Introduction
Overview of the Heartland Cyber Range
What Is It
The Heartland Cyber Range (HCR) is a virtual, interactive environment designed to simulate real-world networks, systems, and applications for cybersecurity education, cyber defense training, and cyber technology research and development. The HCR provides a safe, secure environment where students, researchers, industry professionals, and government can strengthen theoretical learning alongside practical training on the latest threats and tactics to be better prepared for the realities of defending a network or against an actual attack. The HCR will also be used to train and certify cybersecurity professionals. The HCR was developed by EnterpriseKC.
Why It’s Important
The risks we face from cyber-attacks continue to intensify, and no one is immune. The cybersecurity threat landscape touches every industry, every corner of the region, and, as a result, every resident in the region. More troubling is the fact that this country and this region faces a severe shortage of talented workers to combat the threat. Over 572,000 open cybersecurity jobs remain unfilled nationally. Kansas has over 5,300 open cybersecurity jobs across the state, and when we include all of Kansas together with Western Missouri, the number of open cybersecurity jobs jumps to more than 14,000*. One-third of those cybersecurity jobs do not require a 2-year or 4-year degree.
In addition, lack of real-world work experience is the number one challenge identified by industry when hiring new cybersecurity graduates across all education pathways. Graduates – even those holding cybersecurity certificates may have the theory down, but actually putting it into practice is something else entirely.