Creating a Virtual Laboratory to Teach Information Assurance Courses Online

Dr. Wayne C. Summers

Columbus State University
4225 University Avenue
Columbus, GA 31907
1-706-568-2410

summers_wayne@ColumbusState.edu

http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/

Problem - how to provide a lab environment for a computer security course in an online course (students need hands-on exercises to reinforce the concepts)

Solution – use a virtual lab with access only through a secure Virtual Private Network (VPN) connection

Our environment

VPN concentrator (Cisco VPN 3000) 8 PCs (3 win XP, win 2000, Win2003, 3 Linux) KVM Switch Pix firewall Cisco router

VNC software Security software LC4 Snort IDS XP firewall SuperScan Ethereal Nessus nmap OS specific tools

What we’re doing

Network Security (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/labs-6128.htm)

l. Password Policy (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/passwords.html)

2. Firewall (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/firewalls.html)

3. Host Security (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/host.html)

4. Network Security Auditing (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/audit.html)

5. Network Security - Intrusion Detection (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6128/IDS.html)

Advanced Systems Security (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6136/labs-6136.htm)

Building Systems with Assurance (http://csc.ColumbusState.edu/summers/NOTES/6136/assurance-lab.html)

Difficulties configuring computers computers shut down (powersave mode, ???) reset firewall that blocks VNC access students not returning systems to their original configuration students not logging off account

What’s next? Integrate firewall & router into hardware configuration Expand usage to online networking class and other information assurance classes Increase reliability Add more “pods” of equipment Expand assignments Apply for grants to share with other colleges/universities in region