Donation of the Diagonal pre-diagnostic tool for assessing cyber maturity

12.06.2024

About Diagonal:Developed by the FrenchGendarmerie and originally designed for small and medium-sized enterprises, health institutes and municipalities, Diagonal is a pre-diagnostic tool that assesses cyber maturity and identifies actions to enhance protection against cyber threats. On 12 June, this tool was donated to public administrations across the Western Balkans as part of the WB3C's support in buillding cyber resilience of the region.

Why Diagonal?

With the rise in cyberattacks, it is crucial for public administrations to be well-prepared. Diagonal helps in understanding vulnerabilities and developing an effective security strategy. It facilitates the identification of priority projects to secure against online threats and supports strategic decision-making.

Key Objectives of Diagonal:

Assess cyber maturity: Understand the current level of cybersecurity within the administration.
Identify improvements: Suggest both human and technical areas for enhancement
Collect data: Gather statistical information on prevalent cyber threats.

Main features:

Cyber risk assessment and strategy development.
Monitoring and awareness programs.
Evaluation of service provider dependencies.
GDPR compliance checks.
Technical infrastructure security.
Incident response and business continuity planning.

This initiative is part of a series of actions by WB3C to support Western Balkans administrations, significantly contributing to building regional cyber resilience. Diagonal is not a replacement for a comprehensive audit but serves as an essential first step in fortifying our defenses against cyber threats.

Major David Toulotte of the Commandement du ministère de l’Intérieur dans le cyberespace (COMCYBER-MI), one of the co-creators of the tool, and Colonel Laurent Baille of the French Gendarmerie - ComCyber-MI Strategic International Cooperation, together with Cedric Grousset, Director of Studies of WB3C, presented the software to our beneficiaries and held workshops on its use.

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.