03-02-2025
The fourth “Graduation Day” of the Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center, established by the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, and Israel’s Technion – Israel Institute of Technology, has taken place.
In his opening speech, Farid Osmanov, Chairman of the Board of the Innovation and Digital Development Agency, highlighted the center’s contributions to the country’s cybersecurity sector:
“The Digital Development Concept, approved by the decree of the President of the Republic of Azerbaijan on January 16, 2025, aims to protect the state, businesses, and personal data, enhance society’s digital literacy, and train professional ICT specialists. The Azerbaijan Cybersecurity Center continues to play a significant role in supporting this process.”
He also emphasized that through various projects, the center contributes to training professional cybersecurity specialists and instructors while fostering the development of a robust cybersecurity ecosystem.
Following his remarks, representatives from partner organizations, including Technion, spoke about the program’s significance, objectives, and future prospects. Shahmar Hajiyaheyayev, Head of IRIA’s Information Security Department, delivered a presentation on the center’s activities, newly developed programs and projects, as well as key statistical insights. In 2024, a total of 160 participants successfully completed their training at the center. Out of more than 2,000 applicants last year, 60 students graduated from the defensive (Blue Team) and offensive (Red Team) training programs after successfully passing all stages of the selection process.
During the training period, students gained hands-on experience in cybersecurity, learning cutting-edge strategies, technologies, and innovations under the guidance of international experts in Blue Team (defensive) and Red Team (offensive) groups. Additionally, this year, 40 students graduated from the newly introduced Purple Team training, which integrates the experiences of both attack and defense teams.
The program is specifically designed for professionals with over two years of experience in the private and public sectors. During the event, graduate teams presented their final projects, demonstrating how they applied their acquired knowledge to real-world cybersecurity challenges. Subsequently, two top-performing graduates were awarded for their outstanding achievements. The ceremony concluded with the official guests presenting graduation certificates to the 100 newly certified professionals.