In the exercise scenario, the government is about to announce a heightened level of preparedness. Gothenburg’s port has been shut down following sabotage actions and at the same time cyber operations are underway to knock out the computer systems that control freight to and from the remaining ports.
– It is a fairly realistic scenario, it is very similar to what we see around us in the outside world with the concerns that exist and the security situation that we have, says Major General Johan Pekkari, who is the Norwegian Armed Forces’ cyber defense chief.
Increased activity
He describes a growing pressure on Sweden in the cyber area where state actors, above all Russia, carry out various attacks.
– We see increased activity in the cyber domain.
According to the Swedish Armed Forces, preparations are already underway today from a foreign power to be able to carry out future cyber attacks against critical infrastructure in Sweden.
– What you are trying to look for are probably critical vulnerabilities that we may have, or that society may have, and that is where you are trying to influence in order to have an operational impact on us in the Armed Forces or on our society in that way, says Johan Pekkari.
“Constant Conflict”
In the exercise scenario, where the port of Gothenburg was ruled out, the participants had the task of opening emergency ports on the west coast so that NATO countries could come to the rescue of the Baltic countries, by shipping supplies and military equipment across Swedish territory.
– In this scenario, Sweden becomes the way into the Baltics and Sweden may play such a role with NATO membership, says Emil Hjalmarsson, head of department for cyber defense and command technology at FOI.
From the defense and FOI, they emphasize the importance of also within civil authorities practicing precisely these abilities to receive help, and assist NATO, in the run-up to NATO membership.
– We are more or less in a constant conflict when it comes to cyber and the effect on society can be very, very extensive in the event of a successful attack.