In this collaborative project, five institutions are developing courseware for teaching computer network security. The courseware comprises an open source software platform for a virtual cyber security laboratory and accompanying lab assignments and is based on prior NSF-funded projects at two of the institutions. The laboratory materials being developed give students hands-on experiences in cyber security courses.
The courseware being developed makes it easy for other institutions to create their own virtual laboratories with very little hardware and requires minimal maintenance and administration cost. The courseware is extensible so others can augment it with specialized modules.
With respect to critical information infrastructure protection, the project results in increased national capacity for education, new entrants to the information security workforce, and increased national research and development capabilities.
