Increased powers for both Säpo and FRA – and increased monitoring of Swedish data traffic.
These are some of the measures that the Moderates want to push through to reduce hybrid threats following Sweden’s NATO application.
– There are strong reasons to strengthen our ability to handle, identify and respond to these attacks, says defense policy spokesman Pål Jonson.
The risk of Russian hybrid attacks against Sweden is estimated to have increased after the NATO application was submitted, according to the government.
The moderates now present what they describe as a “reform agenda against hybrid threats” which contains several proposals the party wants to push through if it ends up in government after the election.
In a report, the party writes that “a number of new tools are needed to meet the breadth of other threats such as cyber attacks, sabotage, electoral influence, disinformation campaigns and hostile acquisitions – so-called hybrid threats”.
New technical solutions
The report also states that the Moderates want to “develop an offensive strategy in relation to the foreign intelligence officers who act on Swedish soil. To reduce the threat from spies and saboteurs operating in Sweden, the Moderates want to give the Swedish Armed Forces’ radio station, FRA, an expanded role. The party has previously stated that it wants the legislation to be changed so that FRA can also read data traffic between senders and recipients who are in Sweden.
Now they also want to give FRA the task of “developing new technical solutions similar to TDV” which is FRA’s technical detection and warning system. The system is used today to read all traffic, such as emails, to and from a number of Swedish authorities in order to be able to warn of IT attacks.
– TDV is one of the best instruments we have to be able to identify and manage cyber attacks and it is important that we have the ability to develop this type of technology, and also that we can use it to a greater extent given the threats and vulnerabilities that exists, says Pål Jonson.
Companies should receive more support
The moderates also want the legislation to be changed so that socially important private companies receive more support from Säpo and FRA, and for this the authorities need increased resources.
– This is a way to protect the business community and above all the actors in the business community who conduct socially important activities that are crucial for our society to function, says Pål Jonson.