Locked Shields 2017, the largest and most advanced cyber defence exercise in the world, is taking place this week. It is organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia.

The exercise involves around 800 participants from 25 nations. Participants include security experts who protect national IT systems, policy officers and legal advisors from NATO Allies and Partners. According to the exercise scenario, experts will have to defend the services and networks of a military air base of a fictitious country, against cyber-attacks targeting the base’s electric power grid system, drones, military command and control systems and other infrastructure. More than 2500 cyber-attacks will be simulated. While IT experts will train to defend computer networks and handle legal and forensic challenges, policy officers will exercise their decision-making procedures.

Locked Shields exercise has been organised by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence since 2010. The exercise takes place in cooperation with the Estonian Defence Forces, the British Army, the United States European Command, the Finnish Defence Forces, the Swedish Defence University, and Tallinn University of Technology. Industry partners are also closely involved.