Joel Bagnal, director of federal business at security company SpyCloud, said state and local government agencies should launch more cyber ranges to understand and manage the vulnerabilities of internet of things and operational technology devices, GCN reported Friday.
Cyber ranges use realistic exercises and hands-on cybersecurity laboratories to train cyber professionals.
Bagnal said a cyber range provides security personnel an opportunity to witness “vulnerabilities being exploited and then how to apply that direct knowledge back to [their] own network.”
According to him, the Idaho National Laboratory has a segment focused on conducting research on IoT device security and protection of critical infrastructure and is beginning to offer recommendations to help mitigate vulnerabilities.
Bagnal called on state and local governments to forge partnerships and facilitate sharing of information on vulnerabilities amid the absence of federal guidance meant to help agencies manage cyber risks related to their OT and IoT devices.