The creation of a cybersecurity range (wargame arena) in Slovakia is of utmost importance as it provides a platform for IT security professionals to test their skills and techniques in a safe and controlled environment. Slovakia’s essential services sector has already had first round of security audits and word is out, that the security level is not adequate. This is true also for Slovakia’s large industry sector. That is a reason why this project includes IoT, industrial control systems, RFIDs (and of course ubiquitous bar codes) and home automation.
Investing in the creation of a cybersecurity range (wargame arena) in Slovakia will not only benefit the local industry but will also contribute to improved cybersecurity innovation and education in the country.
Special interest of the project are students and schools, because one of the root problems of inadequate IT security is lack of experts, which begins at schools. The solution will try to involve students in following ways:
- Providing in-person and on-demand cyber exercises on the platform for schools to spark student interest.
- Foster this interest by creating annual competition for high schools that schools can enter.
- Real-world examples: We will provide students/trainees with examples of real-world cybersecurity threats and incidents, and discuss the impact that these events have had on individuals, organizations, and society as a whole. Students will have to prepare simple (appropriate for their age) defenses for these threats in the Wargame arena.
- Interactive defensive and social engineering lessons: the students will have to defend simple infrastructure against ongoing attack (malware, phishing attack, etc.) Connecting security theory with hands-on protection activity scenarios: apply what the students have learned in a practical way. Scenarios will be having students work on projects that involve securing a network, creating a security plan for a simulated company, or patching an exploit under active attack that they have just received intelligence on.
- Guest speakers: in case of in-person model we will bring cybersecurity professionals to present the Wargame arena to students and guide them through these exercises (we will record these and package them for the on-demand sessions). They will speak to the class about their experiences and careers. This can help students understand the different paths they can take within the field, and what skills and knowledge they need to succeed.
- We will pay special attention to bring more gender diversity to the cyber security field via trying to specifically involve girls.
In addition to what will be provided to students we will also educate & train security professionals via following means:
- Create a development program for experts that will bring their security practice from beginner to pro level
- Create custom scenarios for each sector with emphasis on both new technologies such as IoT but also on old SCADA systems (by emulating them with PLC controllers) – this is very important for Slovakia’s large industrial base
- Scenarios and feedback sessions will also focus on teamwork
- Involve roles, that are not pure security, e.g. management and PR
- Create a community around the arena that will be involved in scenario suggestions, be a school ambassador/guest speaker and word-of-mouth referrers
