JDF to Establish Military Cyber Corps

The Jamaica Defence Force (JDF) will be establishing a Military Cyber Corps to effectively respond to cybersecurity threats.

Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Rear Admiral Antonette Wemyss Gorman, in making the disclosure, said the Corps, at full operational capability, will ensure that the JDF can protect its mission, critical command and control systems, and “be able to support the national architecture to monitor and respond to cyber threats.”

She was addressing Friday’s (October 20) inaugural JDF CodeSprint Cyberthon at Up Park Camp, Kingston.

Rear Admiral Wemyss Gorman noted that the JDF will have to change its outlook and be flexible as it recruits members for the Corps.

“We have to accept that the profile of persons who excel, are interested in or who operate in the cyber domain, does not necessarily fit strictly into the profile of the persons we normally recruit,” she pointed out, noting that the best talent must be found and nurtured.

The CDS said cyber defence and security are strategic priorities of the JDF and are critical in ensuring that the organisation can fulfil its mission.

“As the digital landscape evolves, the Force will stay proactive and vigilant in addressing our emerging cyberthreats and adapting our strategies to meet these new challenges,” said Rear Admiral Wemyss Gorman.

The JDF CodeSprint Cyberthon was hosted in observance of National Cyber Security Awareness Month during October under the theme: ‘3Ds – Design, Detect and Defend’.

The event was aimed at introducing participants from various high schools, colleges, and universities to innovative developments in cybersecurity, and build capacity and capabilities in cybersecurity skills and knowledge for military, industry and other non-military personnel at the national and regional levels.

In teams of two to four persons, Cyberthon participants were tasked with identifying an issue from a chosen theme – public health, energy, tourism, education, security, values and attitudes, citizenship, trade and commerce, travel and transport and finance – and designing a digital solution.

For CodeSprint, invited teams participated in cyber challenges throughout the day. Challenges were in the form of cyberattack scenarios and points were awarded based on the appropriateness of responses.

The inaugural event was sponsored by the HEART/NSTA Trust, Jamaica Public Service (JPS), Major Organised Crime and Anti-Corruption Agency (MOCA), Digicel Business, and Sagicor, among other entities.