Norwich University Applied Research Institutes (NUARI) has been awarded $5.9 million by the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) to expand its Distributed Environment for Critical Infrastructure Decision-Making Exercises (DECIDE) cyber-training platform.
“DHS S&T is committed to investing in the security of our nation’s critical infrastructure, and that includes ensuring that organizations are properly trained to recognize and respond to potential cyber threats,” said William N. Bryan, Senior Official Performing the Duties of the Under Secretary for S&T.
DECIDE was originally developed to work within the financial services sector, but the new effort being put forth here will work on scenarios specific to the energy sector. It is a platform that allows participants to collaborate on scenario-based exercises that are designed to assist trainees to understand systemic ramifications of their actions—specifically scenarios that “induce or exacerbate cascading failures, resource contention, systemic instability, and other unintended consequences.” It will also be used to improve conduct and communication during high-stress events.
“Bringing players together in a safe, immersive environment where they can run through existing response tactics allows them to identify vulnerabilities and develop mitigation strategies prior to a real-life crisis,” S&T program manager Greg Wigton said in a statement.
