Generating training events for building cyber-physical security skills

Abstract As the threat of cyber attacks increases, the cyber security sector continues to train professionals as one form of mitigation. Gamification and infrastructure like cyber ranges (CRs) have been proven useful in training cyber security specialists to detect and react to cyber-attacks in information technology. However, a subset of all digital threats target cyber-physical systems (CPS), not just information systems, and these threats have been growing rapidly in recent years. While those threats are increasing, training specific to cyber-physical threats is not growing as quickly as information technology training solutions. While CRs are useful for training and supporting events like cyber defence exercises and capture the flags events, limitations to CRs make it more difficult to make an immersive event for cyber-physical training. This paper demonstrates how to devise a cyber-physical training environment using a combination of CRs and CPS testbeds,and how to devise an accompanying immersive scenario to improve cyber-physical security skills through cooperative learning. To do this, an example training was created and implemented. This paper concludes with the results of running this event four times.