On Monday, August 2, 2021, Virginia Military Institute (VMI) hosted the first Senior Military College (SMC) Cyber Fusion Challenge. The Cyber Fusion Challenge is the first in a series of events at the SMC’s in the coming years as part of the joint DoD Cybersecurity Leadership Development Program. VMI sponsored a decision-based cybersecurity exercise utilizing the DECIDE® platform, prepared and delivered with Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI). The exercise exposed exercise players to the following:
- Executive-level decision making and processes during a cyber incident.
- Familiarization with executive-level processes and practices necessary to prepare and release a public message during a cyber incident.
- Problem-solving in a joint environment as members of the executive board and collaboration with external entities such as law enforcement or business partners.
Players realized the full potential DECIDE® with key features of the platform utilized during the event.
Players experienced firsthand how DECIDE® simulates cyber-attacks for organizations stressing and testing incident response plans that resulted in after-action reports improving strategic communication, compliance, risk, public relations.
Additionally, NUARI’s DECIDE® Platform empowered players, allowing them to conduct a collaborative, fully immersive, scenario-based exercise where the actions and decisions of players determined the storyline outcome. The exercise was designed to increase understanding of the systemic ramifications of actions and decisions, improving organizational communication during high-stress events.