- Joined
- Jan 20, 2026
- Messages
- 345
- Reaction score
- 2,761
Thousands of experts have tested the strength of the digital foundation of civilization.
The largest cyber exercises featuring real-world attack scenarios once again demonstrated how rapidly digital defense is changing. This year, Locked Shields participants had to protect not just abstract networks, but systems that underpin communications, infrastructure, military processes, and everyday life.
The Locked Shields 2026 exercise, organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), concluded on April 24. More than 4,000 specialists from 41 countries participated. Participants practiced protecting critical infrastructure and military systems from cyberattacks in real time.
During the exercise, countries united into 16 multinational teams. The joint teams from Latvia and Singapore, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, as well as France and Sweden, demonstrated the best results.
Center Director Tönis Saar noted that the participants tested their skills on systems supporting critical infrastructure, air defense, and electronic voting. He stated that the teams performed well in detecting malicious activity and responding to attacks, but the main results of the exercise should now be translated into practical applications. Saar linked further training to the growing role of artificial intelligence , which is changing both defense methods and attackers' approaches.
Locked Shields 2026 Director Dan Ungureanu described the exercise's primary goal as strengthening cooperation between countries, trust, and a shared understanding of how to enhance resilience in cyberspace. He estimates that nearly 5,000 people worldwide contributed to the event's organization and implementation.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur linked the relevance of Locked Shields to the growing complexity and scale of cyber threats. He emphasized that the focus on crisis management and protecting critical systems reflects the challenges states increasingly face in practice.
Locked Shields has been held annually since 2010. It is organized by CCDCOE with the support of industry and academic partners.
The largest cyber exercises featuring real-world attack scenarios once again demonstrated how rapidly digital defense is changing. This year, Locked Shields participants had to protect not just abstract networks, but systems that underpin communications, infrastructure, military processes, and everyday life.
The Locked Shields 2026 exercise, organized by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), concluded on April 24. More than 4,000 specialists from 41 countries participated. Participants practiced protecting critical infrastructure and military systems from cyberattacks in real time.
During the exercise, countries united into 16 multinational teams. The joint teams from Latvia and Singapore, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg, and Switzerland, as well as France and Sweden, demonstrated the best results.
Center Director Tönis Saar noted that the participants tested their skills on systems supporting critical infrastructure, air defense, and electronic voting. He stated that the teams performed well in detecting malicious activity and responding to attacks, but the main results of the exercise should now be translated into practical applications. Saar linked further training to the growing role of artificial intelligence , which is changing both defense methods and attackers' approaches.
Locked Shields 2026 Director Dan Ungureanu described the exercise's primary goal as strengthening cooperation between countries, trust, and a shared understanding of how to enhance resilience in cyberspace. He estimates that nearly 5,000 people worldwide contributed to the event's organization and implementation.
Estonian Defence Minister Hanno Pevkur linked the relevance of Locked Shields to the growing complexity and scale of cyber threats. He emphasized that the focus on crisis management and protecting critical systems reflects the challenges states increasingly face in practice.
Locked Shields has been held annually since 2010. It is organized by CCDCOE with the support of industry and academic partners.
