Rio de Janeiro to host hub for Brazil's largest cyber defence exercise

The city of Rio de Janeiro will serve as a hub for the Guardião Cibernético 8.0 exercise, the biggest cyber‑defence training in Brazil, scheduled for September. The drill, organized by the Command of Cyber Defence (ComDCiber) with the Presidency's Institutional Security Office, is a joint effort of the Brazilian Army and the Firjan Senai institute.

Around 40 companies and public agencies from sectors such as energy, oil and gas, telecommunications, finance, logistics and technology will take part, connecting in real time to the national coordination centre in Brasília. Participants will confront simulated AI‑driven attacks on critical‑infrastructure systems, testing response, communication and continuity procedures. Data from CrowdStrike indicates AI‑based attacks have risen 89% and cloud intrusions 37% in recent years, while breach times have fallen to an average of 29 minutes, with some incidents occurring in under 30 seconds.

“Today, competitiveness and security go hand in hand,” said Luiz Césio Caetano, president of Firjan, underscoring the importance of digital resilience for Brazil’s strategic industries.