AUGUSTA, Ga. (WFXG) - CYBER THREATS ARE VERY REAL AND THE NUMBER OF ATTACKS ARE CONSTANTLY INCREASING, which is WHY THE Georgia CYBER CENTER AND OTHER STATE AGENCIES ARE COMING TOGETHER TO COMPETE WITH ONE ANOTHER AND HONE THEIR DEFENSE SKILLS, IN A CONTROLLED ENVIRONMENT.  as tHE gEORGIA CYBER CENTER WRAPs UP ITS 4th ANNUAL cyber dawg training, they are participating in what they call “LIVE FIRE” CYBER EXERCISES.

CYBER RANGE ENGINEER, JONATHAN RACE, DESIGNED THE ENVIROnMENTS THEY ARE LOGGING ON TO. “IT’S A GREAT OPPORTUNITY, IT’S UNIQUE BECAUSE YOU’RE PROVIDED REALLY JUST A SANDBOX ENVIRONMENT, IF THEY WANT TO INSTALL TOOLS, IF THEY WANT TO DO SOMETHING OUT OF THE ORDINARY OR SOMETHING WHERE THEY WOULD NORMALLY BE RESTRICTED," says Race. "WE DON’T PUT ANY LIMITATIONS ON WHAT THEY CAN DO IN THEIR ENVIRONMENT.”

HE SAYS IT PROVIDES A TRIAL AND ERROR RUN FOR PARTICIPANTS. USING A MILITARY-STYLE TRAINING STRATEGY, it gives TEAMS THE ABILITY TO PRACTICE TEAM WORK AND COLLABORATION. "IT PROVIDES, NOT ONLY THE STRUCTURE AND TOOLS THAT YOU CAN USE BUT YOU KNOW, THEY CAN THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND THINK OF NEW AND BETTER WAYS TO DO SOMETHING THAT MAYBE THEY’VE BEEN STRUGGLING WITH FIGURING OUT.”

THE 12 STATE AGENCIES IN ATTENDANCE, ACT AS CYBER DEFENDERS UP AGAINST A THREAT ACTOR IN A MOCK CYBER ATTACK. A KEY FEATURE, THE GRAY SPACE CALLED “FAKE INTERNET,” WHICH ALLOWS FOR REAL-WORLD INTERNET PROTOCOL THAT THEY USE DAILY WITHIN THEIR INDUSTRIES. SOMETHING THESE TEAMS CAN’T GET IN THE BUSINESS OR GOVERNMENT WORLD. THE most ideal part, IT’S OK FOR PARTICIPANTS TO FAIL.

IN 2020, THE CULMINATING EVENT WON AN INNOVATION AWARD.

“WE HAVE A GREAT PARTNER WITH THE CYBER CENTER DOWN HERE." "it's DEFINITELY A UNIQUE SITUATION WHERE WE HAVE PRIVATE SECTOR, FEDERAL EDUCATION AND STATE GOVERNMENT COMING TOGETHER, IN ONE PLACE JUST TO HAVE A WHOLE GOVERNMENT CYBER APPROACH AND TO BETTER DEFEND OUR NETWORKS THAT DELIVER SERVICES TO CITIZENS OF GEORGIA,” says CHIEF INFORMATION SECURITY OFFICER, david allen. allen who works for the Georgia technical authority SAYS THE AIM IS TO GROW THE EVENT both REGIONALLY AND NATIONALLY IN THE FUTURE.

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