The priority of the security work in the Ministry of Defence is to create and maintain a high-level security culture to which the management in the administrative branch is committed on all levels. The focus is on proactive measures, and the administrative branch is expected to act in line with the security principles. The aim is to identify threats to and vulnerabilities of security and mitigate or eliminate assessed risks.
Organisational security
Organisational security refers to all the measures with which the personnel, information, material and technical infrastructure in the organisation is safeguarded. Organisational security ensures the organisation’s ability to function in all situations.
Through measures to secure the resources and up-to-date legal basis, the Ministry of Defence leads organisational security in its administrative branch.
Technical safety
Technical safety includes explosives safety, electric safety, ionising and non-ionising radiation safety, chemicals safety, pressure equipment safety, vehicle, vessel and aircraft safety, and transport safety of hazardous substances.
The Ministry of Defence steers and monitors technical safety in the defence administration, ensures that the legal basis is up-to-date and participates in international cooperation within its field.
Designated Security Authority (DSA)
The Ministry of Defence (MoD) is the Designated Security Authority as referred to in the Act on International Information Security Obligations (588/2004). Among its tasks is to steer and monitor that international classified information is protected in the defence administration in accordance with the acts and regulations. In addition to international cooperation, this task is underscored in particular by the Defence Forces’ international projects. The MoD DSA oversees or approves the security documents related to them. Through its role as a DSA, the Ministry of Defence takes part in international security forums and committees, for example in the European Union, NATO and the European Space Agency (ESA).
The National Security Authority (NSA) at the Ministry for Foreign Affairs steers and monitors the work to ensure that the international classified information delivered to Finland is protected and dealt with appropriately. In this task it also steers the work of the designated security authorities. Apart from the Ministry of Defence, Defence Command Finland, the Finnish Security and Intelligence Service and the National Communications Security Authority (NCSA) function as designated security authorities. They, their duties and cooperation have been specified in the Act on International Information Security Obligations.
The National Security Authority maintains the National Security Auditing Criteria (Katakri), which is used to assess the target organisation’s ability to protect classified information.
Inquiries: Kai Knape, Security Director (firstname.lastname(at)gov.fi).
