Observers of the TIETO24 exercise: “Fighting cyber threats is about exchanging information”

Observers of the TIETO24 intensive exercise from Sweden and Estonia emphasised the importance of information exchange in the fight against cyber threats and incidents. In the best case scenario, effective cooperation will also make it easier to limit the effects of any problems.

“The importance of smooth information exchange and the extent of the information exchange between authorities, businesses and different stakeholders certainly became clear to us observers at the TIETO24 exercise. The exercise involved so many participants and sectors,” says Hanna Waerland-Fager from the Swedish Civil Contingencies Agency (MSB), who currently works at the Embassy of Sweden in Helsinki. Waerland-Fager promotes cooperation between different authorities in Finland and Sweden on civil preparedness and resilience, among other things.

“It was great to see and hear how committed the participants were not only during the intensive phase but also during the meetings and gatherings before and after the intensive phase. It takes a lot of time and effort to organise such an extensive multi-stakeholder exercise. We can certainly learn from this when it comes to our own preparedness and the related training in Sweden,” Waerland-Fager says.

The nature of the TIETO24 exercise and the interlinked scenarios developed for the game emphasised the importance of cooperation networks.

“Existing cooperation networks lower the threshold for contacting colleagues and other authorities when necessary, and preparedness exercises such as the TIETO24 exercise are one way to help people get to know each other. In a real situation, it’s always easier to trust people who you’ve already met,” says Robert Grankvist from the Swedish Psychological Defence Agency (MPF). Grankvist is responsible for organising various training courses and exercises related to information influence activities, among other things.

The need for information increases in a crisis

In a crisis, the need for information among citizens and businesses increases. Lack of information and conflicting messages can create suspicion and even distress among both ordinary citizens and businesses. In this case, familiar actors can facilitate information exchange and provide assistance in checking the accuracy of the information.

“It was great to see how the participants of the TIETO24 exercise actively shared their observations of the events with each other and corrected inaccurate information. Overall, the observation experience highlighted the importance of effective information exchange and cooperation in a crisis management situation. I also really liked the way student journalists were included in the exercise. Their active participation brought new perspectives to the discussion,” says Bret-Maria Rikko, Communications Specialist at the Estonian Information System Authority (RIA). At RIA, Rikko is responsible for media contacts, inquiries related to the national information system and the management and monitoring of internal communications on social media, among other things.

“Every actor has their own role to play, and they share information from their own starting points. However, shared situational awareness is important for solving problems as effectively as possible during a crisis. Here, the media play an important role in sharing accurate information and clearing up misunderstandings,” Waerland-Fager says.

Trust is everything

Waerland-Fager has worked at the Embassy of Sweden in Helsinki since the beginning of 2024.

“TIETO24 further strengthened my perception of the depth of cooperation between private and public actors in Finland. And when it comes to security of supply, in Sweden, the partnership is developed in the same way as yours, but it is under current development. We should learn from best practices.”

Grankvist also highlighted the generally great trust between authorities and citizens in the Nordic countries. “It increases the resilience of society as a whole. Information exchange requires trust.”

Today, cyber attacks and incidents are likely to affect multiple sectors at once. According to the observers, it is particularly important to practise extensively to prepare for disruptions and cyber attacks that affect the entire society. And because cyber attacks do not respect national borders, effective cooperation between different countries and joint exercises between the Nordic and Baltic countries are also needed.

“The TIETO24 exercise is an important reminder that local incidents can escalate to international ones. Cooperation and information exchange between different countries are needed in order to investigate how, for example, accidents affecting information networks and disruptions are linked. Close and effective cooperation is based on trust and is not built overnight. We need continuous information exchange and training,” Rikko says.

Important cooperation networks can be built in many ways

Finland, Sweden and Estonia take part in various EU- and NATO-level exercises, among others. Waerland-Fager also hopes for deeper cooperation and information exchange between different authorities on a national level.

Joint crisis management and preparedness exercises make it possible to test the functionality of systems and plans in a secure environment, build important cooperation networks, establish relationships with other actors and increase resilience.

“In addition to exercises, cooperation and competence can also be developed through various joint seminars or expert exchanges, for example. There are many ways,” Grankvist says.

Text Leena Filpus, photos Meeri Utti