Day began with an outline of how rapid response networks can help detect and countering disinformation campaigns. Presenters also highlighted the importance of structured information sharing: effective information exchange depends on structure, clear frameworks and standards. Models like the ABCDE model or frameworks DISARM and STIX provide structured approach to identifying actors, assessing activity and understanding impacts, while ensuring a consistent and standardised way of sharing information.

Before the table-top exercise, presenters revisited the role of strategic communication and AI in navigating disinformation, especially during crises. Participants were offered a practical and multidisciplinary “recipe” for crisis communication: clear channels, situational awareness, maintaining trust and timely messaging. They also learned how to assess authenticity, trace content origins and identify coordinated behaviour.

The second day concluded with a practical table-top exercise: a comprehensive simulation of a cascading cyber crisis. Led by EU CyberNet instructors, teams navigated through the initial disinformation wave and subsequent cyberattacks to a coordinated response while making strategic decisions under pressure, working in a multi-stakeholder environment and crafting messages.

Day 2 showcased that effective crisis management demands more than technical skill: it requires rapid coordination, shared language, and the ability to communicate with clarity. Participants learned in a very practical way that these abilities combined with AI-driven tools form the solid backbone of modern cyber resilience.

Background

The EU CyberNet Summer School takes place from 13^th to 15^th August 2025 in Berlin, Germany and is organized by the EU CyberNet, a EU-funded project implemented by the Estonian Information System Authority, in cooperation with the German Federal Foreign Office.

• Background information
• Day 1 conclusions
• Photos