Addressing the Security Gap in IoT: Towards an IoT Cyber Range

Area of Science:

• Computer Science
• Cybersecurity
• Internet of Things (IoT)

Background:

• The Internet of Things (IoT) has matured, but cybersecurity aspects remain underdeveloped.
• A significant skills shortage exists in IoT cybersecurity, hindering practical application.
• Existing IoT testbeds primarily focus on networking, neglecting crucial security aspects.

Purpose of the Study:

• To introduce the IoT Cyber Range (IoT-CR), a novel testbed for IoT security research and training.
• To address the identified gap in IoT cybersecurity education and skill development.
• To provide a flexible and scalable platform for simulating and analyzing IoT security threats.

Main Methods:

• Overview of current IoT testbeds and cybersecurity initiatives.
• Detailed presentation of the IoT Cyber Range's design, architecture, and modular components.
• Development of RESTful APIs for user-friendly interaction and abstraction of complexities.
• Demonstration of a red/blue team scenario simulating a man-in-the-middle attack.

Main Results:

• The IoT-CR offers a customizable environment for virtual and physical IoT networks.
• It supports concurrent execution of multiple, scalable security scenarios.
• The platform's design prioritizes end-user experience based on established Cyber Range principles.
• A practical demonstration validated the IoT-CR's capability in simulating sophisticated IoT attacks.

Conclusions:

• The IoT Cyber Range effectively addresses the need for specialized IoT cybersecurity training and research.
• Future work will evaluate its efficacy in skill acquisition and integrate it into broader cybersecurity networks.
• The IoT-CR is a valuable tool for enhancing practical cybersecurity expertise in the evolving IoT landscape.