George Mason University is joining forces with Virginia Tech and other Virginia public universities to train the workforce needed to keep data and systems safe from cyber threats.
The Virginia Cyber Range will provide advanced cybersecurity training exercises for high-school and college students, and revolutionize cybersecurity education within the commonwealth, positioning Virginia to become a leading source of critical cybersecurity expertise for the nation.
“Cyber security is a key driver for the New Virginia Economy, and we must ensure that Virginia has a pipeline of industry-ready cyber talent if we are going to be competitive,” Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe said Thursday, speaking at the Virginia Cyber Physical Systems Summit in Newport News, Va. “The Virginia Cyber Range provides a cutting-edge environment where students can hone their cyber skills.”
Mason is a top-tier research university with a strong focus in cybersecurity that stretches from engineering to policy.
Started last year, Mason’s bachelor of science degree in cybersecurity engineering is the first of its kind in the nation, said Peggy Brouse, director of cybersecurity engineering in the Volgenau School of Engineering. Classes developed at Mason especially for this program include System Security and Resilience, Cyber Vulnerability Lab, Power Systems and Smart Grid, Mobile Devices and Network Security, GPS Security, and Human Factors and Cyber Security Engineering."
In addition, Mason is developing a cyber physical lab with National Security Agency grant, Brouse said. “I believe there is synergy between the state's needs and the lab,” she added.
Brouse and Mason engineering professor Jim Jones are part of the Cyber Range’s executive committee.
The Cyber Range will largely operate as a virtual center. Offerings will be crafted and hosted in the “cloud,” where they can be accessed by participating schools and agencies. This approach will allow for easy customization, scalability, and responsiveness, while minimizing costs. The Cyber Range will support a limited number of classes beginning in January 2017.
The Virginia Cyber Range brings together faculty from Mason, James Madison University, Longwood University, Norfolk State University, Virginia Tech, and Radford University, as well as faculty from Lord Fairfax Community College, Northern Virginia Community College, and Tidewater Community College. Virginia Tech is leading the effort. These institutions were selected based on their federal designation as centers of academic excellence in cybersecurity or digital forensics.