On 1 June 2026, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was concluded between the Operative-Technical Agency of Georgia operating under the umbrella of the State Security Service of Georgia and the SANS Institute. The Document, on behalf of Georgian side, was signed by the Head of the Agency, Mr. Beka MAMARDASHVILI, while the SANS Institute was represented by Mr. George DANILIUC.
The rationale behind concluding the MoU was preconditioned by the fact that dozens of Agency employees have completed numerous training programs developed by this Organization and hence, the OTA has first-hand verified results on the high quality of the delivered services. More precisely, OTA attended SANS Training Courses were tailored and adjusted to real case scenarios and consequently, they significantly contributed to the enhancement of the Agency personnel’s practical skills in important areas of cybersecurity, including and not limited to computer incident response, penetration testing, digital forensics, malware analysis, and related disciplines.
Furthermore, the decision in favor of concluding MoU with SANS was also significantly and positively influenced by the fact that through existing mutually beneficial cooperation, the Agency effectively facilitated organization and delivery of 2 Major SANS Events in Tbilisi, in June 2024 (additional info can be found at: https://infosecmap.com/event/sans-tbilisi-jun-2024/) that were attended by approximately 10 participants from European countries, including Germany, Netherlands, and Croatia, as well as from Central Asian republics such as Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan in addition to the OTA Officers.
Having said that, the MoU has been substantively designed not only to provide specialized training courses and various educational programs for the Agency, but it is also focused on regional level conferences, and other educational initiatives in close cooperation with the Agency through which Georgia will serve as a regional hub for SANS activities. This, in turn, will significantly contribute to the formation and further strengthening of Georgia’s positive image within professional cybersecurity circles.