Eight Marshall University students participated in the world’s largest international cyber defense exercise, Locked Shields 2023. The exercise was hosted by the NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence in Tallinn, Estonia, and involved 24 Blue Teams from 28 countries. The Marshall students joined a team of cyber experts and representatives from federal and state agencies to play the role of a national cyber rapid reaction team deployed to assist the country in handling a large-scale cyber incident.
The Marshall students learned a lot from the experience, including how to respond to attacks, how to coordinate a response, and the importance of communication, collaboration, and teamwork in cyber defense operations. They also had the opportunity to work alongside experts and sharpen their skills in a realistic environment.
The West Virginia-led U.S. team finished 16th in the competition, but they accomplished several important objectives, including building interagency, intergovernmental, and multinational cyber response relationships, sharing innovative and emerging cyber defense best practices, and collaborating with the next generation of the cyber workforce.
The Marshall students were grateful for the opportunity to participate in Locked Shields 2023 and said that it was an invaluable learning experience. They are looking forward to improving their skills and competing in future exercises.
Original Article: Marshall students participate in Locked Shields international cyber exercise – Marshall University News