The National Security Agency/Central Security Service (NSA/CSS) Information Assurance Directorate will once again test information assurance professionals from the five U.S. service academies, along with the Air Force Institute of Technology during the 7th Annual Cyber Defense Exercise (CDX) 16-20 April 2007. Teams from the U.S. Air Force Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, U.S. Naval Academy, and West Point. will compete at their respective schools. The headquarters for the exercise will be located at the Lockheed Martin facilities at 7725 Standard Dr., Hanover, Md. 21076.

• Journalists interested in covering the event are invited to attend CDX Media Day, from 8:30 to 10 a.m. on Thurs., 19 April 2007 and must reply to this e-mail or call the NSA Public and Media Affairs Office at (301) 688-6524 by noon, 18 April 2007.
• Media representatives will be given access to interview service-member participants and the spokesperson for the NSA/CSS Information Assurance Directorate, Mr. Tony Sager.
• Cameras are not permitted on the premises, but photographs will be provided to media representatives who attend the CDX.

During the CDX, network specialists tasked with securing the U.S. government’s most sensitive communication systems will challenge Service Academy teams in their ability to defend computer networks* the students have designed, built and configured at their respective schools. A separate group of specialists will grade each team’s ability to effectively maintain network services while detecting, responding to, and recovering from network security intrusions or compromises.

For more information about participating in the 2007 CDX Media Day, contact the NSA/CSS Public and Media Affairs Office. For information about past CDXs and NSA/CSS educational outreach, visit the agency’s website at www.nsa.gov.

*The entire CDX is conducted on virtual private networks, providing a safe path for the exercise while preventing interference with real-world networks.