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PASADENA, CA (April 10, 2017)<\/strong> \u2013 Parsons\u2014a technology-driven engineering services firm with expertise in physical and cybersecurity, intelligence, infrastructure and environment, and logistics and training\u2014is pleased to announce a 5-day (April 10 \u2013 14) information assurance (IA) exercise at its cyber center in Columbia, MD. The event is designed to help train participants from military institutions in secure network operations. This hands-on, realistic, team-oriented event, formally called the Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX), is run by the NSA’s Information Assurance Capabilities organization as part of its commitment to raise awareness among the military\u2019s future leaders about IA challenges and the inherent vulnerabilities of a net-centric world.<\/p>\n \u201cAs cyber attacks become increasingly more complex, these competitions provide the next generation of cyber professionals with vital training. Parsons is proud to lend our expertise to this important mission, and we\u2019re again excited to host NSA\u2019s annual Cyber Defense Exercise,\u201d stated Carey Smith, Parsons Group President.<\/p>\n CDX is the nation\u2019s premier cybersecurity challenge, bringing together more than 100 participants from military institutions. During the exercise, network specialists tasked with securing the U.S. government\u2019s most sensitive communication systems will challenge teams from military institutions in their ability to defend computer networks the participants have designed, built, and configured at their respective locations. The entire CDX is conducted on a virtual private network, providing a safe platform for the exercise while preventing interference with real-world networks. A separate group of specialists will grade each team\u2019s ability to effectively maintain network services while detecting, responding to, and recovering from network security intrusions or compromises. The exercise will also give participants an opportunity to handle a rover as well as an unmanned aerial vehicle. The winning team will be announced on Friday, April 14, at 12 p.m.<\/p>\n In addition to hosting CDX for the fourth year in a row, Parsons is also providing technical support for CDX preparation and execution. Parsons currently serves a broad range of national security customers\u2014including NSA and other key defense and intelligence agencies\u2014in mission-critical technical support, training, and program management. The corporation serves the state and local government and commercial cybersecurity markets, with a focus on protecting critical infrastructure. Parsons is committed to developing innovative solutions to address the evolving cyber threat faced by energy producers, transportation infrastructure entities, telecommunications companies, and government agencies.<\/p>\n