NCSI :: Belgium

8. Belgium 85.71

8th	National Cyber Security Index
19th	Global Cybersecurity Index
25th	ICT Development Index
20th	Networked Readiness Index

Population		11.3million
Area (km2)		30.5thousand
GDP per capita ($)		44.9thousand

NCSI FULFILMENT PERCENTAGE

NCSI DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE 3 years All data

RANKING TIMELINE

NCSI Update		Data source
12 Jun 2020		Government officials

Version 12 Jun 2020

GENERAL CYBER SECURITY INDICATORS

1. Cyber security policy development 6/7 86%

6
7 86%
- 1.1. Cyber security policy unit 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  A central government entity (ministry or equivalent) has a specialised official or unit responsible for national cyber security policy development.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=fr&la=F&cn=2014101008&table_name=loi
  
  Legal act (French version)
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=2014101008&table_name=wet
  
  Legal act (Dutch version)
  
  https://www.ccb.belgium.be/en/organisation
  
  Entity's official website
- 1.2. Cyber security policy coordination format 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The central government has a committee, council, working group, etc. for national-level cyber security policy coordination.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/nl/samenwerking
  
  We have a comité "CCIV platform 4 Cyber" to coordinate cyber policy with the national security services.
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi_loi/change_lg.pl?language=nl&la=N&cn=2015060201&table_name=wet
  
  legal act for the SCIV, CCIV and the CCIV platform 4 (cyber security comité) (Dutch version)
- 1.3. Cyber security strategy 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The central government has established a national-level cyber security strategy or other equivalent document.
  Accepted references
  Valid official document
  
  Evidence
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/sites/default/files/BE_NCSS_be%20%282%29.pdf
  
  Cyber Security Strategy (Dutch version)
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/sites/default/files/BE_NCSS_fr.pdf
  
  Cyber Security Strategy (French version)
- 1.4. Cyber security strategy implementation plan 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The central government has established an implementation plan to the national-level cyber security strategy or other equivalent document.
  Accepted references
  Valid official document or its enforcement act
  
  Evidence
2. Cyber threat analysis and information 1/5 20%

1
5 20%
- 2.1. Cyber threats analysis unit 0
  
  0
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  A central government entity has a national-level unit that is specialised in national strategic cyber threat situation analysis.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
- 2.2. Public cyber threat reports are published annually 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The public part of the national cyber threat situation analysis is published at least once a year.
  Accepted references
  Official public report
  
  Evidence
- 2.3. Cyber safety and security website 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Public authorities provide at least one cyber safety and security website for cyber security and ICT professionals, and regular users.
  Accepted references
  Website
  
  Evidence
  
  https://safeonweb.be
3. Education and professional development 9/9 100%

9
9 100%
- 3.1. Cyber safety competencies in primary or secondary education 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Primary or secondary education curricula include cyber safety / computer safety competences.
  Accepted references
  Official curriculum or official report
  
  Evidence
  
  http://itec.eun.org/web/guest/be-curriculum-context
  
  https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ966666.pdf
  
  Page 4-5
- 3.2. Bachelor’s level cyber security programme 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is at least one cyber security / electronic information security focused programme at Bachelor’s or equivalent level.
  Accepted references
  Accredited study programme
  
  Evidence
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/en/ict-security-education-belgium
  
  see all bachelors with regards to cyber, ICT
- 3.3. Master’s level cyber security programme 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is at least one cyber security / electronic information security focused programme at Master’s or equivalent level.
  Accepted references
  Accredited study programme
  
  Evidence
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/en/ict-security-education-belgium
  
  see all different bachelor/masters available in Belgium
  
  https://masterincybersecurity.ulb.ac.be/
- 3.4. PhD level cyber security programme 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is at least one cyber security / electronic information security focused programme at PhD or equivalent level.
  Accepted references
  Accredited study programme
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.esat.kuleuven.be/cosic/education/finished-phd-master-theses/
- 3.5. Cyber security professional association 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is a professional association of cyber/electronic information security specialists, managers or auditors.
  Accepted references
  Website
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.isaca.org/chapters5/belgium
4. Contribution to global cyber security 5/6 83%

5
6 83%
- 4.1. Convention on Cybercrime 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The country has ratified the Convention on Cybercrime.
  Accepted references
  Official website of the convention
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.coe.int/en/web/conventions/full-list/-/conventions/treaty/185/signatures?p_auth=zrS8ISMY
- 4.2. Representation in international cooperation formats 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government is regularly represented in a cooperation format that is dedicated to international cyber security (e.g. FIRST).
  Accepted references
  Official website of the cooperation format
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.first.org/members/teams/#belgium
  
  https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/nis-cooperation-group
  
  The Centre for Cyber security is the SPOC for the NIS group.
- 4.3. International cyber security organisation hosted by the country 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  A regional or international cyber security organisation is hosted by the country.
  Accepted references
  Organisation’s official website
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.ecs-org.eu/about
- 4.4. Cyber security capacity building for other countries 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The country has (co-)financed or (co-)organised at least one capacity building project for another country in the last 3 years.
  Accepted references
  Official website or project document
  
