Our central IT Team carried out a major upgrade of the UNESCO IT network over three days, from Friday 8 to Sunday 10 January 2021.  As already noted, this upgrade was necessary to improve the resilience of UNESCO’s network in the current working environment where many of us are teleworking. This IT upgrade has also improved the cyber security of our systems — a key priority for UNESCO.  As the world becomes more digital, the risks are significantly greater now than in the past and cyberattacks are becoming more frequent and sophisticated.  We all have to take the necessary precautions to protect against them.

Our central IT Team, working closely with you, will be introducing additional measures over the coming weeks and months to further strengthen UNESCO’s overall cyber security.  As these broader measures are introduced, you will be receiving guidance and instructions from the Chief Information and Technology Officer on specific actions that you need to be aware of and conform to. We will no doubt face some inconveniences as we adjust to these measures, but they are indispensable to ensure the security of our systems.