Baku: Azercell Telecom has officially joined the Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST), one of the world's leading organizations for cybersecurity incident response.
According to Azerbaijan State News Agency, Azercell becomes the first and only corporate organization from Azerbaijan to join the global FIRST community. The company has also established the country's first officially registered Telecom Computer Emergency Response Team (Telecom CERT). FIRST membership is granted only after a rigorous international assessment of an organization's cybersecurity governance, incident response capabilities, and ability to collaborate with the global cybersecurity community. FIRST currently includes 874 incident response teams across 118 countries, featuring teams from leading technology companies such as Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Cisco. Azerbaijan is also represented by the Special Communication and Information Security State Service, the National Cybersecurity Agency, and the Central Bank of the Republic of Azerbaijan.
Joining FIRST marks a significant international recognition of Azercell's cybersecurity capabilities. It confirms that the company's cybersecurity practices meet globally recognized standards, positioning Azercell as a trusted partner within the global cybersecurity community. This achievement underscores Azercell's long-term commitment to strengthening its cybersecurity capabilities and building a more resilient digital infrastructure.
In alignment with the Information Security and Cybersecurity Strategy of the Republic of Azerbaijan for 2023-2027, Azercell is enhancing its cybersecurity ecosystem through ongoing investment in advanced technologies and continuous improvement of its security processes. The company has expanded the use of artificial intelligence across its security operations, enabling faster incident analysis, more effective vulnerability detection, and improved risk assessment. Enhanced real-time monitoring capabilities allow potential threats to be identified earlier and addressed more quickly.
Azercell was also the first telecom company in Azerbaijan to implement an AI-powered architecture for cyber threat detection and centralized security management. As a member of FIRST, Azercell gains access to a global network for real-time cyber threat intelligence, early warning information, industry best practices, and direct collaboration with leading incident response teams worldwide. This will further strengthen the company's ability to prevent, detect, and respond to cyber threats, enhance the resilience of its network and digital services, and contribute to the continued development of Azerbaijan's national cybersecurity ecosystem.
Azercell will continue investing in advanced cybersecurity capabilities and expanding international partnerships, contributing to the ongoing strengthening of Azerbaijan's digital infrastructure and cyber resilience.