Irish Defence Forces and MTU researchers stop simulated port cyberattack

Irish Defence Forces personnel, academics, and student ethical hackers successfully neutralised a simulated cyberattack on an Irish port during a exercise at Munster Technological University, the Irish Examiner reported. The exercise targeted critical infrastructure to test response capabilities against hybrid warfare tactics. [1]

According to the Irish Examiner, the teams operated from a control room located inside the Nimbus Research Centre on the Munster Technological University campus in Cork. Participants used an isolated information technology environment, known as a sandbox, to safely launch and contain the threat while mimicking real-world operations. [1]

The Irish Defence Forces comprise the Permanent Defence Force, which encompasses the Army, the Naval Service, and the Air Corps, alongside the Reserve Defence Force. Figures confirmed by the Minister for Defence showed the Permanent Defence Force had a strength of 7,767 personnel on 31 January 2026, supported by 204 First Line Reserve members and 1,607 Second Line Reserve members. [2]

The overall military structure relies on a single Chief of Staff who delegates operational command to specific branch heads. Although the authorized strength stands at 9,739 permanent personnel, actual staffing levels dropped below 8,000 by mid-2025 due to recruitment and retention deficits exceeding 2,000 vacancies. [3]