FBI Built a Fake Town to Train for Cyberattacks
▼ Summary
– The FBI opened a Cyber Range in Huntsville, Alabama, last year to simulate cyberattacks for training.
– The facility is a 22,000-square-foot replica of a town, including a convenience store, gas station, and hospital.
– It is used to recreate real-world scenarios for training and research, with buildings connected as in a real town.
– The range contains a small data center with over 200 servers that can be hacked and infected with malware.
– The Cyber Range is described as a modern digital crime training version of the FBI’s famous Hogan’s Alley.
Last year, the FBI launched a Cyber Range in Huntsville, Alabama, designed to simulate realistic cyberattacks. Think of it as a modern, digital-age version of the bureau’s famous Hogan’s Alley, but instead of physical shootouts, agents train to stop network intrusions and malware. This sprawling 22,000-square-foot facility is a painstaking replica of an entire town, featuring a convenience store, gas station, hospital, and even fully furnished homes.
The space functions as a hyper-realistic training ground where the bureau can recreate complex, real-world scenarios for both education and research. Every building and system is wired just like its real-life counterpart. A small data center houses over 200 servers, all of which can be hacked, infected with ransomware, and subjected to the same digital chaos agents would face in the field. This allows teams to practice containment, forensics, and response in a controlled but authentic environment.
(Source: The Verge)
