Policy Rules for Protecting Critical Information Infrastructures in the Republic of Benin

The document titled ‘Règles de Politique de Protection des Infrastructures d’Information Critiques en République du Bénin’ (Policy Rules for Protecting Critical Information Infrastructures in the Republic of Benin) provides a comprehensive framework aimed at safeguarding critical information infrastructures (CIIs) within the country. These infrastructures are vital for the maintenance of essential societal functions, public health, safety, security, and economic or social well-being of the citizens.

Overview

The importance of CIIs in Benin has grown significantly due to substantial investments in major digital projects under the Government Action Program (PAG). These projects have led to the emergence of both public and private actors whose services are now critical for the state. Any failure, even temporary, or data compromise by these operators could have severe implications on the functioning of essential services, impacting society, health, safety, and the economic or social well-being of citizens.

Purpose and Scope

The primary goal of these policy rules is to ensure the resilience and security of critical information infrastructures, particularly their digital components, against various cyber risks and threats. The rules are designed to address the myriad risks and threats that could potentially affect the availability, confidentiality, or integrity of these infrastructures.

Key Objectives

1. Organizational Framework and Responsibilities:
   • Establish the responsibilities and organizational structure necessary for the implementation of the state’s strategy to protect CIIs.
   • Provide a coordinated and harmonized response to risks at a national level.
2. Designation and Management of CIIs:
   • Define the process for identifying and designating critical information infrastructure operators (OIICs).
   • Enhance the security management of CIIs by elevating the digital security maturity level of these operators.
3. Resilience and Incident Management:
   • Strengthen the resilience of CIIs by minimizing the impact of incidents through prior planning.
   • Encourage the sharing of relevant information among CII operators to better protect against threats.
4. Cybersecurity Culture and International Cooperation:
   • Improve cybersecurity culture among CII operators and integrate cybersecurity into their action plans.
   • Foster international cooperation on the security of transnational CIIs.

Implementation and Enforcement

The implementation of these policy rules involves several key institutions and actors, including:

• The Ministry in Charge of Digital Affairs: Oversees the national strategy and ensures the protection of CIIs.
• The Agency for Information Systems and Digital Affairs (ASIN): Coordinates technical implementation and incident management.
• The Ministry in Charge of Public Security: Manages physical protection of CII sites.
• Sectoral Authorities: Assist and advise CII operators in enhancing their information security systems.

Sanctions and Compliance

Non-compliance with the policy rules is subject to administrative and financial sanctions. Specific penalties are outlined for failures in implementing minimum security requirements, obstructing audits and controls, and failing to report security incidents. Operators have a defined period to align with these rules and submit action plans to ASIN.

Evolution and Updates

The policy rules are dynamic and will be periodically updated to reflect changes in organizational, legal, regulatory, and technological contexts, as well as the evolving threat landscape and results from compliance audits.