Government Cyber Exercise to Combat Rising AI Cyber Attacks

• •Federal agencies will participate in a tabletop exercise focusing on AI cyber attack resilience.
• •AI-enabled cyber attacks increased by 89% in 2025, with a continuing upward trend in 2026.
• •The CISO Council is enhancing its AI governance framework to improve decision-making and security.

In response to a significant increase in AI-enabled cyber attacks, the Federal Chief Information Security Officer’s Council is organizing a governmentwide tabletop exercise in early November 2026. The exercise aims to enhance the resilience and response capabilities of federal agencies against these evolving threats. Reports indicate that AI-driven cyber attacks surged by 89% in 2025 compared to the previous year, with ongoing increases noted in 2026. The exercise will focus on improving incident response strategies across agencies, emphasizing collaboration among security operations centers. The CISO Council is also revitalizing its AI working group to address governance frameworks for AI systems. This initiative reflects a broader commitment by the Trump administration to bolster defenses against AI-related threats while exploring the use of AI for cybersecurity enhancements.