Baltimore’s new Cyber Range is hoping to tackle the 200,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs in this country with cutting-edge, hands-on training.
Earlier this month, Baltimore Cyber Range and Cyberbit, a provider of cybersecurity training and simulation platforms, opened the Baltimore Cyber Range (BCR) cybersecurity training and simulation center. The BCR is powered by the Cyberbit Range platform and will provide simulation training for cybersecurity professionals that focuses on protecting national assets and infrastructure against cyberattacks. The project was initially announced 10 months ago during Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan’s trade mission to Israel.
“I am very pleased to celebrate the opening of Baltimore Cyber Range. With our skilled workforce, world-class academic community, and proximity to the federal government, Maryland has truly become the cyber capital of the world,” said Hogan. “This state-of-the-art center will help ensure that even more Marylanders are fully trained and prepared to meet the demands of 21st century jobs.”
With the Cyberbit Range platform, BCR trainees will be able to experience the latest real-world cyber threats in a controlled, sequestered environment. While the BCR is capable of simulating large-scale virtual networks and real-world attacks, it can also teach would-be cybersecurity professionals how to pinpoint system vulnerabilities and how to develop countermeasures and improved protocols for dealing with cyberattacks on critical network systems. Advocates for the range believe this training will help future professionals increase their threat detection skills, as well as improve their response time. Additionally, participants will be able to accelerate their security certifications
“The range has demonstrated the potential to dramatically improve the skills and experience of those working to protect our national IT infrastructure,” said Michael Doyle, president of Baltimore Cyber Range. “It also represents a key element of our ongoing efforts to provide the Maryland workforce the skills and knowledge required to address the skilled cybersecurity workforce shortage.”
The BCR is headquartered in the SPARK building in downtown Baltimore. The SPARK building is part of the Intrusion Countermeasures Education and Training (ICE-T) Consortium. The ICE-T Consortium is designed to provide Maryland residents the skills and training required to obtain an initial IT position, as well as develop the skill set of the existing Maryland IT and cyber workforce. The consortium includes nine private and three public companies.
