SBIR Phase I: A Modular Hardware Ecosystem for Hands-on Cybersecurity Education

SBIR第一阶段项目的重点是开发一个模块化，灵活，简单的硬件生态系统，用于网络安全教育和培训各级学生，包括本科生和高中生以及行业专业人士。该生态系统将由定制设计的硬件模块、相关软件和指令组成。目前，还没有一个以教育部门可以接受的价格提供的网络安全教育和培训综合硬件平台。现有的硬件平台无法满足这一目的，因为它们在设计时没有考虑到安全问题。拟议的生态系统可以通过建立在独特的实践方法基础上的独特产品线满足有效的网络安全教育和培训的关键需求。它将使学生能够构建复杂的计算机系统，然后“破解”它们来实施各种安全攻击和对策。该SBIR项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力主要在于创建一支训练有素的网络安全队伍，以满足不断增长的市场需求，并为建立一个能够可靠抵御网络攻击的安全国家做出贡献。该项目预计将为教育模块的设计和开发创造新的就业机会，并通过销售这些产品获得可观的收入。该SBIR项目开发了一套创新的教育和培训产品，将填补网络安全教育的重要空白，为我们目前的劳动力以及我们国家的下一代提供网络安全科学和工程方面的培训。这些产品的一个显著特点是，它们全面涵盖了安全的各个方面，包括硬件、软件、网络和信息安全。虽然高级软件安全性已被考虑多年，但低级硬件和嵌入式固件安全性教育尚未得到充分解决。越来越多的攻击实例依赖于低级硬件漏洞。这些产品将使学生能够通过添加各种组件（例如传感器，通信单元）并连接多个单元以创建网络来构建具有选定功能的计算机系统。然后，它允许他们实施各种安全攻击，从对软件和网络的攻击（例如中间人攻击，模仿攻击）到硬件（例如硬件特洛伊木马，总线窥探）。这些实验可以非常有效地展示系统安全的复杂性，并了解防御机制。此外，他们将鼓励学生不仅学习和设计解决方案，以应对已知的攻击，而且还要发现新的威胁和防御措施。

This SBIR Phase I project focuses on developing a modular, flexible, and simple hardware ecosystem for cybersecurity education and training of students at all levels including undergraduate and high school students as well as industry professionals. The ecosystem will consist of custom-designed hardware modules, associated software, and instructions. Currently, there is no integrated hardware platform for cybersecurity education and training that is available at a price point acceptable to the educational sector. Existing hardware platforms fail to serve this purpose since they are not designed with security issues in mind. The proposed ecosystem can meet the critical need of effective cybersecurity education and training through a unique product line that builds on a distinctive hands-on approach. It will enable student to build complex computer systems; then "hack" them to implement diverse security attacks and countermeasures. The broader impact/commercial potential of this SBIR project primarily lies in creating a well-trained cybersecurity workforce to meet the increasing market demand and contribute, as well, to a secure and safe nation that can reliably defend against cyber-attacks. The project is expected to create new jobs for design and development of the educational modules as well as significant revenue by selling these products. This SBIR project develops a set of innovative education and training products that will fill an important gap in the cybersecurity education, providing training for both our current workforce as well as our nation's next generation with the science and engineering of cybersecurity. A distinctive feature of the products is that they comprehensively cover all aspects of security encompassing hardware, software, network and information security. While high-level software security has been considered for many years, low-level hardware and embedded firmware security education is not adequately addressed. Growing number of attack instances are relying on low-level hardware vulnerabilities. These products will enable students to build a computer system of selected capability by adding various components (e.g. sensors, communication units) and connect multiple units to create a network. It then allows them to implement various security attacks ranging from attacks on software and network (e.g. man-in-the-middle, impersonation attacks) to hardware (e.g. hardware Trojan, bus snooping). The experiments can be highly effective to demonstrate the complex nature of system security and understand the defense mechanisms. Furthermore, they will encourage students not only to learn and design solutions against known attacks, but also to discover novel threats and defenses against them.