybercrime challenges.

During the visit, our guests expressed interest in learning more about WB3C’s partnerships and shared ideas on how these collaborations could be further leveraged with EU stakeholders to support cybersecurity efforts in the region. Their insights contributed to a productive and friendly exchange, reinforcing the importance of strong partnerships in advancing regional cyber resilience.