4 providers and electronic information hosting providers were mustered up which enabled the state to ensure systematic monitoring of cyber space, control of and responsibility for cyber incidents occurring in communication and information systems of cyber security entities; the NCSC has become the only agency in Lithuania to organise cyber incident management in the country and provide help and assistance to state institutions, business and residents under the principle of one stop shop. 11. Consolidation of capabilities is aimed at developing an integral cyber security management system in Lithuania which would represent a systematic approach to the security management planning in any field, promote orientation of cyber security entities to security management quality assurance, reduce administrative burden falling on cyber security entities, ensure the systematicity of assessment and evidence-based security management culture, help optimise the planning of security expenditure. Among the aims is the target to ensure sustainable development of cyber security competences and enhancement of regional cyber security capabilities. 12. The Ministry of National Defence of the Republic of Lithuania and the NCSC continuously cooperate with cyber security entities and provide consultations on the topics of cyber security as well as organise cyber security exercises. In 2017, the national cyber security exercise Cyber Security 2017 had around 200 participants from over 50 organisations of private and public sector. In cooperation with the Communications Regulatory Authority of the Republic of Lithuania, the Lithuanian Police and the State Data Protection Inspectorate, workshops for the representatives of cyber security entities were organised – they were familiarised with the requirements of legal acts in the area of cyber security. Participants of the exercise had trainings aimed at containing and resisting cyberattacks against critical communication and information systems and ensure the functioning of such systems. The Ministry of National Defence will continue to organise national cyber security exercises on a regular basis, will promote continuous improvement of cyber security skills not only in the national but also in international cyber security exercises. 13. The European Union and the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) acknowledge that the cyber space in some cases has become a separate military space or one of the tools of hybrid warfare. Cyber measures may be used to sabotage operation of a country’s critical information infrastructure (e.g., a cyber-attack which took place in one of Iran’s nuclear energy objects in 2010), might negatively affect the security of a country and its society (e.g., cyber-attacks in Ukraine’s power plants in 2015 and 2016), undermine economy and social welfare; for this reason, the security of the national cyber space is a legitimate national security interest of every country. In accordance with the decision adopted in NATO Warsaw Summit 2016 with regard to recognition of cyber space as the fifth warfare domain, the Lithuanian Armed Forces have become the main cyber space defence entity of the Republic of Lithuania. The strengthening of cyber defence so as to prevent military cyber threats and to effectively manage cyber incidents is