Virginia Beach, Va. – The Virginia National Guard, in collaboration with various multinational and interagency partners, successfully conducted Cyber Fortress 3.0, a cyber incident response exercise focusing on water management, from July 7-20 at the State Military Reservation.
“Everyone in the state, from organizations to individuals, is at risk,” stated Col. Gerald A. Mazur, exercise director and commander of the Information Operations Support Center. “While we work hard to prevent cyberattacks, the reality is that it’s not a question of ‘if,’ but ‘when’ we’ll be targeted. Our ability to quickly detect and respond to these threats is crucial to restoring essential services for the people of Virginia.”
Mazur emphasized that effective cyberattack response hinges on rigorous training, strong partnerships, and thorough exercise of response protocols.
“This is precisely why the National Guard is ideally positioned to support the state during a cyber crisis, and Cyber Fortress is a key component of our preparation,” he added.
The exercise focused on enhancing collaboration between the public and private sectors while evaluating the cybersecurity preparedness of key energy and transportation stakeholders, according to Maj. Andres Slonopas, the exercise planner with the IOSC.
The event featured a diverse group of participants, with water utilities serving as the critical infrastructure focus. The primary objective was to demonstrate how industry and government entities can work together to counteract a cyberattack on essential commercial infrastructure.
“The growing threat from nation-state actors aiming to destabilize our environment by targeting cyber networks is evident. Such attacks not only disrupt critical infrastructure but also undermine public confidence and impair the U.S.’s ability to defend its homeland and exert global influence,” noted Shawn Talmadge, state coordinator and deputy homeland security adviser with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management.
During the exercise, military and civilian cyber experts joined forces with a county water authority representative to simulate a coordinated response to a cyberattack.
“By integrating cyber operators from the 91st Cyber Brigade, the Virginia Air National Guard, over a dozen federal agencies, several state organizations, two NATO allies, and various utilities, the exercise offered a comprehensive perspective on the cybersecurity landscape and the potential consequences of a cyberattack on critical infrastructure,” Slonopas explained.
Mazur highlighted that Cyber Fortress provided uniformed personnel with exposure to cutting-edge technologies shaping the future of warfare, including artificial intelligence and solar power. Additionally, the exercise engaged senior leaders and lawmakers to secure support for future iterations of Cyber Fortress.
Estonia and Finland also participated, with the Finnish Defence Forces joining remotely.
The exercise further strengthened the Virginia National Guard’s partnership with Finland under the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau State Partnership Program, noted Mazur.
The VNG units involved included the 91st Cyber Brigade, the 123rd and 124th Cyber Protection Battalions—each with specialized cyber warfare and cybersecurity companies—the Defensive Cyberspace Operations Element from Joint Force Headquarters – Virginia, the Virginia Air National Guard’s 185th Cyber Operations Squadron, and the Virginia Defense Force’s 31st Cyber Battalion.
“The VDF performed exceptionally well throughout the exercise, standing shoulder to shoulder with their counterparts from the Army and Air National Guard,” Mazur remarked. “They will definitely be a part of Cyber Fortress 4.0.”
Additional National Guard units participating included the Maryland National Guard’s 275th and 276th Cyber Operations Squadrons and the New York National Guard’s 173rd Cyber Protection Team. The Marine Corps Reserve from Louisiana and the U.S. Coast Guard were also represented.
State-level partners included the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Virginia State Police, the VSP Fusion Center, the Virginia Department of Health, county water authorities, Virginia Tech, and the Virginia Military Institute.
Private sector collaborators included multiple water utilities, Verizon, Resilient Energy Infrastructure, and Booz Allen Hamilton.
Federal participants encompassed the FBI, the Department of Homeland Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, Army Research Labs, Idaho National Labs, Argonne National Lab, and the Muscatatuck Training Center.
