Jamaica braces for cyber stress test

JAMAICA’s ability to withstand and recover from major cyberattacks will be put to the test later this month when the Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) stages a national exercise — CyberXJM26 — aimed at identifying weaknesses in the country’s cybersecurity defences and strengthening its response capabilities. Scheduled for October 28 and 29, the exercise seeks to provide the first full test of the country’s ability to coordinate its response to a major cyber incident. “CyberXjm26 puts national readiness to a public test, showing how well agencies, security forces, and the private sector can coordinate during an incident, identifying gaps that can be fixed before a real one,” JaCIRT director Lieutenant Colonel Godphey Sterling told the Jamaica Observer during a recent interview.

The Jamaica Cyber Incident Response Team (JaCIRT) will stage a national exercise — CyberXJM26 — on October 28 and 29, aimed at identifying weaknesses in the country’s cybersecurity defences and strengthening its response capabilities. “The aim is to cut the number of attacks that succeed and to recover quickly when one does,” he added. Dubbed Operation Sargasso Surge, the exercise seeks to simulate a single, escalating cyber incident, starting with minor activity before progressing through serious disruptions to a multi-sector national crisis.

During the exercise participants will investigate incidents, solve challenges, and make decisions under pressure. The initiative is designed to test existing procedures, strengthen communication and collaboration, and identify weaknesses that need to be addressed before an actual emergency. It will bring together representatives from government ministries, departments and agencies, private-sector organisations, critical infrastructure operators, financial institutions, telecommunications providers, academic institutions, and other stakeholders.

Activities will also extend to schools, universities, cybersecurity enthusiasts and professional incident-response teams. The initiative forms part of activities planned for National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed this October under the theme ‘One Nation, Cyber Strong’. The month-long programme of events includes lectures, webinars, in-person sessions, a social media awareness campaign, and a cyber careers symposium.

A national cyber exposé, scheduled for October 29, will also feature…