In collaboration with the e-Governance Academy, CybExer organized a three-day cybersecurity exercise, “UA-EE Cyber Shield via Tallinn Mechanism,” held in Ukraine from December 9th to 11th, 2024.
The event brought together over 240 cyber experts from Ukraine’s state authorities, critical enterprises, and academic institutions, making it the largest cybersecurity exercise in Ukraine to date.
Specifically, participants included representatives from the Security Service of Ukraine, the State Service of Special Communications and Information Protection of Ukraine, universities in Kyiv, Lviv, and Kharkiv, as well as national telecommunications operators.
This initiative demonstrated the value of collaboration in advancing cybersecurity preparedness. In this article, we’ll explore the impact, objectives, and outcomes of this landmark exercise designed to bolster the cyber resilience of Ukrainian organizations.
Objectives of the UA-EE Cyber Shield via Tallinn Mechanism Cybersecurity Exercise
The exercise aimed to enhance participants’ skills and knowledge in detecting, responding to, and preventing cyber threats and attacks.
The program commenced with a task-driven Threat Hunting cybersecurity exercise, where participants collaboratively identified and neutralized threats in a simulated environment.
On the second day, the focus shifted to a Live-Fire exercise, offering participants a hyperrealistic experience of defending IT systems under intense cyber-attacks.
This structured approach helped participants achieve the following objectives:
- Strengthen cooperation between various organizational stakeholders.
- Monitor and analyze cyber-attacks in real time.
- Implement effective defense measures to mitigate attacks.
- Manage stress and make critical decisions under pressure.
- Generate accurate and actionable reports for management.
Participants identified key objectives, defended against simulated cyber-attacks, and assessed their progress throughout the exercise.
Organizers and Partners
The UA-EE Cyber Shield via Tallinn Mechanism was co-organized by CybExer and the e-Governance Academy. The event was held from December 9th to 11th, 2024.
Support for the event came from several organizations, including ESTDEV, in collaboration with the Ministry of Digital Transformation of Ukraine, CDTO Campus, the National Cybersecurity Coordination Centre of Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council, and the Security Service of Ukraine.
Mechanism for Donor Coordination
Launched in December 2023, the Tallinn Mechanism was established by eleven countries—Estonia, Ukraine, the Netherlands, Canada, Poland, France, Sweden, Germany, Denmark, the USA, and the United Kingdom—to amplify donor support for Ukraine’s civilian cybersecurity efforts.
Italy recently joined the Mechanism, with NATO and the EU participating as observers. Estonia currently leads the Tallinn Mechanism and allocated €500,000 from its development cooperation budget to the initiative in 2024.
Importance of Cybersecurity Exercises for Ukrainian Organizations
The UA-EE Cyber Shield exercise offered participants hands-on experience in defending IT systems against sophisticated cyber-attacks. CybExer’s Cyber Range technology was central to orchestrating the simulations.
Prominent figures attended the event, underscoring its significance. Estonia’s Prime Minister, Kristen Michal, expressed his aspirations during the opening ceremony:
“Our ambition with this Cyber Shield exercise is not just to carry out a single event. We aim to establish a broader exercise program, and we have already reached out to several partner countries to collaborate on this initiative. Together, we can create something even more impactful.”
Valeryia Ionan, Deputy Minister at Ukraine’s Ministry of Digital Transformation, emphasized the exercise’s importance:
“Ukraine is enduring the first technological war in human history. It is crucial for Ukraine to defend itself and prepare to counter cyber threats. Cooperation between Ukraine and Estonia is vital to share knowledge and experience. If we want to build a safer world, we must work together.”
Merle Maigre, Head of the Cybersecurity Competence Centre at the e-Governance Academy, also highlighted the significance of cyber range-based exercises:
“These exercises enable Ukraine’s digital professionals to train as they would counter threats in real-life situations. This ensures the continuity of vital services and helps build a secure and trusted digital environment. eGA and CybExer have a proven track record of organizing cyber trainings in Ukraine. We’ve witnessed the incredible motivation of our Ukrainian partners to acquire new digital skills.”
To get more clarity on the nature of activities throughout the exercise, have a look at the video e-Governance Academy team prepared after the event:
Wrapping Up
The UA-EE Cyber Shield via Tallinn Mechanism exercise exemplifies the power of collaboration in strengthening cyber resilience.
Participants successfully defended against realistic cyber-attacks in a simulated environment, honing their skills and enhancing their organizational preparedness.
At CybExer, we are deeply committed to our continuous partnership with Ukraine and stand by the country's efforts to strengthen its cyber resilience amidst the ongoing war. Together, we aim to ensure the continuity of critical services, safeguard national infrastructure, and support a more secure future for Ukraine.
