Last year, the FBI opened a cyber range in Huntsville, Alabama, to simulate cyber attacks. Think of it like the famous Hogan’s Alley, but for modern digital crime training. It is a massive 22,000-square-foot replica of an entire city, complete with a convenience store, gas station, hospital, and even fully furnished homes.
It is a training facility where the Bureau can recreate real-world scenarios for training and research purposes. All the various buildings and facilities are connected in the same way as they would be in a real city. There is also a small data center with over 200 servers that can be hacked, infected with malware, and studied. But, importantly, all the systems in the fake city are cut off from the outside world, meaning there is no risk of any malicious code or anything escaping control.
Students practice conducting forensic investigations on car entertainment systems, hospital computer networks, and corporate security systems. They can see how various cyberattacks can impact power grids or spread through home networks.
While the facility opened last year, the FBI only shared a video this week, giving the public its first glimpse inside.
<a href