Feb. 24, 2009 -- Just as foot soldiers need to practice their skills before heading into combat, America's cyber warriors need space in the virtual world to hone their skills as well. That place will be the National Cyber Range, a virtual proving ground to simulate battles and develop virtual weapons to fight our nation's enemies. As part of that effort, Johns' Hopkins University and defense contractor Northrop-Grumman were both recently awarded multi-million-dollar contracts to help build the National Cyber Range (NCR) with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency. "I think this is a fantastic idea," said Ed Adams of Security Innovation, a company which until last year worked with the Department of Defense on cyber security issues. "DARPA is in the business of security. They have built what they think are good cyber defenses, and [the NCR] will let them put it into production." Related Content:
The NCR is not the military's first sortie into the world of cyber security. The NCR is merely a formalization of the cyber war games the military has been conducting during the past couple of decades. Like a traditional battle with tanks, bullets and boots, one team is designed to defend a position, while another tries to take it. "Think of it like the board game Risk," said Adams. "Instead of having little squares sitting on top of Brazil, you have virtual avatars sitting on a piece of data that you are assigned to protect." That information could include anything, from the location of troops on the ground to a piece of computer code. The avatars, actually soldiers sitting in front of computer terminals and armed with a keyboard instead of a carbine, have a variety of weapons and tactics to employ in order to protect and defend. "Low level processor unit attacks are like attacking an individual foot soldier," said Adams. "A denial of service attack would be more like a mortar shelling or blitzkreig." The NCR will let soldiers develop and test a range of weapons, and develop defenses against them. Get More NewsSpiders, Scorpions Among World's Oldest CreaturesMany creepy crawlies have been on Earth much longer than previously believed.Blood-Sucking Vampire Bats Sing DuetsWhite-winged vampire bats "harmonize" with separated roost mates.Oldest Hebrew Writing Possibly FoundAncient inscriptions on a 3,000-year-old pottery shard could make history.Rare, Prehistoric-Age Reptile Found in N.Z.A tuatara has been spotted on the New Zealand mainland for the first time in 200 years.Iceman Has No Living RelativesOetzi, the 5,300 year-old frozen mummy, left no living genetic legacy.SLIDE SHOW: Landscapes of TerrorWhat makes a place feel scary? There are scientific explanations.It's Official: People Are Warming the PolesHumans are conclusively to blame for polar warming, say scientists.Eight-Armed Animal Preceded DinosaursWhat may be one of Earth's first animals was no bigger than a coaster and had eight arms.Phoenicians Live on in People's GenesOne in 17 Mediterranean men may be descended from ancient Phoenicians.Pesticides, Fertilizers Linked to Frog DeclineA pesticide is found to promote parasites among amphibians.Hubble Telescope Taking Photos AgainThe Hubble Space Telescope is once again snapping stunning photos of the universe.Andean Mummy Hairs Show Hallucinogen UseScientists find direct evidence of hallucinogenic drug use among ancient Andeans.Opals on Mars Reveal Planet's Long Wet PastOpals found on Mars suggest the planet has been wet for much longer. |
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