Interconnection Academy & GCA expand free cyber training

The Interconnection Academy, created by internet exchange operator DE-CIX and Universitat Pompeu Fabra in Barcelona, has partnered with the Global Cyber Alliance to expand free online training in networking and network security.

The organisations will share selected training modules between their learning platforms. The first shared module introduces the Mutually Agreed Norms for Routing Security initiative, known as MANRS, which promotes routing security practices and protection against address spoofing.

The partnership comes as cyber risk continues to rise and employers report difficulty hiring skilled security staff. The World Economic Forum found that 56% of companies surveyed for its Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026 faced a shortage of cybersecurity expertise. Separately, industry forecasts have put cybercrime costs near USD $11 trillion in 2026.

Security teams are also navigating a shifting threat environment, including more frequent attacks on networks. Distributed denial-of-service attacks, address spoofing, and man-in-the-middle techniques remain longstanding risks. Offensive toolmakers are also using AI to increase attack volume and adapt tactics more quickly.

Training focus

The Interconnection Academy is an online education platform focused on digital infrastructure and interconnection. Its modules cover networking concepts and how networks connect and exchange traffic. DE-CIX and Universitat Pompeu Fabra founded the academy in 2021.

The Global Cyber Alliance is an international non-profit that runs programmes to reduce online risk and address systemic causes of harm. Its Internet Integrity Program focuses on operator-led approaches to improving core internet security practices.

Under the arrangement, both groups will expand their course catalogues by sharing selected content. The MANRS introduction is the first example, hosted on the Interconnection Academy site.

MANRS is an industry initiative that promotes norms for routing security. Routing issues can enable malicious traffic redirection and other attacks that rely on misdirected routes. Address spoofing remains a common technique used to disguise the origin of traffic, including during denial-of-service attacks.

Academy expansion

The Interconnection Academy has also mapped out additional content for 2026. The third module in its Networking Basics series, covering middle-layer protocols, went live in January. A separate module on the interconnection ecosystem is scheduled for April, with further modules planned later in the year.

DE-CIX describes itself as the world's leading internet exchange operator. Internet exchanges are central to internet infrastructure, providing locations where networks interconnect and exchange traffic-often improving efficiency and lowering transit costs. That role has also put routing and traffic-management practices under increasing scrutiny as attacks on internet infrastructure grow in scale.

The academy's training targets people working in network operations, interconnection management, and related technology roles, as well as those seeking to enter the sector. Alongside technical material, it includes operational and business topics tied to interconnection.

DE-CIX Chief Executive and Interconnection Academy founder Ivo Ivanov linked the growing use of AI to emerging risks for networks.

"With the advent of AI, we are facing the newest industrial revolution, with many benefits but also a range of challenges in the area of network security," Ivanov said.

He said education remained essential as networks and threats evolve. "Here, education platforms like the Interconnection Academy and the Global Cyber Alliance offer a valuable resource for people to ensure their knowledge and skills are relevant to the changing demands of the interconnected world," he said.

Yolandi Cloete, Manager of the Global Interconnection Academy, said the partnership would focus on sharing resources and building a broader knowledge base for practitioners.

"By aligning our efforts with those of the GCA, we aim to amplify cybersecurity awareness within the interconnection community, share trusted resources across platforms, and foster a global knowledge hub that equips professionals with the tools and insights needed to secure and strengthen interconnection infrastructure," Cloete said.

The Global Cyber Alliance described the tie-up as part of a wider push for collective action among internet operators and infrastructure organisations. Its Chief Technical Officer Leslie Daigle pointed to MANRS as an example of collaboration that depends on participants adopting shared practices.

"The Global Cyber Alliance's Internet Integrity Program is built on the idea that the Internet is strongest when those who operate it work together to address shared, systemic risks. We're excited to partner with the Interconnection Academy to advance initiatives like MANRS, where collective, operator-led action improves routing security and helps ensure a more resilient, trustworthy Internet for everyone," Daigle said.

Both organisations expect the content-sharing approach to broaden access to training on network operations and security, with additional modules shared over time.