A cyber range is a platform that provides hands-on cybersecurity practice to teams of professionals. The range simulates the worst possible attacks on IT infrastructure, networks, software platforms and applications. The range also contains learning management components (A “Learning Management System,” or LMS). An LMS enables both instructors and students to make measured progress through a defined training program. The LMS may also connect with what is known as an “orchestration layer” that connects specific parts of the curriculum with the underlying IT assets that comprise the range. The range’s underlying infrastructure might include a network, storage, compute (servers) as well as switches, routers, firewalls and so forth. In some cases, the range is built using an open source platform like OpenStack. A virtualization layer helps reduce the range’s physical footprint. Some ranges are partly or fully cloud based. The range’s “target infrastructure” simulates the actual digital assets that might be subject to a cyberattack. Beyond training, cyber ranges are useful for people and organizations that wish to experiment with new cyber defense technologies. They can use the range as a safe place to solve complex cyber problems. They can test new ideas and see how teams interact with emerging cybersecurity solutions. The cybersecurity threat landscape never sleeps. Attacks can come at any time, and their nature may change at a moment’s notice. Highly trained threat actors are constantly evolving, testing, innovating, and developing new tools. No one is immune, from government organizations to the smallest family-owned business.

Cybersecurity is becoming more challenging and serious. Organizations, from corporations to state governments, are struggling to find and train the personnel who will enable a robust cyber defense. Some cyber ranges are created to test commercial products, such as servers, against malicious actors. That’s the job of the IBM X-Force Co.