Security News > 2020 > June > US Cybercom Virtual War Game Girds Against Increased Threats
John Mauger of U.S. Cyber Command came a day after Defense Department officials briefed reporters on virtual war games that digital combatants from U.S. and allied militaries have been holding to sharpen their abilities to counter online threats with real-world impact.
On Wednesday, Cybercom offered reporters a window into what it described as its largest virtual training exercise to date - in this case, a simulated attack on an airfield's control systems and fuel depots.
The June 15-26 exercise is unique because the pandemic forced it entirely online, in nine different time zones, bringing together 17 different "Blue teams" to defend against one "Red team" of attackers - more than 500 participants in all.
Cybercom accelerated development of the virtual training environment to better analyze ways to protect threats to critical infrastructure, including in energy and transportation systems.
Officials said the virtual environment can also be used to test cyber soldiers' abilities to identify new strains of malware.