Guam Homeland Security Conducted Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise Black Hydra

Agana Heights, Guam – The Office of Guam Homeland Security and the Office of Civil Defense (OHS-OCD), in a joint effort with Joint Task Force-Micronesia (JTF-M), conducted Exercise Black Hydra today, a discussion-based cybersecurity tabletop exercise held at the OHS-OCD Initial Operating Facility (IOF) in Agana Heights on February 10, 2026.

Exercise Black Hydra strengthened Guam’s readiness to prevent, respond to, and recover from complex cybersecurity incidents that could impact government operations and critical infrastructure. The exercise brought together key territorial, federal, and military partners to examine coordinated response strategies in a simulated cyber-attack scenario targeting government systems.

“This exercise reinforced the importance of preparedness and coordination in addressing evolving cyber threats,” said Esther Aguigui, Homeland Security Advisor. “Cyber incidents have the potential to disrupt essential services. Exercises like Black Hydra allow us to identify gaps, improve communication, and enhance our collective ability to respond effectively.”

The exercise focused on the full spectrum of cybersecurity incident management, including prevention, protection, mitigation, response, and recovery. Participants evaluated core capabilities such as threat intelligence and analysis, risk management, incident response, business continuity, interoperability, and public information and crisis communication.

Participating organizations included representatives from Government of Guam agencies including but not limited to the Guam Police Department, Guam Fire Department, Department of Public Health and Social Services, Guam Memorial Hospital Authority, Guam International Airport Authority, Port Authority of Guam, and the Guam Office of Technology, along with the Mariana Regional Fusion Center, Guam National Guard, Joint Region Marianas, Joint Task Force–Micronesia cybersecurity teams and federal partners including the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

During the tabletop exercise, participants worked through a simulated cyber incident involving unauthorized access to critical systems. The scenario required interagency coordination, strategic decision-making, and the development of effective public communication strategies. The exercise concluded with a structured debrief allowing participants to identify strengths, gaps, and areas for improvement to inform future planning and training efforts.

Exercise Black Hydra is one of three planned tabletop exercises and was part of OHS-OCD’s ongoing commitment to safeguarding the island’s cyber environment and ensuring the continuity of government operations in the face of emerging technological threats.

For more information, contact Public Information Officer Jenna Blas at (671) 475-9600 or via email at jenna.g.blas@ghs.guam.gov.

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