New York National Guard team participates in 'Cyber Spear' computer security exercise in Arkansas

LATHAM, NY, UNITED STATES

09.04.2013

Courtesy Story

New York National Guard

LATHAM, N.Y. - A team of New York Army and Air National Guard computer security specialists will be participating in a two-week-long cyber security exercise being conducted by the National Guard in Arkansas.

Known as Cyber Spear, the exercise will bring together National Guard computer security specialists from approximately 25 states at the National Guard's Professional Education Center in Little Rock Arkansas.

The exercise begins Sept. 9 and ends Sept. 20.

Seven New York National Guard members – four from the Army National Guard and three from the Air National Guard – will participate in the training.

The goal of the exercise is to allow National Guard Computer Network Defense teams from around the country to learn from each other and practice dealing with the kinds of threats National Guard computer networks face from hackers as well as a myriad of other threats, said Maj. James Keller, the head of the New York National Guard's Computer Network Defense Team.

The Guardsmen will refine standard operating procedures and tactics techniques and procedures for dealing with threats to the computer network and hone their skills by running around the clock exercises to defend against network attacks as well as other incidents, Keller said.

Since the participants are coming from many different states, and from both the Army and Air National Guard, the two-week exercise will help build relationships that will enable Guard technology experts to learn best practices from each other, Keller said.

One of the advantages the National Guard brings to the armed forces effort to secure its computer networks is the outside, civilian experience that traditional National Guard members bring with them, not to mention the fact that the full time members also have access to industry recognized certifications, Keller said.

Keller, for example, is an IT Director for an insurance company in his civilian job.

• Date Taken: 09.04.2013
• Date Posted: 09.04.2013 12:36
• Story ID: 113065
• Location: LATHAM, NY, US