The heads of the teams taking part in the exercise gave the Estonian head of state an overview of their roles and activities before outlining the scenario, course and technical and strategic aspects of the exercise, which was taking place at the Hilton Hotel in Tallinn.
“We have seen in Ukraine that the conventional approach to war has not been abandoned, with tanks and bombs proving as devastating as ever,” President Karis remarked. “But cyberattacks and fake news have been added to the arsenal, and they pose a serious threat in their own right to communication and the availability of everyday services. It is up to all of us to be as prepared for cyberattacks as we are for attacks on land, from the sea or from the air. Our deterrence needs to be robust enough to ensure that all such attacks are identified and fended off before they hit their targets.”
Observing the exercise, the Estonian head of state said it was good to see people from different sectors working together to hone their skills. “They are defending everything from financial systems and satellites to power stations and sewage treatment plants,” he noted. “That should make us all feel safe. A broad-ranging approach to national security means that everyone’s contribution matters just as much in cyberspace as it does in the Defence Forces. We can all do a lot to make our country a stronger and safer place by monitoring our cyber hygiene.”
The ‘Locked Shields’ exercise being organised by the CCDCOE in Tallinn this week is the largest and most multilayered of its kind in the world. This year’s event involves more than 2000 experts from 32 countries in a variety of roles.