  Evidence

BASELINE CYBER SECURITY INDICATORS

5. Protection of digital services 4/5 80%

4
5 80%
- 5.1. Cyber security responsibility for digital service providers 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  According to legislation, digital service providers (except micro and small enterprises): (1) must manage cyber/ICT risks or (2) must implement established cyber/information security requirements.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel
  
  Article 33. The security requirements (DSP – Digital Service Providers)
  
  Article 39. Norm ISO/IEC 17021 of ISO/IEC 17065
- 5.2. Cyber security standard for the public sector 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Public sector digital service providers must implement (1) cyber/ICT security requirements (defined by legislation) or (2) a widely recognised security standard.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
- 5.3. Competent supervisory authority 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has a competent authority in the field of cyber/information security that has the power to supervise public and private digital service providers regarding the implementation of cyber/information security requirements.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0006
  
  Chapter 3, article . § 5, "An inspectorate shall be set up per sector or, where appropriate, per sub-sector to monitor compliance by providers of essential services or digital service providers with the provisions of this Act and its implementing decrees."
  
  § 2. The King designates the authority which fulfils the role of national CSIRT.
  The national CSIRT represents Belgium within the CSIRT network referred to in Article 12 of the NIS Directive. It contributes effectively, efficiently and securely to the missions of the CSIRT network. (CCB)
  § 3. The King appoints, by decree adopted after consultation in the Council of Ministers, the sectoral authorities responsible, for their respective sector, for supervising the implementation of the provisions of this Act.
  
  .
6. Protection of essential services 6/6 100%

6
6 100%
- 6.1. Operators of essential services are identified 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is a legal act that allows to identify operators of essential services.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0012
  
  Title 2, Chapter 1 and Annex 1
- 6.2. Cyber security requirements for operators of essential services 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  According to the legislation, operators of essential services must manage cyber/ICT risks.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0011
  
  Title 2, Chapter 2, Art. 22: norm ISO/IEC 27001
- 6.3. Competent supervisory authority 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has a competent authority in the field of cyber/information security that has the power to supervise operators of essential services, regarding cyber/information security requirements.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0012
  
  Title 1, Chapter 2, Article 7 and Title 4, Chapter 1, Article 38
- 6.4. Regular monitoring of security measures 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Operators of essential services must regularly (at least once every 3 years) provide evidence of the effective implementation of cyber/information security policies (e.g. audit result, documentation, specific report).
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0012
  
  Chapter 1 , Article 38
  
  The provider of essential services shall carry out an annual internal audit of the network and information systems at its own expense.
7. E-identification and trust services 8/9 89%

8
9 89%
- 7.1. Unique persistent identifier 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government provides a unique persistent identifier to all citizens, residents, and legal entities. For example, the identifier remains the same after document expiration and name change.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ibz.rrn.fgov.be/nl/rijksregister/faq/meer-technische-informatie-it-autogeneratie-wijzigingen/
  
  See question 5: What is the identification number
- 7.2. Requirements for cryptosystems 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Requirements for cryptosystems in the field of trust services are regulated.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
- 7.3. Electronic identification 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Electronic identification is regulated.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN
- 7.4. Electronic signature 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  E-signature is regulated
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN
- 7.5. Timestamping 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Timestamping is regulated.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN
- 7.6. Electronic registered delivery service 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Electronic registered delivery service between state entities, citizens and private sector entities is regulated. The service provides legally binding data exchange and guarantees the confidentiality and integrity of information.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/HTML/?uri=CELEX:32014R0910&from=EN
- 7.7. Competent supervisory authority 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is an authority responsible for the supervision of qualified trust service providers.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/cgi/article_body.pl?language=fr&pub_date=2016-09-28&numac=2016009485&caller=summary
  
  16° Organe de contrôle : l'organe visé à l'article 17, paragraphe 1, du règlement 910/2014, créé au sein du Service public fédéral Economie, PME, Classes moyennes et Energie, composé des agents visés à l'article XV.2 et chargé des tâches de contrôle des prestataires établis en Belgique de services de confiance, y compris de services d'archivage électronique;
8. Protection of personal data 4/4 100%

4
4 100%
- 8.1. Personal data protection legislation 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is a legal act for personal data protection.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/NL/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32016R0679&from=EN
  
  GDPR
- 8.2. Personal data protection authority 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is an independent public supervisory authority that is responsible for personal data protection.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.dataprotectionauthority.be/about-the-cpp

INCIDENT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT INDICATORS

9. Cyber incidents response 6/6 100%

6
6 100%
- 9.1. Cyber incidents response unit 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has a unit (CSIRT, CERT, CIRT, etc.) that is specialised in national-level cyber incident detection and response.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://cert.be/en/about-us
  
  The federal Computer Emergency Response Team, in short CERT.be, is the operational service of the Centre for Cyber Security Belgium (CCB). The task of CERT.be is to detect, observe and analyse online security problems and to provide continuous information about these problems.
- 9.2. Reporting responsibility 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Digital service providers and operators of essential services have an obligation to notify appointed government authorities of cyber security incidents.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.ejustice.just.fgov.be/eli/wet/2019/04/07/2019011507/justel#LNK0009
  
