Scalable Learning Environments for Teaching Cybersecurity Hands-on

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00216224%3A14330%2F21%3A00120056" target="_blank" >RIV/00216224:14330/21:00120056 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/FIE49875.2021.9637180" target="_blank" >http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/FIE49875.2021.9637180</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1109/FIE49875.2021.9637180" target="_blank" >10.1109/FIE49875.2021.9637180</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Scalable Learning Environments for Teaching Cybersecurity Hands-on

Original language description

This Innovative Practice full paper describes a technical innovation for scalable teaching of cybersecurity hands-on classes using interactive learning environments. Hands-on experience significantly improves the practical skills of learners. However, the preparation and delivery of hands-on classes usually do not scale. Teaching even small groups of students requires a substantial effort to prepare the class environment and practical assignments. Further issues are associated with teaching large classes, providing feedback, and analyzing learning gains. We present our research effort and practical experience in designing and using learning environments that scale up hands-on cybersecurity classes. The environments support virtual networks with full-fledged operating systems and devices that emulate real-world systems. The classes are organized as simultaneous training sessions with cybersecurity assignments and learners' assessment. For big classes, with the goal of developing learners' skills and providing formative assessment, we run the environment locally, either in a computer lab or at learners' own desktops or laptops. For classes that exercise the developed skills and feature summative assessment, we use an on-premises cloud environment. Our approach is unique in supporting both types of deployment. The environment is described as code using open and standard formats, defining individual hosts and their networking, configuration of the hosts, and tasks that the students have to solve. The environment can be repeatedly created for different classes on a massive scale or for each student on-demand. Moreover, the approach enables learning analytics and educational data mining of learners' interactions with the environment. These analyses inform the instructor about the student's progress during the class and enable the learner to reflect on a finished training. Thanks to this, we can improve the student class experience and motivation for further learning. Using the presented environments KYPO Cyber Range Platform (CRP) and Cyber Sandbox Creator (CSC), we delivered the classes on-site or remotely for various target groups of learners (K-12, university students, and professional learners). The learners value the realistic nature of the environments that enable exercising theoretical concepts and tools. The instructors value time-efficiency when preparing and deploying the hands-on activities. Engineering and computing educators can freely use our software, which we have released under an open-source license. We also provide detailed documentation and exemplary hands-on training to help other educators adopt our teaching innovations and enable sharing of reusable components within the community.

Czech name

—

Czech description

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Type

D - Article in proceedings

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

10201 - Computer sciences, information science, bioinformathics (hardware development to be 2.2, social aspect to be 5.8)

Project

<a href="/en/project/VI20202022158" target="_blank" >VI20202022158: Research of New Technologies to Increase the Capabilities of Cybersecurity Experts</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2021

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Article name in the collection

2021 IEEE Frontiers in Education Conference (FIE)

ISBN

9781665438513

ISSN

1539-4565

e-ISSN

2377-634X

Number of pages

9

Pages from-to

1-9

Publisher name

IEEE

Place of publication

New York, NY, USA

Event location

New York, NY, USA

Event date

Jan 1, 2021

Type of event by nationality

WRD - Celosvětová akce

UT code for WoS article

000821947700069