Cyber Security Simulations at CyDEx24
The eighth edition of the national cyber security exercise CyDEx 24 was held at the Palace of the Parliament, bringing together over 500 experts from Romania to deal with complex scenarios of cyber attacks. Organized by the Romanian Intelligence Service through the National Cyberint Center, together with a number of government institutions and private sector partners, this event was a unique opportunity for the participating teams to test their skills and strategies in the face of real threats.
CyberShield had the pleasure of taking part in this landmark exercise, actively participating in simulations that tested the teams' ability to respond quickly and effectively to attacks. For three days, we had the opportunity to investigate and counter a variety of threats, from seemingly simple but highly effective attacks to Advanced Persistent Threat (APT) scenarios that aimed to completely compromise IT and OT infrastructures.
This experience allowed us to analyze our decisions under pressure, adjust our strategies and learn from our mistakes in a controlled but realistic environment. The exercise was more than a technical challenge – it was an opportunity to collaborate with other teams and better understand the complexity of modern cyber attacks.
The event was organized by a number of key institutions in Romania, including the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitization, the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the National Cyber Security Directorate. Support for the development of the attack scenarios came from renowned organizations such as Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, BIT SENTINEL and the University of Bucharest, ensuring a high level of professionalism and realism of the simulations.
Attending CyDEx24 was an opportunity to work closely with other experts in the field, exchanging critical information in real time to ensure a coordinated response to attacks. Collaboration between the public and private sectors has proven essential, demonstrating the importance of partnerships for strengthening national security.
For CyberShield , CyDEx24 was more than a memorable experience. It was a chance to help develop a community of experts capable of meeting modern cyber challenges. We learned, honed our skills and gained a deeper understanding of the complexity of cyber attacks.
This exercise reaffirmed our commitment to support building a safer digital environment by strengthening the link between public and private sector teams. CyDEx24 was an important step in preparing for the challenges of the future, and Cyber Shield remains committed to this essential mission.
