8:45 a.m. OHS-OCD Kicks Off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with Malware Prevention Training

The Office of Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense (OHS-OCD), in collaboration with the University of Arkansas System, successfully hosted a 32-hour, instructor-led Malware Prevention, Discovery, and Recovery (MPDR) course from October 6–9, 2025, at the OHS-OCD facility in Agana Heights.

This timely and impactful training marked the official start of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, reinforcing Guam’s ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity resilience across sectors.

Participants included a diverse group of IT professionals and technical personnel from the local government and private sector, including representatives from critical infrastructure agencies such as the Guam Power Authority (GPA), Guam Memorial Hospital (GMH), University of Guam (UOG), and the Guam Community College (GCC).

This intermediate-level, hands-on course equipped attendees with skills essential for modern cybersecurity defense. The training focused on:

Preventative methods and technologies for malware defense
Techniques to detect, intercede, and recover from cyberattacks
Tools to safely identify, classify, and analyze malware
Dynamic analysis methods for suspected threats
Developing actionable post-incident reports

OHS-OCD continues to prioritize cybersecurity as a critical component of Guam’s overall preparedness and response efforts. The successful delivery of this training underscores the importance of cross-sector collaboration and federal support in building a more secure and resilient island community.

For media inquiries, contact Public Information Officer, Jenna Blas at (671) 478-0208 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

X Flooding is a temporary overflowing of water onto land that is normally dry. Flooding may happen with only a few inches of water, or it may cover a house to the rooftop. There are many possible causes of floods including heavy rain, coastal storms and storm surge, waterway overflow from being blocked with debris, or overflow of levees, dams, or waste water systems. Flooding can occur slowly over many days or happen very quickly with little or no warning, called flash floods.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/floods

Wildfire

Regularly clean the roof and gutters.
Maintain an area approximately 30’ away from you home that is free of anything that will burn, such as wood piles, dried leaves, newspapers and other brush.
Connect garden hoses long enough to reach any area of the home and fill garbage cans, tubs, or other large containers with water.
Review your homeowner's insurance policy and also prepare/update a list of your home's contents.

Fire Weather

Turn on your TV/radio. You’ll get the latest weather updates and emergency instructions.
Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the route to take and have plan of where you will go. Check-in with your friends and family.
Keep your car fueled, in good condition, and stocked with emergency supplies and a change of clothes.

Drought

Conserve water

Take shorter showers.

Turn off the water while brushing your teeth or shaving.
Run the washer less frequently and only when you have a full load.
Water your lawn less frequently and do so when the temperature is cooler in the early morning or late evening.
When you run the tap to heat or cool water, keep a pitcher to store the water and use it to water plants.
Avoid washing your car.

Practice fire prevention

Don't set off fireworks when conditions are dry.
Deposit cigarette butts in the proper receptacle to avoid starting a
Pour water over camp fires and backyard fire pits to ensure they are completely out before leaving them unattended.

Follow directions from local officials. If there are restrictions on water usage, be sure to heed them.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/wildfires and https://www.ready.gov/drought

X
Typhoons/Hurricanes are massive storm systems that form over the water and move toward land. Threats from typhoons/hurricanes include high winds, heavy rainfall, storm surge, coastal and inland flooding, and rip currents.

“Hurricanes” form in the Atlantic Northeast Pacific region and “Typhoons” form in the Northwest Pacific Region. These large storms are call cyclones in other parts of the world.

To learn more, visit https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes.