More than 1,100 cybersecurity professionals, including many from the healthcare sector, gathered in Washington on Tuesday for Cyber Storm V, a cybersecurity simulation that rigorously tests their ability to handle debilitating cyberattacks.

The biennial event, mandated by Congress and launched in 2006, builds upon earlier exercises and real world events. The Homeland Security Department runs the weeklong-event hosted by the U.S. Secret Service. Participants face simulated malware attacks and counter them, as a way to test and improve upon their preparedness.

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Participants are tested based on mock attacks (the details of which aren't released as they could tip off participants), said Gregory Touhill, deputy assistant secretary for cybersecurity protection, Homeland Security Department

Officials said the aim isn't necessarily to test the technical skills of participants, but rather human response and coordination.

"We're looking to find the failure points, to raise the bar in every scenario," Touhill said. "Cybersecurity is all about risk. It's not the technology; the technology is going to change."

Representatives from healthcare, Internet service providers, telephone and retail organizations are participating, along with governments from Wyoming, Missouri, Mississippi, Georgia, Maine, Nevada, Oklahoma and Oregon and officials from five countries. Homeland Security Department didn't reveal the nations involved.

The event is becoming increasingly important as the attacks on both the government and private sectors are growing in intensity and frequency, said Suzanne Spaulding, cyberofficial at Homeland Security, in a statement. "The challenge is here and now,” she said.

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"Retail and healthcare have been in the headlines – and, frankly, in the crosshairs for a lot of criminals," Touhill said. From Anthem to UCLA Health Systems, these companies have faced cyberattacks within the last few years that compromised the data of millions of customers.

In previous simulations, officials found areas for improvement. Touhill said and at least two of these areas are still being addressed, including issues with people understanding and following protocols and security personnel effectively share information.

The event will close Friday with a gathering of the main partners to discuss the event and lessons learned.

Twitter: @JessiefDavis