Performance Enhancement of Cyber Range through HPC: Issues and Challenges

Cyber Ranges (CRs) serve as on-premise and virtual environments designed for cybersecurity training, testing, and research. By integrating High Performance Computing (HPC), these environments gain the power to enable large-scale simulations, and real-time analysis. HPC enhances CRs’ productivity by providing scalability, integrity, performance availability, and allowing the simulation of complex attacks and defense scenarios in real time. This study examines the benefits of HPC in CRs, including high-fidelity simulations for critical infrastructure, and real-time response training. It outlines the architecture of HPC-integrated CRs, focusing on the learning management, orchestration, and virtualization layers. We also discuss applications of these enhanced ranges in professional training, academic research, and corporate cybersecurity, as well as challenges such as cost and scalability versus security trade-offs. Finally, we explore future directions, including hybrid systems, quantum computing, and AI/ML integration, highlighting how these advancements will further enhance the effectiveness and scalability of CRs.