Idaho National Guard Expands Cyber Discovery in 2026, Deepening State Defense Partnerships

BOISE, Idaho — Cyber threats do not announce themselves. They probe quietly, exploit silently and move fast. For the Idaho National Guard, preparing for that reality means training the same way in live environments, against real vulnerabilities, with no margin for error.

Soldiers received the opportunity to do just that during Cyber Discovery 2026, training alongside fellow Guardsmen, civilian partners and the State of Idaho Office of Information Technology Services in early June. Cyber Discovery was built around a clear operational reality: if the Idaho National Guard is ever activated for a cybersecurity incident, the Office of Information Technology Services and civilian partners will respond alongside them. With that in mind, the agencies train together throughout the year, sharpening skills, mapping environments and building interoperability in preparation for an activation they hope never comes.

“Cyber Discovery continues to build tangible operational readiness for the State of Idaho," said Jerred Edgar, chief information security & operations officer, State of Idaho Office of Information Technology Services. "Over the past year, the exercise expanded significantly as our partner organizations grew from 10 to 20, and participation increased from 94 to 135, with greater involvement from counties, cities, and private‑sector partners. We also added a physical security component and successfully tested remote participation to broaden access statewide."

The exercise drew military teams from the Idaho Army National Guard, South Dakota Army National Guard and Alaska Air National Guard. During the exercise, a red team takes on the role of a foreign adversary launching a coordinated cyber-attack. A blue team works to detect the intrusion and mount an effective response not in a simulated environment, but on real networks with real consequences on the line.

"This year, we demonstrated that Idaho can rapidly surge its cyber defense capacity, effectively increasing our team by nearly tenfold during the exercise and completing the equivalent of six weeks of work in just a few days," Edgar said. "That’s the level of capability we need during statewide cyber incidents."

The exercise also serves as a validation platform for the state's Operation Cyber Idaho, a statewide initiative designed to grow cyber talent from within Idaho. Students, apprentices and partners working through the program use Cyber Discovery as a proving ground a chance to demonstrate real-world capability in a live environment.

For service members with an interest in IT and cybersecurity, Operation Cyber Idaho offers a direct pathway into that work. The program is built to develop the next generation of cyber defenders across every level of government: state, county, city and tribal.

The final day of the exercise brought the work into sharp focus. Distinguished visitors, including Maj. Gen. Timothy J. Donnellan, adjutant general of Idaho and commanding general of the Idaho National Guard, and Idaho Attorney General Raul Labrador, gathered at the Chinden Campus to hear a full briefing on what the cyber team uncovered during their penetration testing. The presentation underscored what makes Cyber Discovery unique the findings are not theoretical. They reflect actual vulnerabilities identified in systems that Idaho's government and institutions rely on every day.

Cyber Discovery is conducted as an Innovative Readiness Training mission. IRT missions build servicemen readiness while conducting training that benefits local communities.

"Our ongoing collaboration with the Idaho National Guard remains central to that readiness," said Edgar. "Their operational expertise and mission‑focused mindset strengthen our response capabilities and ensure the state is better prepared to address emerging cyber threats."