SANS to Debut its Biggest NetWars CyberCity Challenge at CDI 2014

BETHESDA, Md., Oct. 20, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- SANS today announced the ultimate training event for cyber warriors and Infosec professionals as it brings together every CyberCity mission ever offered, and new missions, under one single mega challenge. The SEC562: CyberCity Hands-on Kinetic Cyber Range Exercise course will debut at SANS' Cyber Defense Initiative (CDI) 2014 cyber security training event in Washington, DC, being held Dec. 10 – 19. Competing in simulated attacks, participants will learn how to devise strategies and employ tactics to thwart computer attacks that would cause significant real-world damage.  The battles ensue inside CyberCity, a miniature physical city featuring real-world Industrial Control Systems and a power grid.

"The unique aspect of this training is its team-based approach, because in the real cyber operations world you work as a team, not as an individual," commented Ed Skoudis, SANS Faculty Fellow and NetWars CyberCity Director. "We designed the missions within CyberCity to develop team skills and communication, both of which are essential when dealing with things that control kinetic aspects." 

CyberCity's in-depth and ambitious challenges include maintaining control of vital city infrastructure including water, power, transportation, hospitals, banks, retail, and residential. On the final day participants compete in a free-for-all battle for turf in CyberCity. Teams are tasked with taking over turf from other teams while simultaneously protecting their own turf in a red-team/blue-team faceoff.

NetWars CyberCity was developed to teach cyber warriors from the US military, government agencies, and critical infrastructure providers how online actions can have kinetic effects. Since its inception, SANS has expanded the missions within CyberCity to help train cyber warriors and Infosec professionals to defend against online attacks, and teach them how to secure a city's vital physical infrastructure.

To learn more about the new NetWars CyberCity course, and to register, visit:

http://www.sans.org/info/169557. For additional information on the SANS Cyber Defense Initiative 2014 training event, including a complete listing of courses, speaker presentations, or to register, visit: http://www.sans.org/info/169562

About SANS Institute
The SANS Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. SANS is the most trusted and, by far, the largest provider of training and certification to professionals at governments and commercial institutions world-wide.  Renowned SANS instructors teach over 50 different courses at more than 200 live cyber security training events as well as online.  GIAC, an affiliate of the SANS Institute, validates employee qualifications via 27 hands-on, technical certifications in information security.  The SANS Technology Institute, a regionally accredited independent subsidiary, offers master's degrees in cyber security.  SANS offers a myriad of free resources to the InfoSec community including consensus projects, research reports, and newsletters; it also operates the Internet's early warning system--the Internet Storm Center. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners, representing varied global organizations from corporations to universities, working together to help the entire information security community. (www.SANS.org)

To view the original version on PR Newswire, visit:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/sans-to-debut-its-biggest-netwars-cybercity-challenge-at-cdi-2014-194952744.html

SOURCE SANS Institute

Related Links

http://www.sans.org