RICHMOND, Va. – Roughly 20 Virginia Nationwide Guard Troopers and Airmen took half within the Cyber Fortress train with private and non-private sector companions Sept. 21-30.
Individuals included Dominion Vitality, the Virginia Division of Emergency Administration, the Virginia Division of Data Expertise, the Virginia State Police and different native, state and federal organizations.
“The Cyber Fortress Train purchased collectively the organizations who will really reply in a real-world cyber incident and offered a chance to check Virginia’s cyber response plan and higher put together for future collective responses,” mentioned Brig. Gen. James W. Ring, VNG director of the Joint Employees.
“The professionalism with these companions is demonstrated by the power to execute a statewide train in lower than 10 months from idea to execution,” Ring mentioned. “Virginia is best ready to defend from future cyberattacks due to the partnerships established or improved in Cyber Fortress.”
Ring mentioned Cyber Fortress additionally validated the Guard’s potential to help non-public sector crucial infrastructure companions offering providers to individuals throughout the commonwealth.
VNG Troopers assigned to the Fort Belvoir-based 91st Cyber Brigade, the Fairfax-based Data Operations Help Heart and the Richmond-based Joint Power Headquarters – Virginia Protection Cyber Operations Factor and VNG Airmen assigned to the 185th Our on-line world Operations Squadron, 192nd Operations Group, 192nd Wing at Joint Base Langley Eustis supported the occasion and had been built-in into different cybersecurity groups concerned within the train.
“We now have rather a lot to be pleased with right now,” mentioned Shawn Talmadge, VDEM state coordinator of emergency administration. “That is among the many first cyber workout routines involving federal and state response companions in help of a non-public sector entity.
“We all know the menace is actual and extremely succesful,” he mentioned. “From Virginia’s perspective, we have to have a look at how we construct resiliency and capability and leverage the entire of presidency strategy to help a non-public sector.”
Talmadge mentioned the train was a chance to check Virginia’s cybersecurity plan, establish gaps, and have a look at easy methods to deploy state sources just like the Nationwide Guard.
He mentioned future workout routines would concentrate on different crucial infrastructure capabilities like transportation or communication.
“The Virginia Nationwide Guard advantages from collaborating with private and non-private companions to scale back the impression of a cyber occasion on the residents of the commonwealth,” mentioned Col. Rusty McGuire, commander of the 91st Cyber Brigade and co-director of the train.
McGuire mentioned Cyber Fortress was a fantastic instance of how the VNG works with state leaders and demanding infrastructure companions to profit all Virginians.
“Not solely is the VNG ready to reply to floods and snowstorms, however the VNG is ready to help with the identical stage of help in a cybersecurity incident,” McGuire mentioned.
McGuire mentioned with cyber assaults growing and turning into extra subtle, it’s extra essential than ever to carry federal and state companies and the non-public sector collectively to guard crucial infrastructure.
“Fifty years in the past, a overseas actor couldn’t contact crucial infrastructure in the US with out main sources,” McGuire mentioned. “Now, with off-the-shelf capabilities, the digital doorstep to crucial infrastructure networks are only a mouse click on away for unhealthy actors. This requires a private-public strategy to carry all obtainable sources to defend crucial networks, and that’s what we did with Cyber Fortress.”
The tabletop train enabled senior leaders to debate processes and insurance policies, whereas the multiday portion centered on groups of navy and civilian cyber specialists contending with a simulated cyber assault.
“A crucial piece of our total converged safety framework is efficient partnerships with our authorities companions,” mentioned Adam Lee, chief safety officer for Dominion Vitality. “I consider that with a purpose to correctly safe American crucial infrastructure, it’s important to practice with authorities companies, which might reply within the occasion of a big cyberattack. Cyber Fortress enabled us to elevate {our relationships} to the following stage.”
McGuire mentioned planning has already begun for the following installment of Cyber Fortress. He mentioned the VNG has additionally partnered with the U.S. Military Cyber Institute and Norwich College Utilized Analysis Institutes to develop the tabletop portion of the train.
