TIETO24
TIETO exercise is Finland’s largest joint information exchange exercise for companies and authorities in the event of extensive hybrid, cyber and information disruptions. It is also preparedness (continuation planning and crisis communications) sparring exercise for multiple industry sector companies.
The functionality of the society’s critical functions for security of supply and public communication relies on the companies and their information systems that are responsible for the services. Cyberattacks, information influencing and hybrid influencing acts endanger the functionality of any society and, at worst, the safety of citizens. The preparedness of the digital information society requires close and seamless cooperation between companies, their customers or partners and authorities.
TIETO24 exercises companies in various, successive incident situations and familiarizes companies personnel with the necessary cooperation with the authorities - which supports the recovery of the companies’ operational capacity. The companies participating in the exercise will practice information exchange between different parties and understand the importance of forming a situational picture in managing the disturbances. The exercise is a scenario-based strategic level exercise, which is organized in four episodes during 2024 - 2025.
Companies from various industry sectors participate in the exercise and naturally also the key service providers from the telecom and ICT sectors as well as service providers from private security and media sectors. In addition, the authorities responsible for the sectors, the National Emergency Supply Agency, the Cyber Security Center of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, the Defense Forces, Finnish public broadcasting company YLE, the Police and many other actors participate in the exercise. TIETO22 exercise had over 650 people from 170 different real-world organizations and TIETO24 exercise aims to get an even larger group of participants to practice in these information exchange topics.
Exercise develops the preparedness planning of finnish companies - continuity management and crisis communications in contractual relationships
The goal of the TIETO24 exercise is to develop a collaboration culture and models of cooperation. At the same time, concrete development needs are identified, which will be transferred to the daily practices of the participating companies and, for example, the National Emergency Supply Center’s Digital Security 2030 development program.
In Finland our strength is in the professionalism of the companies, which are responsible for the critical functions, and the ability of the authorities to strengthen the operational capacity of the companies in a crisis situation. For example the by sharing observation data, instructions and expert support.
Together the serious disturbances are detected faster and the formation of a comprehensive situational picture of challenging situations is accelerated. At the same time, the ability to counteract the effects of the disturbance and return to normal operation is created. Close cooperation between companies enables the effective targeting of authorities’ support in extensive disturbances affecting several companies.
The organizing of the TIETO24 exercise is the responsibility of the Digipool of the National Emergency Supply Organization in cooperation with the National Emergency Supply Agency, the Cyber Security Center of the Finnish Transport and Communications Agency Traficom, the Police and the Defense Forces.
TIETO exercises have been organized in different forms regularly every other year since the late 1970s under the leadership of the Finnish Defense Forces. TIETO exercises were transferred to the responsibility of the National Emergency Supply Agency from 2018 onwards.
The exercise consists of 4 periods, of which the first 2 are of a seminar nature, where topical information is shared with the participants. The contents of periods 1 and 2 emphasize the topics that are essential content of well prepared companies continuity management plans in preparation for crisis situations - crisis management team operating models, crisis communication, contractual preparedness, cooperation with third parties and other topical preparedness topics; the needs and expectations of the authorities for cooperation and the latest relevant legislative changes in the subject area.
The period 3 is a so called intensive phase of the exercise. During the 3 day phase a real 2 sided role playing game is played, where companies crisis management teams operate and make decisions based on the situational information they have gathered. The teams are trained in active information sharing in its different forms - communication to subsontractors, customers and all the way to public media. Because only with the corrrect situational picture you can make correct decisions to ope with a crisis.
- Period 1 Seminar in March
- Period 2 Lectures and workshop in May
- Period 3 Induction into the intensive phase game
- Period 3 Intensive phase - 3 day game in october
- Period 4 Hot washup in november
- Period 4 Followup seminar roughly a year after the intensive phase in october 2025
What do the participants gain from the exercise?:
- Participating organizations will get valuable information to boost their busiiness continuation planning ensuring the value creation even during crisis
- Exercise offers free training to companies personnel - knowhow that really matters!
- Networking is an essential part of emergency supply and preparedness - you should know who to contact whatever happens.
TIETO24 participants
Participants will include companies representative from most industry sectors - such as the service providers of ICT- and private security services. Also media sector companies are always present in the exercise. Sector specific authorities and common authorities will be exercising their role in the widely effecting incidents. (Including but not limited to: NESA, NCSC-fi, Police and finnish defence forces)
