How NATO crafts stories to sharpen cyber skills

"Andravia and Harbadus - two nations so often at odds with one another - were once again embroiled in conflict over the past seven days, which thoroughly tested NATO's cybersecurity experts' ability to coordinate defenses across battlefield domains. Around 1,500 practitioners took part in the annual battle that engulfed the island of Occasus-Icebergen, all working together to remediate cyberattacks on critical systems, the effects of which influenced how land, sea, and air forces were able to respond."

"The fictitious two-nation island has played host to a NATO training exercise for years that tests military cybersecurity personnel's ability to work together as hostile forces launch hybrid attacks on a nation they're tasked with defending. NATO invited The Register to its headquarters in Tallinn, Estonia, to observe the final hours of this year's Cyber Coalition exercise, and understand how the organization and its member nations decide on the storylines that underpin each of the mission's scenarios."

"Cyber Coalition started in 2008 and has run every year since. It lasts a week and is mentally exhausting for all involved, we're told. Its purpose is to assemble NATO countries' cyber defenders and test their mettle against real-world adversaries' modern tradecraft. Military personnel from 29 NATO members and seven partner countries participated this year, each working with limited information - a different snapshot of the conflict situation - and tasked with communicating what they know to their international colleagues to remediate each issue."

Andravia and Harbadus engaged in a weeklong simulated conflict that tested NATO cyber defenders' coordination across land, sea, and air domains. Around 1,500 practitioners participated on the fictitious island of Occasus-Icebergen to remediate cyberattacks on critical systems whose effects altered kinetic responses. The exercise assembled military personnel from 29 NATO members and seven partners, each operating with limited, differing snapshots and required to share information internationally to resolve incidents. Seven concurrent missions mirrored real-world cyberattacks with spillover into traditional warfighting. Cyber Coalition began in 2008, runs annually for a week, and aims to test multinational defenders against modern adversary tradecraft.

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