For the second consecutive year, Threatscape is proud to have supported Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) during the 2025 Locked Shields cyber defence exercise, the world’s largest and most complex live-fire cyber defence simulation.
For the second consecutive year, Threatscape is proud to have supported Ireland’s National Cyber Security Centre (NSCS) during the 2025 Locked Shields cyber defence exercise, the world’s largest and most complex live-fire cyber defence simulation.
Senior members of Threatscape’s award-winning cyber security team with expertise across a breadth of solutions were honoured to be invited by the NCSC to contribute to the joint Irish/US/Bulgarian/Greek team, which comprised nearly 220 personnel from organisations dedicated to maintaining cyber defences around the world. This collaboration underscores Threatscape’s technical excellence and commitment to enhancing both national and global cyber resilience.
Organised by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE), Locked Shields is a unique annual exercise that tests the cyber defence capabilities of participating nations. Ireland is one of seven non-NATO members which are contributing participants. Now in its 15th year and keen to keep pace with developing threats, the 2025 exercise introduced new challenges to reflect the latest global cyber security concerns and integrate contemporary geopolitical tensions such as breaches of international borders and large-scale cyber attacks. New elements included cloud-based infrastructure scenarios, surprise technical incidents requiring rapid adaption, and an upgraded scoring system providing targeted feedback. Participants were tasked with defending over 8,000 virtual systems against more than 8,000 sophisticated cyber attacks, simulating real-world threats to critical infrastructure.
Brigadier General Brian Cleary, Commander of the Joint Cyber Defence Command, emphasised the importance of cooperation between the NCSC and the Defence Forces, noting, “Building on our previous participation in Exercise Locked Shields, this year’s exercise marks an important step forward for the Defence Forces in strengthening Ireland’s national cyber defence, through close collaboration with the National Cyber Security Centre. Working side by side in one of the world’s most advanced cyber defence exercises, we are enhancing our joint readiness, deepening inter-agency cooperation and underscoring our commitment to collective security and the protection of critical national infrastructure.”
Threatscape thanks the NSCS for it’s repeated invitation to contribute to the Locked Shields exercise and appreciates the opportunity to collaborate with global organisations in the ongoing, and escalating, fight against cyber threats.
