The active phase of the largest and most complex international live-fire cyber defence exercise Locked Shields 2018 came to end today. Altogether 22 Blue Teams, including teams from NATO and EU, practiced defence of complex IT networks in the event of a large-scale cyber attack.
“The exercise serves as a valuable platform for senior decision-makers to practice the coordination required to address complex cyber incidents, both internally and internationally. In the strategic game of Locked Shields Blue Teams had to determine at what level the information should be shared, who has the authority to make a decision and give guidelines, what are the potential legal implications,” explained Cdr Michael Widmann, Chief of NATO CCDCOE Strategy Branch. “Overall the exercise was a success. Teams coordinated in a complex and dynamic environment and addressed key issues necessary to endure intense cyber attack,” added Cdr Widmann.
In 2018 the exercise highlighted the growing need to enhance dialogue between technical experts and decision-makers. CCDCOE integrated the technical and strategic game, enabling participating nations to practice the entire chain of command in the event of a severe cyber incident involving both civilian and military players. Considering the current cyber threats that are concerning nations the most, the exercise will addressed the critical information infrastructure protection.
The annual real-time network defence exercise is a unique opportunity for national cyber defenders to practise protection of national IT systems and critical infrastructure under the intense pressure of a severe cyber attack.
Locked Shields 2018 is organised by CCDCOE in cooperation with the Estonian Defence Forces, the Finnish Defence Forces, the Swedish Defence University, the British Joint Army, the United States European Command, CERT.LV, National Security Research Institute of the Republic of Korea and Tallinn University of Technology. Industry partners in the exercise include Siemens AG, Ericsson, Bittium, Goodmill, Threod Systems, Cyber Test Systems, Clarified Security, Iptron, Bytelife, BHC Laboratory, openvpn.net, GuardTime and numerous others.
Enclosed photos from the control room of the organising team of Locked Shields 2018 (Credits to CCDCOE, photographer Arno Mikkor). More photos of Locked Shields 2018 here.