Re: What is a cyber-range?

[Marsh Ray <marsh () extendedsubset com>]

On 07/07/2011 07:47 AM, Chesmore, Michael [DAS] wrote:
> I think the point here might be getting missed.  The key term is not
> "cyber" but "Range".  DoD came up with this concept years ago, so
> that they could train offensive and defensive Information Operations
> (IO) and Information Warfare (IW).  The chatter has been interesting
> about these but entirely missing the mission of Cyber Ranges. [...]
> The mission of the cyber range is much more basic.  We need a way to
> train upcoming IT security staff.  [...] The cyber range is designed
> as a training tool to pit experienced attackers against still
> learning defenders.

Simulation training is obviously important and the box in question may, 
in fact, be a fantastic tool in conducting it. But this is perhaps not 
the only point that might be missed here.

Next time you see a press release photo of some "cyber warrriors" ask 
this: Why are they wearing camouflage fatigues? They're not attempting 
to blend in to the background, and forest green is hardly the color you 
would want to use for that in a datacenter anyway.

It's an institutional thing. It communicates a important meaning that's 
subtle, and hard to put into words if you don't already understand it. 
Militaries engage in circumstances where there isn't time to explain why 
so-and-so isn't dressed like everyone else so they simply require a 
"uniform". It's maybe a little bit of weak authentication, too. But 
mainly they're wearing camo in the datacenter because it reduces 
distractions in their environment and invokes the stability of long 
traditions and formal military training. This all part of what keeps the 
organization from falling apart when things start (literally) blowing up.

But the fundamental problem with the current "cyber" terminology and 
policies is that they are symptomatic of a very uncertain military 
establishment trying to wrap an exceedingly difficult and complex 
subject domain in a set of terminology *for the primary reason that they 
can deal with it as if it were instead something else with which they 
are very familiar*.

This is a first class logical error and a very dangerous one given the 
subject matter.

- Marsh
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