The first Colombo Security Conclave Virtual Workshop on “Developing Regional Cyber Security Capabilities on Defensive operations, Deep/Dark Web handling and Digital Forensics” was hosted by the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS), Government of India in association with National Forensics Science University, Gandhinagar (Gujarat) and the Secretariat of the Colombo Security Conclave, over two days on 10-11 January 2022.

Delegates from Member and Observer States of the of Colombo Security Conclave (CSC) including Sri Lanka, Maldives, India, Mauritius, Seychelles, and Bangladesh participated in the workshop.

At the 5^th Deputy NSA Level Meeting of the Colombo Security Conclave held on 04 August 2021, Members and Observer States had agreed on four pillars of cooperation including Maritime Safety and Security, Terrorism and Radicalization, Trafficking and Organized Crime and Cyber Security and Protection of Critical Infrastructure. The workshop was the inaugural activity under the fourth pillar. It addressed key areas of Deep Web and Dark Net Investigation and Challenges; Digital Forensics; Cyber Threat intelligence; and Defensive Operations in Cyber Domain. Discussions focused on technological advancements, research challenges and approaches in these areas. Participants also shared their experiences in dealing with cyber security threats and discussed solutions to specific cyber security challenges.

Participants agreed to identify key deliverables and continue to work on the way forward for cooperation on cyber security under the Colombo Security Conclave.

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