NCSCC contributes to the development of state cyber defenders: VDP training course completed

The National Cybersecurity Coordination Center at the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, with the support of CRDF Global, organized and conducted a training course under the Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP) for specialists from agencies and institutions under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Ukraine.

Over two months, more than 50 cyber and IT specialists from the Cyber Police Department of the National Police of Ukraine, the State Migration Service of Ukraine, and regional units of the National Guard of Ukraine deepened their knowledge and improved their practical skills in the field of cyber defense.

The program consisted of online lectures, workshops, and practical exercises, for which experts deployed more than 30 virtual hosts and prepared more than 170 tasks. They simulated cyber incident scenarios that were as close as possible to real-life conditions, allowing participants to practice modern techniques for detecting and eliminating vulnerabilities. The training ended with a CTF (Capture the Flag) competition, which allowed participants to systematize the knowledge they had gained and test their readiness to respond to complex cyberattacks. The winners of the training course received certificates from HackTheBox Academy, which opens up new opportunities for their further professional development.

The initiative was launched by the NCSCC back in 2021 as a continuation of the Bug Bounty project and has already proven its effectiveness as a tool for improving the resilience of critical infrastructure. Since the program's inception, 489 specialists from 305 organizations in the fields of energy, transportation, healthcare, finance, defense, telecommunications, and regional authorities have participated. The VDP program is not only an educational course but also a platform for the development of a professional community that brings together government cyber experts in their quest to strengthen Ukraine's cyber defense.