Alice Fakir emphasized the broader implications of cyber threats beyond financial impact

IBM has inaugurated a cyber range in Washington, D.C., dedicated to providing tailored training exercises aimed at assisting U.S. federal agencies and critical infrastructure entities in responding to cyber threats, including those posed by artificial intelligence. At the IBM X-Force Cyber Range, participants from various agencies and organizations will be guided through breach scenarios by facilitators. These exercises will help them navigate challenges such as resource constraints, breakdowns in communication, and compliance with incident reporting requirements, including those set forth by the Securities and Exchange Commission. The facility will offer immersive simulations like Cyber Wargame, crisis response scenarios, and exercises designed to familiarize participants with the tools commonly used by hackers in modern cyberattacks.

Alice Fakir, partner and cybersecurity services lead for the U.S. federal market at IBM Consulting, emphasized the broader implications of cyber threats beyond financial impact. She highlighted the potential of the cyber response training provided by the new cyber range to enhance the defense capabilities of federal agencies and other organizations against evolving threats and to facilitate compliance with federal mandates, such as those outlined in the cybersecurity executive order issued by the Biden administration. IBM's cyber range plans to conduct two complimentary cyber response training sessions for selected critical infrastructure providers, with the first scheduled for spring 2024 and the second later in the year.