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Under the patronage of His Highness Sheikh Nasser bin Hamad Al Khalifa, National Security Advisor, Commander of Bahrain's Royal Guard, and Secretary General of the Supreme Defense Council, the national cyber drill “Cyber Shield 2025” was launched on the morning of Tuesday, August 26, 2025.

Held under the theme “Supply Chain Attacks,” the national cyber drill brings together a wide range of participants from government entities, critical national infrastructure (CNI) sectors and the private sector. The initiative is part of the Kingdom’s ongoing efforts to strengthen national cybersecurity capabilities, enhance cybersecurity readiness, and foster coordination among key stakeholders in addressing evolving cyber threats and challenges.

Organized by the National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), the national cyber drill is taking place from August 26 to 31, 2025. It simulates a realistic scenario involving an advanced cyberattack to assess the readiness and response capabilities of participating entities in handling cyber incidents. The exercise also evaluates the effectiveness of internal coordination within participating teams while enhancing technical and defensive procedures.

His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Mohammed AlKhalifa, CEO of the NCSC, affirmed that the national cyber drill is fundamental in supporting the Kingdom’s cybersecurity framework. His Excellency noted that the exercise contributes to building and developing specialized national capabilities, raising cybersecurity awareness across government entities and CNI sectors, and emphasizing the importance of adopting global best practices in digital protection and cyber crisis management.

The CEO added that the national cyber drill represents a practical implementation of the NCSC’s efforts to foster a culture of cybersecurity across all sectors and to strengthen joint institutional collaboration to confront increasing cyber threats. Additionally, it helps test the effectiveness of national response plans for cyber incidents and ensures the readiness of technical and operational teams nationwide.

His Excellency also stated that approximately 560 participants from several government entities and CNI sectors are taking part in the exercise, including representatives from government and security agencies, as well as the health, banking, transportation, telecommunications, energy, industry, and education sectors. This level of participation reflects the growing awareness of the importance of cybersecurity and emphasizes national entities' capability to keep pace with the rapid evolution of global digital threats.

His Excellency Sheikh Salman bin Mohammed AlKhalifa, CEO of the NCSC, concluded his statement by emphasizing that the national cyber drill represents a strategic step in advancing Bahrain’s cybersecurity posture. The CEO affirmed that it reflects the NCSC’s commitment to continuously develop the national cybersecurity framework, in line with the Kingdom’s leadership to achieve the desired goals of protecting the Kingdom’s cyberspace.