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Cyber-Defence Campus

Cyber threats have substantially increased in recent years. To this end, the Cyber Defence Campus (CYD) was founded in January 2019 in order to anticipate cyber developments more quickly. It forms the link between DDPS, industry and science in research, development and training for cyber defence.

The locations of the Cyber Defence Campus Thun, Lausanne and Zurich shown in blue on a networked Switzerland.
Graphic of the CYD Campus locations

What is the cyber-defence campus?

Cyber-Defence Campus Conference 2022

A key task of the Cyber-Defence (CYD) Campus is to enable science, industry and government to network in the area of cyber defence. To this end, the CYD Campus regularly organises public events on cyber topics relevant to defence and security. One annual highlight is the CYD Campus Conference with more than 300 visitors.

The CYD Campus Conference 2022 took place on 26 October in the Kursaal in Bern. The key issue of the Conference was ensuring future digital infrastructures. The Conference brought together experts and interested parties from government, academia and industry and enabled an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas.

You can put the date for the next CYD Campus Conference on 26 October 2023 in Bern in your calendar now. Further information will follow. 


Cyber Start-up Challenge 2022

The call for the Cyber Start-up Challenge started for the third time in succession in June 2022. The goal of the Challenge is to explore the start-up technology landscape in a specific subject area, in order to integrate innovative technologies into the armed forces. As part of the Cyber Start-up Challenge 2022, 36 start-ups from various different countries presented their innovative technologies in the area Network detection and security of IoT devices.

The start-up ONEKEY was able to convince the jury of cyber experts from the DDPS with its automated security analysis technology. Using the «Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)» and automatically generated «Digital Twins», ONEKEY checks for possible critical security vulnerabilities and compliance violations in the operational software. 


Collaboration with industry

One of our mission is to transfer new research developments and technologies into Proof of Concepts and prototypes for the Swiss Armed Forces. To achieve this goal, we work closely with academic institutions and industrial partners. Collaboration with startups and the established security-relevant technology and industry base (STIB) occurs via a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) or in projects funded by armasuisse through research mandates. Organizations interested in collaborations should contact us here

CYD Fellowships

Cyber Defence Research in Switzerland

Are you studying at a Swiss university and want to actively promote research in the area of safety and data sciences? Then the Cyber-Defence Fellowships could be just the right thing for you!

The Swiss Federal Institute of Technology at Lausanne (EPFL) and the Cyber Defence (CYD) Campus have joined forces in research and education in the area of cyber defence. The Cyber-Defence Fellowships are open to researchers and students at master, PhD and postdoc level.

You can register at: Applicant Portal CYD Fellowship

Strategy Cyber DDPS

As a result of the changing ecosystem and the increasing threat of cyber attacks in all spheres of life, the Swiss government has declared cyber security a central and national security concern.

The Swiss Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport DDPS thus adopted the first action plan for DDPS cyber defence (APCD) in 2016. In view of the rapid development of the cyber threat situation over the last five years, the new Strategy Cyber DDPS has been developed for the period 2021-2024, and is based on the action plan. Both the action plan and the new Strategy Cyber DDPS are coordinated with the overarching National Strategy for the Protection of Switzerland against Cyber Risks (NCS). As the focus of the Strategy Cyber DDPS, the Head of the DDPS, Federal Councillor Viola Amherd, defines the areas of activity and the corresponding distribution of tasks. The CYD Campus has the following three key tasks:

  • Early identification of trends in the cyber area: This includes comprehensive technology and market monitoring, international scouting of startups and maintaining a cooperation network.
  • Research and innovation of cyber technologies: Through the cooperation with universities and industry, emerging cyber risks are identified and innovative solutions developed to effectively counter threats in cyberspace. In addition, the CYD Campus aims to ensure and enhance the security and resilience of existing cyber systems.
  • Training cyber specialists: At the CYD Campus, talents are educated at master, PhD and postdoc level, and academic interns are trained for future challenges. In addition, CYD Campus subject matter experts define and supervise numerous student projects. 

Strategy Cyber DDPS
The Strategy Cyber DDPS structures the actions in the DDPS into four key tasks.


Cyber-Defence Campus Feuerwerkerstrasse 39
CH-3602 Thun

Zollstrasse 62
CH-8005 Zurich

EPFL Innovation Park, Bâtiment I
CH-1015 Lausanne
Tel.
+41 58 480 59 34

E-Mail

Vacancies CYD Campus