In the world of today, the increasing number of attacks against computer systems and data is a growing concern for both cyber security professionals and criminal justice authorities. This is the reason why the CyberEast and CyberSecurity EAST projects, co-funded by the European Union, seek to increase cooperation between professionals from both domains to achieve the ultimate common goal – ensuring a safer cyberspace for all.

Difficulties with the exchange of data, limited threat intelligence, lack of coordination and sometimes even knowledge of each others’ work do often stand in the way of successful cooperation between professional communities of cybersecurity experts and cybercrime investigators. The skills of effective and timely cooperation also require a practical approach to building capacities of both communities.

To address these challenges, on 13-16 September 2022, the Fourth Regional Cyber Cooperation Exercise was organised through the joint efforts of the CyberEast and CyberSecurity EAST projects in Istanbul, Türkiye. Aimed at strengthening interagency cooperation and improved data sharing, this event was a continuation of previous sessions in 2017 (Tbilisi, Georgia), 2018 (Chisinau, Moldova) and 2022 (Athens, Greece).

This round of the exercise series was held in close cooperation with TR-CERT (USOM) Türkiye and brought together the professional communities needed to solve practical problems in a real-time scenario. Some 30 cybercrime investigators, forensic experts, financial investigators, financial intelligence officers and CERT/CSIRT specialists from four project countries – Azerbaijan, Georgia, Moldova and Ukraine – contributed to the event.