YPSILANTI ? The Michigan Cyber Range, announced in October 2011 by Gov. Rick Snyder, has selected Eastern Michigan University as the site for its first “cyber firing range” where cyber security professionals can detect, prevent and thwart cyber-attacks in a real-world setting ? the first of its kind in the nation.
Merit Network is collaborating with Eastern Michigan University to establish the initial site6 for the Michigan Cyber Range. Racks of equipment, located in the University’s data center, will provide the computing power to the Range’s cyber security educational, training, and testing programs. A second site under consideration is outside Battle Creek at the Michigan Army National Guard training facility more commonly called Fort Custer.
Merit Network with the support from the National Science Foundation and working with MCI and IBM led the NSFNET project, the direct precursor to the commercial Internet of today.
The State of Michigan strongly supports this effort in part due to the economic development implications. Cyber-attacks on Michigan could have dire consequences for the region and the nation. Developing world-class cyber-defenders will not only help Michigan, but help the nation continue to thrive and protect its economy in an era of growing cyber-threats and cyber-terrorism.
Dan Lohrmann, Michigan chief information security officer, said the range will simulate the Internet, but not connect to the Internet.
?We need a place to test and train cyber security professionals,? Lohrmann said. ?We can run red-team, blue-team, white-team hacking exercises. We can simulate malware attacks. We can bring in vendor products to evaluate them. Private industry also will have a place to learn cyber defense strategies. It really is a win, win for everyone, including Michigan.?
EMU’s position as a National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence made it a natural choice for the Range’s first site, where it will be used in the University’s Information Assurance program as well as state and regional cyber security courses taught by Merit.
“Merit Network is excited to partner with Eastern Michigan University on this significant project. Cyber security is increasingly important in today’s information age, and we are proud to play a role in supporting its development,? said Merit Network CEO Donald Welch. ?Our work together with Eastern Michigan University will enrich curriculum and deliver in-demand skills that will retain and create jobs in Michigan.?
Information assurance (IA) is the practice of assuring quality of information and managing risks related to the use, processing, storage and transmission of information or data. It’s a relatively new field that has developed from information and computer security.
EMU’s goal is to promote higher education and research in information assurance, and produce a growing number of professionals with expertise to reduce vulnerability in the nation’s information infrastructure.
The threat to digital information changes daily in terms of the number and sophistication, says Gerald Lawver, director of Eastern Michigan University’s information assurance program.
“Never before in the history of our country has so much of our personal information been available on the Internet, in data bases, banking or our medical records,” Lawver says. “It’s critical that our coursework meets the requirements mandated by the Federal Government for workers who handle sensitive information. We also have a responsibility for network security and securing the critical infrastructure of our country.”
