New rules and oversight of essential services

The new law on critical infrastructure replaced the previous regulation and transposed the European directive on the resilience of critical entities. It distinguishes 79 essential services in 11 sectors and 23 subsectors, over which 10 government authorities exercise supervision. These are primarily the relevant sectoral ministries, but also the Národný bezpečnostný úrad and the Správa štátnych hmotných rezerv. The aim is to ensure the continuity and security of the services we all depend on, even in a changing risk environment.

Why the association was created and why it addresses post-quantum encryption

Heightened threat pressure and new obligations created the need for a shared platform for experts. That is why the Asociácia kritickej infraštruktúry Slovenskej republiky was established, an interest association of legal entities registered with the Ministry of the Interior. It is not a company or a business entity; it operates on membership fees and focuses on member support, information exchange, methodologies, education, and advocating legitimate interests in strengthening resilience. Members can include not only critical entities, but also suppliers, consulting firms, and academic institutions with overlap into this field.

Post-quantum resilience requires special attention today, namely the transition to encryption resistant to future quantum attacks. Critical infrastructure is highly digitized, and every second control signals and sensitive data flow through it, whose compromise can have serious consequences, from energy outages to jeopardizing healthcare. The association therefore organizes events, workshops and prepares methodologies to ease the transition for its members and enhance their readiness. It cooperates with national authorities such as the Národný bezpečnostný úrad and the Ministry of the Interior, and also with the academic community.