Earlier this month, I had the unique opportunity to observe the National Guard conduct its cybersecurity exercises at Cyber Shield 21. This is perhaps the largest training effort of its kind, with more than 800 people across the U.S. taking part. It uses a series of real-world threats to train its “cyber warriors”. For the first time, the Guard took advantage of a virtual cyber range that the Department of Defense developed with more than a dozen contractors. It was an interesting experience, and it busted a few of my long-held myths about our military and demonstrated the value of public-private partnerships.  It was inspiring to see so many dedicated men and women who are willing to give so much time to support this effort, year after year.

You can read my full report for Avast’s blog here.