The Estonian Defence League is a voluntary national defence organisation operating in the area of government of the Estonian Ministry of Defence which is organised in accordance with military principles, possesses weapons and holds exercises of a military nature. The purpose of the Defence League is to enhance, by relying on free will and self-initiative, the readiness of the nation to defend the independence of Estonia and its constitutional order. The Defence League is a legal successor of the Defence League established as a self-defence organisation on 11 November 1918.

Bringing together volunteers from all walks of life, the Defence League is part of the national military chain of command and is an integral part of the Estonian national defence and crisis response capability. Since 2009 the Defence League has also included units that focus on cyber operations. In today’s talk I will focus on this cybersecurity component and discuss its role in the Estonian cybersecurity landscape, as well as the general benefits of including volunteer experts in support of national cybersecurity.

Major Rain Ottis is a volunteer member of the Estonian Defence League since 1998 and has been with its Cyber Defence Unit since its inception. He is also the Professor of Cyber Operations and the Head of the Centre for Digital Forensics and Cyber Security in Tallinn University of Technology. From 2008 to 2012 he served as a researcher at the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence. Prior to that assignment he served as a signal officer in the Estonian Defence Forces, focusing primarily on cyber defence training and awareness. He is a graduate of the United States Military Academy (BS, Computer Science) and Tallinn University of Technology (PhD, Computer Science; MSc, Informatics). Today he continues his military service as a reservist and Defence League volunteer. His research interests include cyber conflict, national cyber security and cybersecurity exercises.