CyberCIEGE - Center for Cybersecurity and Cyber Operations
CyberCIEGE
Can you keep the network alive?
CyberCIEGE
an innovative video game and tool to teach computer and network security concepts
CyberCIEGE enhances information assurance and cyber security education and training through the use of computer gaming techniques such as those employed in SimCity™. In the CyberCIEGE virtual world, users spend virtual money to operate and defend their networks, and can watch the consequences of their choices, while under attack.
Cyber Security Simulation
In its interactive environment, CyberCIEGE covers significant aspects of computer and network security and defense. Players of this video game purchase and configure workstations, servers, operating systems, applications, and network devices. They make trade offs as they struggle to maintain a balance between budget, productivity, and security. In its longer scenarios, users advance through a series of stages and must protect increasingly valuable corporate assets against escalating attacks.
CyberCIEGE includes configurable firewalls, VPNs, link encryptors and access control mechanisms. It includes identity management components such as biometric scanners and authentication servers. Attack types include corrupt insiders, trap doors, Trojan horses, viruses, denial of service, and exploitation of weakly configured systems. Attacker motives to compromise assets differ by asset and scenario, thereby supporting scenarios ranging from e-mail attachment awareness to cyber warfare.
Active Learning with CyberCIEGE
This paper describes the game for educators and trainers who may want to incorporate the game into their courses. Also see our notional syllabus. Instructors can track student progress as described in this FAQ entry. The effectiveness of CyberCIEGE has been demonstrated in several studies.
Development and Availability
Development of CyberCIEGE was sponsored by the US Navy, the Naval Education and Training Command, the Office of Naval Research, the Biometrics Task Force, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, and the National Science Foundation. Numerous NPS students have participated in tool and scenario development.
CyberCIEGE is available at no cost to agencies of the US Government by contacting cyberciege@nps.edu. Educational licenses are available at not cost to educational institutions. Contact cyberciege@nps.edu. If you are a student, ask your teacher to request the game. A free evaluation version of CyberCIEGE is available here. The evaluation version has limited capabilities, e.g., you cannot save games.
You can customize and create your own scenarios using the Scenario Development Kit. A detailed guide on creating scenarios is here.
Questions? Visit our FAQ, or write to cyberciege@nps.edu
Looking for more cybersecurity education resources? Check out Labtainers cyber exercises for Linux environments.
What is CyberCIEGE? View videos:
Students say:
"Great training"
"Fun lab and very informative"
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