VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. – Once a year, the National Guard invites cybersecurity professionals worldwide to attend a cumulative event known as Cyber Shield, where they can compete, learn and challenge their skill sets.
Cyber Shield is the longest-running and largest Department of Defense cyber exercise. For this year’s exercise, the Department of Defense National Guard Bureau’s State Partnership Program (SPP) welcomed 15 countries to work alongside 38 U.S. states and territories.
Cyber Shield 2025 hosted a variety of competitions, brain teasers, informative classes and realistic exercises that allowed cyber professionals from around the globe to expand their knowledge and share their expertise.
Norway, one of the newest countries to join the SPP, attended this year. Despite its fresh partnership with Minnesota, Norway quickly became a trailblazer and crushed the cyber competition.
Norway was among the various international teams that raced to decode its way to the finish line in the annual capture the flag event. During the game, there was a pinnacle moment when the Norway team members realized their coding expertise had led them to uncover physical grid coordinates. With Brazil hot on their heels, the Norway team members secured the victory by locating and capturing an American flag.
“I think this is a very good arena to gamify cybersecurity expertise,” said Norway Chief Petty Officer Simen Voll, assigned to Norway’s Security Operations Center.
In addition to these coding competitions, participants received real-world training and exercises to prepare them for addressing real-world cyber threats.
“In this world, there are advanced persistent threats,” said Poland 2nd Lt. Pawel Borowski, assigned to the Poland Cyber Detachment. “So, the key here is sharing knowledge between each other so that we will be better prepared for our adversaries.”
Because of the global and detrimental nature that cyber threats have posed in today’s world, international collaboration has become more pertinent than ever.
“Cyber is a global problem, and we are all fighting the same cyber battle,” said Pennsylvania N.G. Lt. Col. Cristine Pierce, the Cyber Shield deputy director. “So why not come together and unify with our international partners to combat a threat that we are all facing?”
Cyber Shield’s expanding global participation has demonstrated how international partnerships will continue to be the best defense against an enemy who has no borders.
“It’s important to show that we are united, capable of working with each other and capable of learning from each other,” said Czech Republic Army 2nd Lt. Edita Bozkova, a network analyst.
Although the Norwegians have proven to be fierce competitors, Voll said they won something far more valuable than a trophy.
“The biggest win for us is being able to strengthen the cooperation between our nations,” Voll said.