Using Virtualization to Create and Deploy Computer Security Lab Exercises

Providing computer security laboratory exercises enables students to experience and understand the underlying concepts associated with computer security, but there are many impediments to the creation of realistic exercises of this type. Virtualization provides a mechanism for creating and deploying authentic computer security laboratory experiences for students while minimizing the associated configuration time and reducing the associated hardware requirements. This paper provides a justification for using virtualization to create and deploy computer security lab exercises by presenting and discussing examples of applied lab exercises that have been successfully used at two leading computer security programs. The application of virtualization mitigates many of the challenges encountered in using traditional computer laboratory environments for information assurance educational scenarios.