Vladni urad za informacijsko varnost trdi, da izraelskega kibernetskega sistema doslej niso testirali

Slovenia’s government information security office stated on Tuesday that it has not yet tested an Israeli cybersecurity tool known as Sphere. The agency clarified via its website that a July meeting with representatives of the Israeli firm Dream Security was purely presentational and informational in nature. This statement follows reports published earlier this week by the investigative online media outlet Ostro, which revealed an agreement between the state body and the private company regarding potential trials of the software. The disclosure by Ostro came on Friday, detailing a meeting held in July between officials from the government information security office and executives from Dream Security. Attendees included Prime Minister Janez Janša and Niko Gamulin, the acting director of the information security office. Also present was Sebastian Kurz, former Austrian chancellor who currently serves as co-owner and chairman of the board at Dream Security. The government office emphasized on Tuesday that it did not participate in organizing the meeting. However, a report from the session obtained by Ostro indicates that the security office agreed with the Israeli company to trial the Sphere tool within the laboratory of the SIGOV-Cert sector. In response to the publication, the information security office reiterated that any testing would strictly utilize test data or appropriately anonymized datasets. Similar assurances were previously communicated to Ostro by the prime minister’s cabinet. Officials there explained that if testing proceeds, it will occur exclusively on test data within an isolated environment devoid of internet connectivity. They stated this protocol ensures adequate protection for national data and information systems. The primary objective of such a trial, according to the office, would be to evaluate the utility of the solution and determine its potential added value in the fields of information and cyber security. The office noted that these properties cannot be assessed without conducting tests. The government body specified that no schedule has been set for the execution of any potential trial. It further stressed that the initial presentational meeting and the possibility of future testing do not constitute a decision to purchase the solution or deploy it into an operational environment. Despite these clarifications, political tensions have risen over the incident. The Institute March 8th, a local organization, published a statement claiming that the government had signed an agreement with Dream Security without informing the public. The institute alleged that this deal permits the company to use data belonging to Slovenian citizens to test their artificial intelligence-driven security programs. Prime Minister Janša rejected these accusations directly. He stated that the government has not concluded any such agreement and that no testing involving citizen data has taken place. Janša directed attention toward the funding sources of the Institute March 8th, suggesting that the organization misleads the public daily with falsehoods. He argued that the Slovenian public has the right to know who finances and directs such entities against Slovenia. Janša also referenced the country's parliamentary democracy, noting that Slovenia ended the rule of un-elected bodies through a plebiscite and constitution. He implied that the institute should limit its demands based on the number of votes it received in elections. The controversy centers on the nature of the relationship between the state security apparatus and a foreign technology provider. While the official position maintains that no operational deployment or data sharing has occurred, the existence of a documented agreement to conduct lab trials has raised questions among observers. The involvement of high-profile figures, including the current prime minister and a former European leader turned tech executive, adds a layer of diplomatic and corporate interest to the domestic security debate. The SIGOV-Cert sector, mentioned as the location for potential trials, is part of the broader infrastructure responsible for managing critical information systems in Slovenia. Dream Security, the Israeli entity involved, offers tools designed for national cyber defense. The specific product under discussion, Sphere, utilizes advanced technologies to monitor and protect digital infrastructures. The presence of Sebastian Kurz, who transitioned from politics to business leadership after his tenure as Austrian chancellor, highlights the international network surrounding the company. His participation in the July meeting alongside Janša and Gamulin suggests a direct channel of communication between the top levels of the Slovenian government and the firm’s leadership. The government’s insistence on the isolated nature of any future testing aims to address privacy concerns. By specifying that the environment would lack internet access and rely solely on anonymized or synthetic data, officials seek to distinguish the proposed trial from actual surveillance operations. However, critics remain focused on the initial agreement itself, viewing the willingness to engage in such trials as a step toward integration of foreign technology into sensitive state networks. The lack of a defined timeline for the tests leaves the situation in a state of pending review, with the government maintaining that no final decisions have been made regarding procurement or implementation. The exchange between the government and the Institute March 8th underscores the sensitivity of the issue. Accusations of secret deals and unauthorized data usage stand in sharp contrast to the official denials of any such arrangements. As the debate continues, the focus remains on whether the technical safeguards promised by the administration are sufficient to allay public fears regarding the handling of national security data. The outcome of this episode will likely depend on whether the planned laboratory trials ever move forward and how transparent the process becomes if they do. For now, the official record stands that the Sphere system remains untested in Slovenia.