FBI builds replica town to train agents in cybersecurity response
Original: The FBI built its own replica small town to simulate real-world cyberattacks
Why This Matters
Addresses critical cybersecurity training needs as U.S. cybercrime losses hit record highs
The FBI opened a 22,000 square-foot replica town in Huntsville, Alabama in February 2025 to train law enforcement in investigating cyberattacks. The facility has trained over 1,400 students amid record $20.9 billion U.S. cybercrime losses.
The FBI's Kinetic Cyber Range features fully furnished houses, hotel, gas station, courthouse, hospital, and power company with functioning devices that simulate real community systems. The facility includes a data center with over 200 physical servers running Windows and Linux to mirror corporate environments investigators encounter during breaches. The range allows simulation of ransomware attacks and their consequences, including high-pressure decisions when hospital systems go dark. Program manager Dave Beachboard describes the servers as 'cold, cramped, noisy, dark, miserable' to reflect real conditions. The facility also trains investigators in digital forensics using controversial tools that exploit undisclosed vulnerabilities to extract data from encrypted devices.