Cybersecurity Exercise on Responding to Ransomware Attack

EU4DigitalUA and the State Service of Special Communication and Information Protection of Ukraine (SSSCIP) organised a two-day cybersecurity exercise «CIREX.CYBER.Ransomware» to enhance the readiness and response capabilities of cities in Ukraine against ransomware attacks. The event took place in Lviv on 20-21 June and featured the participation of representatives from various cities and government entities.

The primary objective of the cybersecurity exercise was to simulate and evaluate the response strategies of cities in Ukraine when facing ransomware attacks. The event aimed to enhance coordination and cooperation among stakeholders responsible for information protection, digital development, and cybersecurity, enabling them to effectively mitigate and respond to cyber threats.

Representatives from the following cities and local administrations actively participated in the exercise: Lviv, Lutsk, Rivne, Khmelnytskyi, Ternopil, Uzhhorod, Chernivtsi, Ivano-Frankivsk, and Vinnytsia. The exercise brought together a diverse range of professionals, including 12 representatives responsible for information protection in cities, 8 participants from Oblast administrations responsible for digital development or information protection, 16 representatives from regional administrations of SSSCIP, and 6 representatives from the central office of SSSCIP.

One of the highlights of the exercise was the presentation of comprehensive cybersecurity guidelines developed by the EU4DigitalUA project in cooperation with SSSCIP. These recommendations provide valuable insights for developing strategies, plans, and regulatory documents on cybersecurity for cities, communities, and local self-government bodies in Ukraine. 

Maria Gaston Betran, FIIAPP Technical Institutional Coordinator of the EU4DigitalUA project, stated, “The EU4DigitalUA project is working to enable Ukrainian government entities to benefit from the expertise of international experts and organizations in strengthening the cybersecurity system. Such events and the developed Guidelines can serve as a starting point for more detailed strategies and cybersecurity plans at the local level. The war is being waged in the information and cyber space, that is why cybersecurity for Ukrainian information and communication systems requires even greater attention at all levels.”

The collaborative efforts between SSSCIP, the EU4DigitalUA project, and participating cities signify a crucial step towards strengthening Ukraine’s cybersecurity landscape. By conducting exercises and sharing best practices, these initiatives aim to build a robust defense system against cyber threats, ultimately safeguarding critical infrastructure, data, and citizen trust.

“The enemy is constantly looking for weaknesses in our cybersecurity system. And local government bodies are among the main targets of Russian hackers. So today, it’s more important than ever to be able to effectively and promptly respond to cyber threats at all levels: not only at the national level, but also at the regional and local. Such training is one of the important steps towards strengthening our cyber resilience,” noted the Deputy Chairman of the State Special Communications Service, Oleksandr Potii.