US FBI hosts exercise to analyse interagency cyber security coordination

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), together with the government, academia and industry, has concluded the Cyber Guard 14-1 exercise, aimed at analysing the operational coordination and information sharing between agencies in implementing measures against domestic cyber events.

As part of the exercise, units of the National Guard, reserves, National Security Agency and US Cyber Command demonstrated their support to the Department of Homeland Security and FBI responses to foreign-based attacks on simulated critical infrastructure networks.

Cybercom commander and NSA director navy admiral Michael Rogers said: "Citizens of our nation are counting on us to generate the necessary capacity and capability to meet the challenges of this problem set.

"We are continuing to learn and mature. We have to build a construct to work seamlessly and effectively with our partners, and not just within the government, but also with industry and academia – outside [the Defence Department]."

Themed at building and ensuring partnerships, processes, and human and technical capabilities, the exercise also involved several Cyber Protection Teams, part of Cybercom’s Cyber Mission Force being built over the following few years.

Defense Information Systems Agency readiness and exercises chief Phil La Perla said: "Cyber Guard provided an opportunity for agencies to execute and refine the DoDIN command and control construct model.

"The 90th [Cyber Protection Team], aligned to DISA, also benefited by teaming with the U.S. Coast Guard in defending DoD information networks, building on our great relationship with DHS."

In addition, the FBI hosted an ‘Industry Day’ event that involved 105 participants from energy, finance, and information technology security to bolster relationships with private industry and facilitate information sharing to thwart, mitigate or respond to a cyber attack.

Cybercom training director, Coast Guard rear admiral Kevin Lunday said: "This robust, interagency exercise to defend the nation has accelerated in maturity over the last three iterations.

"We used this event to develop teamwork and collaboration, and we have gone from just a few Guard teams two years ago to incorporating critical government and private sector partnerships to test whole-of-nation solutions in this dynamic domain."

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