560 Participants Join Bahrain’s Largest Cybersecurity Drill Yet

Under the generous patronage of His Highness Shaikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Advisor for National Security, Commander of the Royal Guard, and Secretary-General of the Supreme Defense Council, Bahrain today launched the National Cyber Exercise Cyber Shield 2025, focusing on “Supply Chain Attacks.”

The exercise, which runs from 26 to 31 August 2025, brings together a wide range of government agencies, vital sectors, and private entities. It aims to strengthen national cybersecurity capabilities, enhance readiness, and improve coordination among stakeholders in addressing cyber threats.

Organized by the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the exercise simulates a realistic advanced cyberattack scenario. It measures the preparedness and response of participating organizations, evaluates coordination between them, and strengthens technical and defensive procedures.

His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Mohammed Al Khalifa, CEO of the NCSC, emphasized that the exercise is a cornerstone in supporting Bahrain’s cybersecurity framework. “It helps develop specialized national capabilities, raises cybersecurity awareness across government and vital sectors, and underscores the importance of adopting global best practices in digital protection and cyber crisis management,” he said.

He added that the exercise reflects the Center’s commitment to fostering a cybersecurity culture across all sectors and promoting institutional collaboration to counter growing cyber threats. It also tests the effectiveness of national incident response plans and ensures the readiness of technical and operational teams at a national level.

The exercise saw the participation of 560 employees from government and security agencies, as well as representatives from the health, banking, transport, communications, energy, industry, and education sectors. This broad involvement highlights Bahrain’s recognition of the increasing importance of cybersecurity and its ability to keep pace with evolving global cyber threats.

Shaikh Salman concluded by describing the exercise as a strategic step in enhancing cybersecurity in Bahrain, reaffirming the Center’s commitment to continuously developing the national cybersecurity system in line with the vision of the leadership to protect the kingdom’s digital space.