Azerbaijan establishes working group to prevent cybercrimes

A working meeting was held to discuss current issues related to cybercrime from bank cards with representatives from banks operating in the country, Azernews reports, citing the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The meeting was jointly organised by the Main Department of Combating Cybercrime of the Ministry of Internal Affairs (MIA), the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan, and the "Azerbaijan Banks Association."

According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Emil Mehdiyev, head of the Cybercrime Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, emphasised the importance of enhancing cooperation with banking and financial organisations to prevent cybercrime and fraud. He highlighted the need for increased collaborative efforts to strengthen cyber awareness and underscored the importance of elevating cooperation to a higher level.

In his address, Farid Osmanov, Director General of the Central Bank, stated that cyber hacking of bank cards directly impacts citizens' social welfare and suggested leveraging international experiences to swiftly address issues in this area, which could yield effective results.

During the meeting, cyber security officers from banks, department directors, and executives overseeing this issue in the banking and financial sector voiced their concerns. They emphasised their commitment to prepare and present proposals promptly to prevent card fund theft and to coordinate closely with the Head Office.

The meeting concluded with a decision to establish a working group comprising personnel from the Cybercrime Combating Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and bank representatives. This group will collaborate on joint efforts to combat cybercrime, respond promptly to incidents, and engage in preventive measures.