Manchin Invites National Security Organizations to Participate in West Virginia Cyber Defense Exercise

Source: United States Senator for West Virginia Joe Manchin

March 21, 2023

Washington, DC – U.S. Senator Joe Manchin (D-WV), member of the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) and Chairman of the SASC Cybersecurity Subcommittee, invited leading national security organizations to participate in this year’s North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Locked Shields Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Exercise, the world’s largest international cyber defense exercise. The virtual exercise will be coordinated from Morgantown by the West Virginia National Guard from April 17^th to 21^st. Senator Manchin encouraged participation from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Office of the Director of National Intelligence and the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

“The defense of our country’s critical infrastructure is among our strongest priorities. This includes supporting public-private collaboration to ensure that such infrastructure is developed at the speed and scale necessary,” Senator Manchin said in part. “Further, we must invest in a resilient future, which includes developing a diverse and robust national cyber workforce.”

The Locked Shields exercise is the only international critical infrastructure protection exercise in existence, and is hosted by NATO’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) in Tallinn, Estonia. Mission partners include the West Virginia National Guard, National Guard participants from Alabama, Virginia, Maryland and North Carolina, educational institutions, including West Virginia University, West Virginia University Institute of Technology, Marshall University, the University of Hawaii and the University of Maryland Global Campus, and the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA).

“This annual exercise not only promotes collaboration between public and private actors, but it also provides an opportunity for cyber security experts to enhance their skills by utilizing a Red Team vs. Blue Team approach to test in simulations meant to mimic real cyber-attacks,” Senator Manchin continued. “The West Virginia National Guard will continue to lead the charge in coordinating and managing the participation of the U.S. team in the Locked Shields exercise and I would welcome your support in attending this year’s event.”

“The West Virginia National Guard has a demonstrated and proud history of support to Exercise Locked Shields as the lead military element,” said West Virginia Adjutant General, Maj. Gen. Bill Crane. “We are excited to partner once again with academia, industry partners and cyber experts from across the United States to lead the U.S. team and are thankful for the support of Sen. Manchin and many others who have worked to make this exercise a success.”

More information on the Locked Shields exercise is available here.

The full letter is available below or here.

Dear [Organization],

I write to bring to your attention and encourage your organization’s participation in the annual NATO Locked Shields Cybersecurity and Critical Infrastructure Protection Exercise coordinated by the West Virginia National Guard at the Morgantown Readiness Center from April 17-21, 2023.

As outlined in the President’s 2023 National Cybersecurity Strategy, the defense of our country’s critical infrastructure is among our strongest priorities. This includes supporting public-private collaboration to ensure that such infrastructure is developed at the speed and scale necessary. Further, we must invest in a resilient future, which includes developing a diverse and robust national cyber workforce. This annual exercise not only promotes collaboration between public and private actors, but it also provides an opportunity for cyber security experts to enhance their skills by utilizing a Red Team vs. Blue Team approach to test in simulations meant to mimic real cyber-attacks.

The Locked Shields exercise (the Exercise) is the only international critical infrastructure protection exercise in existence, and is hosted by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)’s Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE) in Tallinn, Estonia. The Exercise enables cybersecurity experts to enhance their skills in defending national IT systems and critical infrastructure under real-time attacks. Mission partners from the West Virginia National Guard, along with National Guard participants from Alabama, Virginia, Maryland, and North Carolina; educational institutions, including West Virginia University, West Virginia University Institute of Teclmology, Marshall University, the University of Hawaii, and the University of Maryland Global Campus; and Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), will be participating as Coalition partners in the Exercise. It is designed to foster strategic partnerships between nations, DISA, the United States European Command (EUCOM) and the National Guard while enhancing Coalition interoperability, developing NATO capabilities, and advancing workforce development.

The West Virginia National Guard will continue to lead the charge in coordinating and managing the participation of the U.S. team in the Locked Shields exercise and I would welcome your support in attending this year’s event.