CYDEST: CYber DEfense Simulation Trainer

As the level of conflict increases in the new battlefield of our nation's infosphere, the demand for better training of cyber security professionals is critical. In response, a small number of efforts have attempted to provide network defense training simulators to prepare students for real-world conditions. Most of these early efforts have fallen short of the mark, generally by oversimplifying their simulations and thereby providing only a basic level of instruction. ATC-NY envisions a modular cyber defense simulation framework that will allow for a level of detail previously only achievable using real networks. We will use this framework to create CYber DEfense Simulation Trainer (CYDEST), a training simulator designed to provide students with a realistic and dynamic training experience and to give trainers a flexible instruction platform that allows them to teach at any level. CYDEST will incorporate a number of innovations, including (1) an automated evaluation facility, (2) simulation of hosts as well as the network itself, (3) a realistic and unrestricted training interface, and (4) remote accessibility to students.