CAFCYBERCOM marks one year of cyber defence excellence

September 22, 2025 – Defence Stories

Estimated read time – 2:00

By Major Christopher Daniel, CAFCYBERCOM Senior Public Affairs Officer

On September 26, the Canadian Armed Forces Cyber Command (CAFCYBERCOM) celebrates its first anniversary—a milestone in Canadian Armed Forces’ evolving cyber defence posture. In just one year, the command has unified Cyber Operations, Signals Intelligence, and Joint Electronic Warfare under a single banner, enhancing agility, focus, and coherence across Canada’s cyber mission.

Over its first year, CAFCYBERCOM has delivered tangible operational impact at home and abroad. Through Operation REASSURANCE, Cyber Task Force 2 (CyTF2) in Latvia has safeguarded critical digital infrastructure, strengthened NATO’s collective cyber defence, and collaborated closely with CERT.LV (Cyber Incident Response Institution of the Republic of Latvia) to monitor, analyze, and mitigate threats. A high-intensity summer 2025 operation tripled allied threat-hunting capacity, identified supply chain vulnerabilities, and improved operational coordination. CAFCYBERCOM also provides cyber defence expertise to Ukraine, reinforcing resilience at their request.

In the Indo-Pacific, CAFCYBERCOM deepened partnerships with Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, reinforcing regional cyber security and demonstrating Canada’s commitment to a free, open, and secure digital environment. Notably, MASAKARI 25, conducted under Operation HORIZON with the Japan Self-Defense Forces, highlighted combined defensive cyber capabilities and supported Canada’s Indo-Pacific Strategy by promoting stability and responsible state behaviour in cyberspace.

Participation in multinational exercises has further showcased CAFCYBERCOM’s capabilities. During Exercise LOCKED SHIELDS 2025 in Seoul, the command collaborated with 41 nations in one of the world’s largest live-fire cyber defence exercises. At Cyber Summit Korea 2025, CAFCYBERCOM contributed to the Allied Power Exercise (APEX) 2025, integrating field technology and policy simulation components with global partners. In Bosnia and Herzegovina, CAFCYBERCOM delivered the first Military Cyber Security Operations Course from September 15–19, 2025, training personnel from eight partner nations to enhance regional cyber resilience.

“Over the past year, we’ve proven that CAFCYBERCOM can deliver integrated cyber effects—at home and abroad,” said Major-General Dave Yarker, Commander of CAFCYBERCOM. “We’ve built a unified team ready to defend networks, support missions, and contribute to international stability in cyberspace.”

Internally, CAFCYBERCOM has streamlined CAF decision-making, eliminated redundancies, and cultivated a highly skilled, adaptive cyber workforce. Looking ahead, the command will continue to scale full-spectrum capabilities, integrate artificial intelligence into threat detection, and expand collaboration with government, industry, and academia—all while maintaining professionalism and respect for the rule of law.

“Our people are the foundation of our success,” said Chief Warrant Officer Peter Holub, CAFCYBERCOM’s Chief Warrant Officer. “As we look to the future, we remain committed to growing our expertise and staying ahead of emerging threats.”

As CAFCYBERCOM turns one, it does so with momentum and a clear mission: to protect, adapt, and lead in cyberspace.