State of Michigan IT Security Training Facility Opens

As a partnership between the State of Michigan, Merit Network, federal and local governments, colleges and universities and the private sector, the Michigan Cyber Range officially opened last Friday, according to Dexter.Patch.com.

What is the Michigan Cyber Range? It’s a training facility that prepares cybersecurity professionals for detecting, preventing and thwarting cyber-attacks in a real-world setting. This program also offers students and professionals alike a curriculum of meetings, workshops, cybersecurity training and awareness tools.

Groups and individuals will benefit from the program, as well as critical areas such as infrastructure defense, Homeland Security, criminal justice and law enforcement, small and medium businesses, etc., according to GovTech.com. The program is based upon the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE) framework that includes all levels of a workforce, and tailored to an individual’s function within the organization, according to Merit.edu.

There are two physical locations for the program’s hardware; at Eastern Michigan University (EMU) and the Kellogg Air National Guard base. Additional sites include Ferris State University and the 110th Airlift Wing in Battle Creek, and with additional funding, they may expand to as many as 10 different sites statewide.

The program is part of the Michigan Cyber Initiative launched last year as part of the state’s efforts to advance technology and security for businesses, individuals, students and others. It launches at a critical time at which concerns of ‘cyber terrorism’ grow in the media and government.

While I don’t particularly condone fear-mongering, it is important to acknowledge existing risks and take security seriously. According to Merit.edu, viruses could be used as a weapon to attack computers that run critical infrastructure systems, including dams, chemical plants and manufacturing facilities.

From the Michigan business perspective, IT security and awareness are investments that can protect their livelihood by keeping critical data and applications protected from misuse. Read about how to create your complete security toolkit with secure hosting, including technical, physical and administrative security, below:

Michigan SMBs (small and medium-sized businesses) can benefit from outsourcing security to Michigan hosting providers; saving resources and time spent on implementing strong controls for their IT environment. Read more about Online Tech’s Michigan data centers and the advantages of strategic location, compliance requirements, full redundancy and more.

Find out more about the Michigan Cyber Range.

References:
Michigan Cyber Range (PDF)
Introducing the Michigan Cyber Range