COcyber Batch #2 Ambassadors in the Spotlight: Dr. Vilius Benetis

It’s been a full year since COcyber launched its Ambassador Programme, and with two cohorts now completing their journeys, the network keeps growing stronger. The first ambassadors helped shape the dialogue around Europe’s cybersecurity cooperation, and over the past six months, a second group has carried that momentum forward, connecting new voices, new perspectives, and new countries.

As the second round comes to a close, we look back on the journey of our ambassadors and the insights they’ve shared along the way. In this article, we spoke with Dr. Vilius Benetis about his work, his perspective on European cybersecurity, and his message as this six-month chapter concludes.

Q: Who are you, and what is your professional background?

I am a cybersecurity capacity-building expert and Director at NRD Cyber Security, where I lead a team that helps governments, organisations, and sectors across Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America to establish and modernise Computer Security Incident Response Teams (CSIRTs) and Security Operations Centres (SOCs).

My focus is on building structured, sustainable, and locally owned cyber-response capabilities that can scale and adapt to national priorities. I am also an active contributor to the development of global cybersecurity methodologies through ENISA, FIRST.org, GFCE, and the ITU, and serve as the Global Ambassador of the CIS Controls.

My career has been guided by a simple principle: to make incident response organised, effective, and accessible to every country that needs it.

Q: Since when and how are you involved in the European cybersecurity sector?

My involvement in the European cybersecurity sector has been continuous through both policy and operational initiatives. I’ve worked with European governments and institutions to improve their national CSIRT/SOC frameworks and to strengthen regional collaboration across borders.

I am passionate about building trust-based networks, creating repeatable methodologies, and helping countries adopt consistent approaches to cyber incident response and crisis management. Over time, this has evolved into a broader mission of supporting Europe’s cybersecurity ecosystem. not only through direct technical capacity building, but also by contributing to the strategic frameworks that guide how Europe prepares, protects, and responds.

Q: From your perspective, what are the main challenges in the collaboration of the civilian and defence cybersecurity sectors in Europe?

The first challenge lies in definitions, because every defence cybersecurity organisation is, in its own way, also a civilian cybersecurity player. The boundaries between the two are increasingly blurred.

This overlap creates both opportunities and friction: while it allows for knowledge transfer and cooperation, it also exposes the different operational languages, goals, and expectations each side holds. Civilian actors prioritise service continuity and resilience; defence actors focus on strategic protection and mission assurance. Aligning these approaches remains one of Europe’s ongoing challenges.

Q: Again, from your perspective, what are the most crucial steps to address these challenges and strengthen Europe’s joint digital safety efforts?

The solution lies in ecosystem development, creating environments where joint efforts, trust, and partnerships naturally grow.

Europe needs spaces where civilian and defence experts can collaborate continuously, not only during crises. Shared projects, dual-use research programmes, and multi-sector exercises help build familiarity and trust. When people work together regularly, cooperation stops being exceptional and becomes the norm.

A strong, trusted ecosystem will do more for Europe’s cybersecurity than any regulation alone,  because it builds the human and institutional relationships that make rapid, coordinated action possible.

Q: Did your experience as a COcyber Ambassador align with what you expected at the beginning, and what are your key reflections now that the journey is ending?

There is no clear, proven method of ensuring cyber resilience for critical digital infrastructure. The working approach must include not only cybersecurity, but also aspects of cyber defence, combatting cybercrime and cyber diplomacy. Contributing to the COcyber ambassadorship allowed me to contribute to this objective and engage more with outcomes-based activities.