The Cyber-X exercise organized by Polamk and Jamk investigated a complex series of cybercrime

The Police University College (Polamk) and Jamk University of Applied Sciences organized an exercise for the authorities focusing on cybercrime prevention on 25–27 March 2025.

Competence and cooperation related to cybercrime prevention were developed in a joint exercise for the authorities. The three-day exercise was conducted by the JYVSECTEC (Jyväskylä Security Technology) research, development and training center at the Jamk Institute of Information Technology. A broad range of authorities from different parts of Finland participated in the exercise that was part of Polamk and Jamk's Cyber Capital project.

Investigating a series of cybercrime required information exchange and cooperation

The exercise, aimed at the authorities, involved investigation of a complex series of cybercrime, in which a large number of cybercrimes fall within different authorities' areas of responsibility.

“The situation began to progress surprisingly quickly. The professionals knew their tasks and tackled them quickly. Participants from the organizations also did not start working on their own, each in their own corner, but wanted to share information,” says Toni Kranz, Senior Specialist at Polamk, who participated in the exercise.

The RGCE cyber range exercise environment used in the exercise ensured the participants a realistic but safe way to practice technical and tactical skills, exchange of information and cooperation. For the exercise, more than ten cybercrime cases were created in the environment, which the participants investigated during the exercise days. It was part of the exercise that traces from the investigation eventually led to other types of crime as well.

“During the exercise, the crime cases investigated by different authorities were interconnected. Events and things familiar from real life, such as arrests, interrogations and other investigation methods, which were implemented in a digital environment, were used to make the situation realistic,” says Specialist Timo Lehto from Jamk, who was involved in implementation of the exercise for JYVSECTEC’s RGCE environment.

The exercise was the first of its kind

The exercise produced as a result of the cooperation between Polamk and Jamk is a template that can be used for similar purposes in the future with regard to the exercise environment now built. The aim of the exercise was to identify potential areas for development in national operating methods and authorizations and to develop methods for sharing information.

“JYVSECTEC was responsible for the implementation of the exercise, and Polamk contributed expertise in the subject area and provided law enforcement perspective. The exercise was the first of its kind, and we will certainly want to carry out similar exercises in the future,” says Tero Toiviainen, Project Manager at Polamk.

“The key aspect of the exercise was to promote cooperation between the authorities, which succeeded well,” Toiviainen continues.

The exercise was organized as part of the Cyber Capital project. The project is funded by the EU Internal Security Fund (ISF). In the project, Polamk and Jamk cooperate with the aim of updating, developing and implementing specialization studies for cybercrime prevention. The project also promotes national and international educational cooperation between the authorities and studies the use of artificial intelligence in cybercrime prevention.