iGovTT hosts first two-day cyberdrill

Above: Nigel Newallo-Singh, Ag Head of Security Operations and Assurance at iGovTT (centre), congratulates the winners of the technical challenges. Keronn Gill, winner of the OSINT Challenge and Overall CyberDrill Winner, and Reynold Ezra Cooper, winner of the Capture the Adversary Challenge, proudly display their awards. Photo courtesy iGovTT.

Following two days of intensive, hands-on cybersecurity training, iGovTT’s inaugural National CyberDrill concluded yesterday at the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT) Chaguaramas Campus.

The event, a first for Trinidad and Tobago, successfully brought together professionals from government ministries, critical infrastructure sectors, and private enterprise, with the nation’s next generation of cyber defenders from UTT, UWI, COSTAAT, Howard University and Florida Southern College, to strengthen the country’s collective digital resilience.

The core of the event focused on practical skill-building and collaboration. Participants were immersed in realistic cyberattack scenarios, including an Open-Source Intelligence (OSINT) Challenge and a “Capture the Adversary” incident response drill facilitated by experts from TT-CSIRT, CrowdStrike, and iGovTT. Another key technical session on the principle of “Secure By Design” was delivered by Mr Irwin Williams, Head of Software Development at iGovTT.

The event culminated in an awards ceremony recognising the top performers. The winners were:

Winner – Capture the Adversary Challenge: Reynold Ezra Cooper
Winner – OSINT Challenge & Overall CyberDrill Winner: Keronn Gill

Mr Cooper is an intern currently pursuing his studies at Florida Southern College. Their success highlights the remarkable capabilities of the nation’s emerging cyber professionals.

In his feature address, Senator the Honourable Dominic Alexander Smith, Minister of Public Administration and Artificial Intelligence, articulated the profound link between digital security and public trust. The Minister stated, “A secure and resilient public sector is the very bedrock of a secure nation.

Public trust is earned not only through transparency and service delivery but through our unwavering commitment to protecting the data and digital infrastructure that serves our citizens. Initiatives like this CyberDrill are crucial investments in the human capital that underpins this trust and ensures good governance in the digital age.”

The CyberDrill also featured insightful panel discussions. A session on “Student-Centered Approaches to Cyberbullying Prevention” included perspectives from industry leaders Ms Esther Callender-George, Group Chief Information Security Officer at Guardian Group and President of the ISACA Trinidad and Tobago Chapter; Ms Kristerbella Sookdeo, Territory Account Manager at Fortinet; Mr Irwin Williams and Ms Nicole Greene of iGovTT.

An Incident Response panel provided further expertise from the teams at CrowdStrike and the Trinidad and Tobago Cyber Security Incident Response Team (TT-CSIRT).

Mr Charles Bobb-Semple, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of iGovTT, reiterated the event’s mission. “Our national resilience depends not on passive defence, but on active, intelligent, and collaborative preparedness,” he said. “The connections made here, the lessons learned, and the collaborative spirit fostered will ripple outwards, fortifying our nation long after this event concludes.”

The positive impact on participants was evident. One attendee shared, “This event was a milestone in Trinidad and Tobago’s cybersecurity history… I want to see more students and youths reaching their highest potential and events like this make that possible.”

The iGovTT Inaugural National CyberDrill 2025 was made possible through the valued partnership of the University of Trinidad and Tobago (UTT), the Trinidad and Tobago Cyber Security Incident Response Team (TT-CSIRT), and CrowdStrike. iGovTT extends its sincere gratitude to all participants, partners, and speakers for their contribution to this pivotal national security initiative.