ANN ARBOR – Merit Network and the Michigan Cyber Range Thursday announced the new Merit Secure Sandbox service, a virtual environment that lets users practice, train, and test cybersecurity techniques, is now operational.
Merit Secure Sandbox is designed for instructors to set up their own virtual environments for cybersecurity training. It is also aimed at organizations that want to test applications, web sites, and virtualized environments in a secure location not connected to the Internet or to their own computer networks.
Secure Sandbox provides a securely partitioned space that can be made to simulate Windows or Linux computer environments. Users can build their secure sandbox from a catalog of ready-made virtual machines or supply their own virtual computer environment.
Merit Secure Sandbox allows organizations to utilize the same infrastructure used by the Michigan Cyber Range for training and cybersecurity exercises. The infrastructure can be used by organizations within Michigan or across the United States, providing a secure, adaptable resource for research, cybersecurity exercises, training, software/product testing, and other applications.
The service has already been used by three higher education schools in Michigan to create virtualized computer environments for use by students. It allows institutions to provide training and test resources within a secure environment that is separate from their own computer systems.
“Merit Secure Sandbox is an innovative way to provide education, training, and testing infrastructure to people in Michigan and around the world,” said William “Joe” Adams, vice president of research and cyber security at Merit Network.
The staff of the Michigan Cyber Range will be attending GRRCON in Grand Rapids on Sept. 12-13.
