Washington, DC – The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) hosted Cyber Storm X this week, a four-day national cybersecurity exercise designed to test and ultimately strengthen the nation’s resilience. This year’s exercise included 2,000 participants from across the public and private sectors and marks the tenth exercise in the 20-year history of Cyber Storm. The biennial exercise brings together the people who manage the services our nation relies on, including water, energy, and other vital sectors. During the exercise, participants practice how they would respond to a major cyber incident affecting critical infrastructure.

“Cyber Storm helps critical infrastructure owners and operators understand how we would manage a large-scale cyber incident,” said Acting CISA Director Nick Andersen. “Exercises strengthen our national resilience by making sure our plans, policies, and partnerships are ready when we need them. As a nation, we need the ability to respond swiftly and effectively to critical threats. That’s exactly what Cyber Storm does and why it’s a vital exercise for our nation’s security.”

This year’s exercise focused on a scenario involving a nation-state adversary targeting the transportation systems sector, including rail and ports, along with the water and wastewater systems sector. The exercise allowed participants to test response plans, practice coordination, and strengthen information sharing in a safe environment. Cyber Storm X included over two hundred organizations across all levels of government and the private sector.

CISA will now collaborate with participating organizations to identify lessons learned from the exercise. We will use these findings in a public after-action report that captures observations, analyses, and recommendations. CISA is committed to providing access to a wide range of cybersecurity tools and training opportunities, with exercises being a critical part of that toolkit to enhance our nation’s cyber preparedness.

For more information, please visit Cyber Storm X: National Cyber Exercise.

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As the nation’s cyber defense agency and national coordinator for critical infrastructure security, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the national effort to manage, uncover, and reduce risk to our digital and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day.

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