A groundbreaking cybersecurity demonstration drill took place in Jiading District on September 17th at Shanghai Normal University Tianhua College, simulating a high-pressure scenario during the peak enrollment period where malicious actors exploited system vulnerabilities to compromise the student information management platform, disrupting routine administrative operations.
Departing from previous campus-contained exercises, this event achieved a historic milestone by successfully activating the "campus-township-district" three-tier coordination mechanism for the first time, representing a significant advancement in extending Jiading District's cybersecurity emergency response framework to the grassroots level. Every phase of the drill, from initial system anomaly alerts to rapid incident escalation, progressed with realistic operational intensity.
Upon detecting irregularities, the university promptly submitted an incident brief to the Loutang Township authorities. After verification, the township escalated the matter to the Jiading District Cyberspace Affairs Office in accordance with regional emergency response protocols. The district office responded immediately with three decisive directives: prohibiting system restoration until comprehensive security assessments are completed, dispatching technical experts for on-site support, and providing guidance on public sentiment management and student service continuity.
The entire response chain, spanning from threat detection through coordinated handling to issue resolution, operated seamlessly with meticulous attention to each procedural step, successfully completing a full-scale stress test under real-world conditions. The realistic scenario and smooth inter-agency coordination left a profound impression on the corporate cybersecurity leaders who observed the exercise.
A network engineer from Yaskawa Shougang Robot Co., Ltd. Shanghai branch remarked enthusiastically: "As someone responsible for IT operations, software systems, and network security maintenance, today's drill impressed upon me that cybersecurity isn't just about fixing problems—it's about standardizing and institutionalizing the entire response process. We must systematically report issues according to established procedures and continuously learn from every emergency response experience."
Ling Xufeng, Vice President of Tianhua College and Dean of its Artificial Intelligence Institute, acknowledged this was their first collaborative drill with local authorities. He explained the college's selection as the host site stemmed from two key factors: the AI Institute's established programs in computer science and network engineering, along with dedicated cybersecurity attack-defense training facilities and laboratories; and the availability of specialized personnel and demonstrable system environments through the campus network center and intelligent computing hub. "Tianhua College possesses the full capacity to host cybersecurity exercises, and we're eager to contribute our institutional expertise," he added.
Concurrently, Loutang Township held a ceremony appointing six Chief Cybersecurity Officers, drawn from Tianhua College and prominent local enterprises. District-wide, Jiading's Chief Cybersecurity Officer contingent now exceeds 1,500 professionals spanning all 1,135 key industrial parks, businesses, and research institutions, thereby further strengthening the grassroots cybersecurity accountability structure.
In a related development, Tianhua College officially joined the Shanghai Cybersecurity Training Base (Jiading) as a cooperative partner institution. The base, established to promote practical expertise development, focuses on professional skills training, cybersecurity attack-defense drills, and student internship programs. Looking ahead, the District Cyberspace Affairs Office will collaborate with Tianhua College to systematically enhance cybersecurity workforce capabilities at various levels, jointly advancing the cultivation of hands-on cybersecurity professionals.
Special correspondent: Qian Yidi | Editor: Wu Yuqing