A Containerized IoT Simulation Environment for Network Warfare Training

Amidst the growing prevalence of Internet of Things (IoT) devices and the expanding risks to enterprise networks, there is a sustained increase in the demand for controlled penetration testing to delineate attack surfaces and uncover vulnerabilities within business operations. While the market offers a plethora of cybersecurity companies providing third-party penetration testing services, these services are often prohibitively expensive and fail to ensure data security. In response, we propose a lightweight environment emulation platform based on containerization, which abstractly simulates various IoT devices and environments from real-world settings, enabling the creation of controllable virtual environments that closely mimic actual business operations.The constructed virtual environment not only permits users to conduct attack simulations but also allows for the simultaneous inclusion of defensive strategies, thereby simulating a comprehensive set of attacker-defender scenarios. This significantly enhances the diversity and complexity of training exercises. This approach satisfies the requirements for data security and controllability, thereby strengthening the enterprise’s ability to both defend against and respond to cyber threats.