CYDEST: CYber DEfense Simulation Trainer

The number and sophistication of cyber attacks on our nation’s computing resources has been increasing at an alarming rate. At stake are the compromise and loss of critical data and computational resources in the commercial, military, government, and academic sectors. Advanced training tools for computer network defense (CND) personnel have become a top priority, and the proven effectiveness of simulation training in other domains makes it a natural teaching tool in the area of information assurance. ATC-NY is building CYDEST, a simulator designed to provide students with a realistic and dynamic training experience and to give trainers a flexible instruction platform allowing them to teach at any level. With a modular design, CYDEST provides an extensible framework for simulating attacks of an arbitrary degree of complexity from both external and internal threats. CYDEST incorporates a number of innovations, including (1) an automated student evaluation facility, (2) simulation of live host-based forensics as well as packet-level network activity, (3) a realistic and unrestricted training interface, and (4) remote accessibility to both students and instructors.