The Ministry of Defence and the National Cyber and Information Security Agency organised an exercise focused of cyber security for the member companies of the MoD Platform for the Cooperation of Strategic Companies of the Czech Defence Industry and the State. The participants from the ranks of management, employees of the companies, employees of both organising institutions and of the Ministry of Industry and Trade had to deal with cyber-attacks as well as other tasks related to cyber security, be it technical, legal, or media and tasks related to crisis management.
The aim of this exercise was to test the readiness of the key companies of the defence industry for cyberspace-based threats. The script was therefore tailored for the participants, who had to deal with situations which they can encounter in real life and which are set in familiar surroundings. The script is conceived as a hybrid campaign which covers all kinds of threats brought upon by an unidentified state player.
Transformation of the security environment and the need for cooperation of the state and the private sector
In the last decade, security environment underwent a substantial transformation. The number of attacks against the private sector providers of strategic products, technologies and services has increased. These attacks are a frequent alternative to conventional warfighting and virtually erase the borders between national security and the situation in the private sector which is becoming an important player in national security. In order to be able to face these challenges, the state and the private sector need to cooperate closely.
‘The defence industry is a key element of the Czech economy with a long tradition and world class quality. I am glad that our defence industry companies are aware of the seriousness of our situation and are the first to participate in this initiative along with the MoD and the National Cyber and Information Security Agency,’ said the Deputy Minister for Industrial Cooperation, Tomáš Kopečný.
The systematic cooperation between state and strategic companies of the private sector is the aim of the platform built to conduct such exercises. Their point is to support cooperation between the state and the management of Czech strategic companies in order to improve the resilience of the entire Czech society. This can be achieved thanks to secure, stable and competitive strategic companies with the maximum possible support of the state. The platform focuses on three levels of cooperation; exchange of security information, educational workshops on security threats and simulated attacks.
Cyber threats are multidimensional
The exercise should further illustrate the multidimensionality of cyber threats. ‘We aim to present the reality to our participants. In real life, there would most likely be more than one attack, they are frequently accompanied by other activity such as disinformation campaigns. Our aim is to verify if the defence industry is prepared for such situations and also to show that cyber threats are not only a technical issue, but they are rather a complex field that deserves the attention of management of any organisation,’ explained the director of the National Cyber and Information Security Agency , Karel Řehka.
It is important for the organisations to have crisis plans which account for such situations, have sufficient knowledge of the legal environment and to be able to communicate efficiently with the general public as well as other entities, such as subcontractors and customers. All these elements are vital to successfully manage cyber threats. In this specific case, the MoD Platform for the Cooperation of Strategic Companies of the Czech Defence Industry and the State proved its importance, as it enables effective coordination of all necessary elements.
The aim of the exercise in not to win, but rather to be able to identify the situation and to react correctly
The exercise was designed as non-technical, meaning a simple pen and paper were sufficient to participate. Scenarios such as this one are based on gradual escalation of the situation. The first part of the exercise was designed for the employees who would be the first to respond to such situations. In the second part of the exercise, management of participating institutions had to take top level decisions based on the provided information. Expert observers also took part in the event and were prepared to offer their opinions during the discussion.
Due to the character of the exercise, there were no winners or losers. All participants acquired information on the different types of cyber threats and the steps which need to be taken to provide maximum security. Such exercises also improve the cooperation of all participating entities and support the exchange of information, which is in itself an important element of national cyber security.
