MORGANTOWN, W.Va. — The largest and most complex international live-fire cyber defense exercise in the world wrapped up Thursday at the West Virginia University Coliseum.
Locked Shields 24 involves 40 countries, 3,000 participants, 193 in West Virginia and is presented by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defense Centre of Excellence.
There were 190 cyber experts at the Morgantown exercise including professionals from the Department of Defense and federal and state agencies, along with participants from WVU and Marshal University, reacted to a large-scale cyber incident. The realistic scenario provides an opportunity for participants to respond to the threat in a controlled training environment.
WVU Vice President for Economic Innovation Jim Hoyer spoke at a Thursday news conference. He told the group of international participants the exercise was especially important to the university’s land grant mission of solving problems and improving quality of life.
“Thanks to Cyber Com and JFHQ DODIN (Joint Force Headquarters – Department of Defense Information Network),” Hoyer said. “You have given us the opportunity to be a part of serving the national mission, solving national problems and we greatly appreciate that opportunity.”
U.S. Cyber Command Joint Force Headquarters Chief of Staff Bill Walker said it is very rare to participate in an international live-fire exercise and the lessons learned are significant. In many cases lessons learned in Locked Shields are quickly moved into the operational realm following the event.
“Working with our allies and partners bolsters our ability to shape the operational cyber environment to more effectively and decisively conduct integrated deterrence, engage in active competition and to build an enduring advantage,” Walker said.
Marshall University Chief Legal Counsel Toney Stroud was on hand to discuss Marshall’s plans for a cyber security center. The building will have up to 13 labs, an academic space, and technology needed to facilitate and teach cyber security. Groundbreaking for the building is set for May 17.
“There will also have a SCIF (Sensitive Compartmented Information Facility), so very excited about this,” Stroud said. “This is going to be a transformative building for the state of West Virginia and we’re really appreciate how Governor Justice and the State Legislature has leaned in and invested $45 million.”
Walker said once facilities in Morgantown at WVU, in Huntington at Marshall University they will have the same cyber security tools used by the federal government. Students entering the program will have access to the most sophisticated cyber defense tools, equipment, and input from federal professionals as they learn the skill.
“Students will also be able to use hands-on, real world technologies and facilities that look, smell, and act like the ones at the Department of Defense,” Walker said.
Walker said the decision was made to establish the Cyber Security Center for Excellence after a series of meetings with General Hoyer and West Virginia National Guard Adjutant General Bill Crane. Those meetings resulted in the introduction to WVU President Gordon Gee and Marshall University President Brad Smith who showed them the resources and tolls available to them and negotiations began.
“They opened the doors fully,” Walker said. “They are willing to create curriculum for our workforce, they are willing to provide different venues to display that curriculum, and work with us on research and engineering projects.”