Preparations are underway in Kalkar, North Rhine-Westphalia, for the „Locked Shields“ cyber exercise. 45 NATO and partner countries are training together to defend against AI-powered attacks. The exercise begins on Monday.
At the former nuclear power plant in Kalkar, North Rhine-Westphalia, Bundeswehr experts are preparing alongside colleagues from Switzerland, Austria, and Luxembourg for the world's largest cyber defense exercise. Fictional scenarios include unidentified drone overflights, artificial islands at sea, and baseless corruption allegations on social media simulating real threats.
As the „Blue Team“, they defend against attacks from the „Red Team“. The „Locked Shields“ exercise involves 45 countries in 16 teams, focusing on protecting critical infrastructure such as air defense systems, power plants, and residents' registration offices. New AI models like Claude Mythos make attackers more powerful than ever.
Vice Admiral Thomas Daum, Inspector for Cyber and Information Space of the Bundeswehr, highlighted the growing importance of the annual drill. Attacks linked to the Ukraine war and the Middle East crisis have strained defenses. „The firewalls have been glowing“, he said.