  Art. 35. § Digital service providers shall immediately report any incident that has a significant impact on the provision of a service provided by them in the European Union as referred to in Annex II.
  Incidents shall be reported simultaneously to the national CSIRT, the sectoral government or its sectoral CSIRT, and the authority referred to in Article 7(4) via the reporting platform referred to in Article 31
- 9.3. Single point of contact for international coordination 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has designated a single point of contact for international cyber security coordination.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://ccb.belgium.be/nl/samenwerking
  
  CCB is the POC for the NIS group and several other international organizations with regards to the technical part of cyber security.
10. Cyber crisis management 2/5 40%

2
5 40%
- 10.1. Cyber crisis management plan 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has established a crisis management plan for large-scale cyber incidents.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.ccb.belgium.be/en/critical-infrastructure
  
  In preparation
- 10.2. National-level cyber crisis management exercise 0
  
  0
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has conducted a national-level cyber crisis management exercise or a crisis management exercise with a cyber component in the last 3 years.
  Accepted references
  Exercise document/website or press release
  
  Evidence
- 10.3. Participation in international cyber crisis exercises 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The country's team has participated in an international cyber crisis management exercise in the last 3 years.
  Accepted references
  Exercise document/website or press release
  
  Evidence
  
  https://crisiscentrum.be/nl/news/noodplanning/crisiscentrum-neemt-deel-aan-internationale-cyberoefening
  
  On 6 and 7 June 2018, the large-scale international cyber exercise CE2018 took place. The exercise was organised by the European Union Agency for Network and Information Security (ENISA) of the European Union. The scenario of the exercise simulated a cyber attack in several countries affecting the aviation sector. Belgium participated
- 10.4. Operational support of volunteers in cyber crises 0
  
  0
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The procedures for using volunteers in the field of cyber security are established by legislation.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
11. Fight against cybercrime 9/9 100%

9
9 100%
- 11.1. Cybercrimes are criminalised 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Cybercrimes are defined by legislation.
  Accepted references
  Legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  http://www.wipo.int/wipolex/en/text.jsp?file_id=262695
  
  Covers computer forgery, computer fraud, hacking and sabotage (see Art 550b of the Criminal Code)
  
  http://www.cybercrimelaw.net/Belgium.html
- 11.2. Cybercrime unit 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is a government entity with a specific function of combatting cybercrime.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.politie.be/5998/nl/over-ons/centrale-directies/federal-computer-crime-unit
  
  Federal Computer Crime Unit
- 11.3. Digital forensics unit 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  There is a government entity with a specific function of digital forensics.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://nicc.fgov.be/digitale-informatie
  
  https://www.police.be/5998/nl/over-ons/centrale-directies/federal-computer-crime-unit
  
  Reference to regional computer crime units who are resopnsible for digital forensics
- 11.4. 24/7 contact point for international cybercrime 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The government has designated an international 24/7 contact point for cybercrimes.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://rm.coe.int/16804b3493
  
  Federal Computer/Cyber Crime Unit
  
  https://www.politie.be/nl/e-loket
  
  The federal cyber crime unit can be reached via the 24/7 number or online service of the lokal police.
12. Military cyber operations 6/6 100%

6
6 100%
- 12.1. Cyber operations unit 3
  
  3
  3
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Military forces have a unit (cyber command, etc.) that is specialised in planning and conducting cyber operations.
  Accepted references
  Official website or legal act
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.mil.be/nl/cyber
  
  Official website of the military forces that are specialised in planning and conducting cyber operations.
- 12.2. Cyber operations exercise 2
  
  2
  2
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  Military forces have conducted a cyber operations exercise or an exercise with a cyber operations component in the country in the last 3 years.
  Accepted references
  Exercise document/website or press release
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.mil.be/nl/artikel/de-vijand-je-jaszak
- 12.3. Participation in international cyber exercises 1
  
  1
  1
  
  Requirements
  
  Criteria
  The country's military team has participated in an international cyber operations exercise in the last 3 years.
  Accepted references
  Exercise document/website or press release
  
  Evidence
  
  https://www.mil.be/nl/artikel/cyberdefensie-oefening-het-kader-van-de-navo
  
  Thirty-five people from the military cyber capacity participated in Cyber Coalition from 27 to 30 November 2018. This NATO exercise trains and tests the Member States' ability to defend their networks against attacks.

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Centre for Cyber Security Belgium

8. Belgium 85.71

NCSI FULFILMENT PERCENTAGE

NCSI DEVELOPMENT TIMELINE 3 years All data

RANKING TIMELINE

Version 12 Jun 2020 Choose a version 12 Jun 2020 3 Jul 2018 6 May 2018

GENERAL CYBER SECURITY INDICATORS

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BASELINE CYBER SECURITY INDICATORS

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INCIDENT AND CRISIS MANAGEMENT INDICATORS

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Version 12 Jun 2020