The Board of Cyber Security will hold its first meeting on Tuesday, the Sabah newspaper reported.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to chair the meeting where the country’s road map on cybersecurity will be discussed. Key issues up for discussion will be the protection of critical infrastructure against cyberattacks and the development of human resources for cybersecurity. The board is comprised of the president, vice president, ministers of justice, foreign affairs, interior, national defense, industry and technology, transportation and infrastructure, the secretary-general of the National Security Council, director of the National Intelligence Organization (MIT), head of the Presidency of Defense Industries, and head of the Cybersecurity Directorate.
The board meetings will also be open to other ministers and experts, from whom the board seeks input from. The board is also authorized to set up committees and working groups for technical work.
Among its duties are setting policies and strategies for cybersecurity, making decisions for the technological road map of the country, establishing incentives and developing human resources.
The Cybersecurity Directorate was founded in January 2025, shortly before Parliament passed a comprehensive cybersecurity law for better control of cyberspace. The bill included mandates for creating strategies and policies for cybersecurity, as well as the establishment of the Cybersecurity Board.
Perpetrators of cyberattacks, those benefiting from the use of data stolen in cyberattacks, may be punished with prison terms of up to 12 years under the new law. Those publishing, broadcasting and selling data stolen in cyberattacks will face prison terms of up to 15 years. Those failing to report cyberattacks or exploits in their line of work, namely Internet service providers or those offering online services that require storage of personal information, will face fines under the new law.
