Strengthening Switzerland’s cybersecurity through cooperation

The rapid development of artificial intelligence (AI) and ongoing geopolitical tensions are shaping the current threat landscape in cyberspace. At the same time, however, new opportunities are emerging. The 2026 National Cybersecurity Conference therefore focused on how this tension can be best addressed through collaboration. The event was jointly organised by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Swiss Security Network (SSN) and was attended by leading experts from various areas of cybersecurity.

Opportunities and challenges of AI

In his opening address, Federal Councillor Martin Pfister outlined the security policy challenges arising from current developments, while emphasising that Switzerland is not standing idly by in the face of these challenges. With the Security Policy Strategy and the National Cyber Strategy, which are due to be presented at the end of 2025, the Federal Council is setting out a series of measures to address these challenges. Mr Pfister called for a joint effort across sectors and institutions to strengthen protection against growing cyberthreats, stating that the success of the National Cyber Strategy depends largely on this.

Exchange at all levels

Following opening remarks by Florian Schütz, director of the NCSC, and Martin von Muralt, delegate of the SSN, the Steering Committee for the National Cyber Strategy, chaired by Maya Bundt, provided an overview of the current state of implementation and the ongoing work regarding the periodic review of the Strategy. Nicole van der Meulen, head of cybersecurity innovation at SURF – the IT cooperative for education and research institutions in the Netherlands – clearly illustrated in her keynote speech what the constantly evolving threat landscape in cyberspace demands of us, and why technological innovation, for example in the field of AI, is currently advancing faster than our responses can keep up with.

National Council member and chair of the Security Policy Committee, Jacqueline de Quattro, provided a political perspective by discussing current political and legislative measures to strengthen cybersecurity, as well as the importance of cooperation between the various stakeholders. Simon Baechler, head of the Neuchâtel Criminal Investigation Department, illustrated how cooperation across national borders pays off in practice, citing a successful joint investigation between Switzerland and the Ivory Coast in which coordinated cooperation between several Swiss cantons and the Ivorian and French authorities made it possible to solve a number of cybercrime cases and arrest the suspects.

Practical insights and discussions during breakout sessions

In addition to the panel discussions, breakout sessions were held on AI and cybersecurity, during which participants discussed the benefits of enhanced collaboration through cybersecurity centres, how to strengthen cyber resilience for Swiss SMEs, and the opportunities and developments arising from the National Cyber Strategy. These practical approaches and the exchange of experiences are intended to help organisations strengthen their resilience to cyberthreats.

Switzerland and Austria discuss strategies

To conclude, Florian Schütz and Wolfgang Ebner, Secretary-General of the Austrian Federal Chancellery and Federal Chief Digital Officer, discussed the current threat landscape in Austria and Switzerland, as well as the developments shaping their respective national cyber strategies. Both expressed their conviction that international exchange offers concrete benefits for the implementation of national cyber strategies, as many of the challenges encountered in one country are similar to those in the other. The discussion thus highlighted that cooperation between states is not an end in itself, but rather an effective means of learning more quickly from the experiences of others and of strengthening one’s own cyber resilience in a focused manner.

National Cybersecurity Conference from 2027

Until now, the National Cybersecurity Conference has been organised jointly by the NCSC and the SSN. In future, however, the event will be organised in collaboration with the Cyber Defence Campus. The NCSC would like to thank the SSN for its long-standing, constructive cooperation and commitment, which has contributed significantly to the Conference's success over the years. The next National Cybersecurity Conference will take place on 21 September 2027 at the Kursaal in Bern.