This project aims to empower GoM with the knowledge through testing out the use cases demonstrations (‘use case demos’ or ‘pilots’); in the form of showcasing advanced tools to address cyber threats effectively. This activity is expected to be highly beneficial and essential to GOM in an era where cyber warfare can have far-reaching impacts on Mongolia’s national security and economic stability. The necessity of this innovative grant stems from the escalating complexities and frequencies of cyber threats in today's interconnected digital world. Cybersecurity is a critical necessity; especially for government bodies responsible for safeguarding national security and sensitive data. The consultant's objective is to aid the GoM’s national CIRT in developing use case demos for the use of AI for swift and effective mitigation of cyber-attacks; proactively identify and defend against emerging threats; enhance its incident response capabilities; and strengthen the nation's overall cybersecurity posture. Key use case demos include: i. Advanced Threat Detection: AI-driven advanced threat detection will empower the CIRT to proactively identify sophisticated; evolving cyber threats that often elude traditional security measures. This capability will enable efficient; early detection of potential attacks; crucial for mitigating the impact of cyber incidents in an ever-changing threat landscape. ii. Real-Time Monitoring: AI-driven continuous monitoring will address the challenge of vast; fast-moving data in modern networks. By swiftly identifying unusual behavior and potential threats; this real-time vigilance will be crucial for preventing large-scale breaches. It will enable instant response; safeguarding sensitive government data and national security interests against significant data breaches and financial losses. iii. Automated Incident Triage: With the overwhelming volume of cyber incidents; AI-driven triage will automate the categorization and prioritization of threats. This will streamline response workflows; enabling efficient management of multiple simultaneous incidents. By ensuring swift attention to critical issues and optimal resource allocation; automated triage will significantly enhance overall incident response effectiveness. The use case demos will help form the foundational knowledge basis for the relevant Mongolia entities and stakeholders supported by this grant to be more aware of cyberattacks; understand AI use for cybersecurity; and provide them the strategic roadmap and technical specifications to operationalize and achieve the country's cybersecurity goals and efforts.1. Scope of Work The Consultant will work under the direction of the task team leaders (TTLs) of the Digital Development Global Practice to deliver the following activities listed below. An important aspect of this activity is engaging with and leveraging the expertise of institutions such as the Gates Foundation and the State Department. This activity will collaborate with the UN’s International Telecommunications Union (ITU) that is already providing technical advice to MDDIC for their national CIRT’s setup. The World Bank team will help facilitate contact with these agencies and assist in refining the scope of collaboration. The Bank team will also recommend and facilitate regular meetings with MDDIC and help secure a focal point at the ministry. The task team suggests that the Consultant consider having a local presence or a team member who can coordinate its fieldwork. The local team member will be responsible for interpretation during the data/information gathering and analysis work. The World Bank task team will arrange for interpreters for the training. Following is the activity plan for the consultant to execute AI-driven cybersecurity improvements for MDDIC:a. Planning 1.1. Define project scope and objectives: The firm must consult the client to outline specific goals for each use case demo. The plan should be tailored to the client's system architecture; governance model; and participating stakeholders.1.2. Develop use case demos plan: The firm must develop the use case demos plan. The firm is permitted to propose suitable open source solutions for the use case demos; which must be included in the firm’s proposal with justifications.b. Use case demo #1 on threat detectionTo showcase the first pilot; the firm shall reference the client’s objective and apply relevant synthetic data to showcase the identified AI-powered threat detection solution. It shall simulate the 1-2 use cases aligned with the objective. Present the showcase to the client to raise awareness of the technical solution and address the client’s considerations for operational deployment. The use case demo needs to reflect how cybercriminals use AI for attacks and how the government can use AI for increased defense. From the use case demo exercise; the consultant should prepare a list of actionable recommendat