We work towards better cyber security - the SOCCER project has started.

Cyber security has always been our priority, and we have always paid close attention to it. We are proud to announce that the international cyber security cooperation project SOCCER has started, in which the University of Tartu and, more precisely, UTHPC are involved. As dedicated contributors, UTHPC team actively participates in all aspects of the project.

What is SOCCER

SOCCER means Security Operation Center in the Central Europe Region.

SOCCER focuses on developing the capabilities of Security Operations Centers (SOCs) to provide universities, students, and university staff with a safe and secure cyberspace. The project is funded by project partners and co-funded by the EU Programme Digital Europe. The three-year project connects nine partners from five countries (Poland, Czechia, Slovakia, Estonia and Lithuania).

SOCCER mission

SOCCER mission is to fortify the academic sector’s defense against cyber threats, acting as the strategic goalkeeper for intellectual capital, research integrity, and student privacy.

In the ever-changing cyber security landscape, we monitor, protect, guide, and, if necessary, strike back and all that in the name of ensuring a secure academic future where collaboration, innovation, and security are central.

SOCCER goals

Defending Knowledge, Innovation, and National Security within the academic sector.

Each project goal represents a concrete and calculated step towards creating a strong defense mechanism that can withstand even sophisticated cyber threats and attacks. Project goals are:

1. Developing of SOCs and SOCs capabilities within the SOCCER consortium. This initiative promises better monitoring, detection, and response to cyber-attacks, safeguarding the personal data, intellectual property, and critical technologies of students, employees, and scientists.

2. Supporting SOC preparedness. By preparing educational material this initiative ensures that academic institutions are proactive in their readiness against cyber threats.

3. Establishing an information & CTI sharing ecosystem. SOCCER establishes a information and Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI) sharing ecosystem across the academic sector in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE), leveraging vulnerability databases.

4. SOC4Academia Toolbox. The creation of the SOC4Academia Toolbox for disseminating knowledge about SOC development, deployment, and functioning. This toolbox provides models for SOC services deployment and integration, fostering a collective understanding of best practices.

5. Integration and Cooperation with Global Entities. SOCCER takes the initiative in fostering integration and cooperation, not just within its consortium but also with Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs), European, and international structures.

6. Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Innovation. SOCCER embraces Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning techniques to innovate and elevate the detection of malicious cyber activities.

In collaboration we achieve success

Each project poses new challenges and obstacles to overcome, but we are happy to cooperate with like-minded people from different countries for common goals and work towards a common vision to strengthen the protection of the academic sector against cyber threats.

The SOCCER project funded under Grant Agreement No. 101128073 is supported by the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre.