A Modular Cyber Range Platform for Smart Energy Systems
TL;DR
A lightweight, modular Cyber Range (CR) designed to simulate Information Technology and Operational Technology environments with high fidelity with natively supports industrial protocols such as Modbus/TCP and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) and includes a "Green Team" framework for evaluating human performance during crisis situations.
Abstract
Modern critical infrastructure requires realistic training tools that bridge the gap between digital vulnerabilities and physical consequences. This paper introduces a lightweight, modular Cyber Range (CR) designed to simulate Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) environments with high fidelity. Using the FastAPI framework as backend and Quick Emulator (QEMU)/Kernel-based Virtual Machine (KVM) virtualisation, the platform employs a YAML-based engine to automatically deploy complex networks on standard hardware with minimal overhead. To demonstrate its capabilities, we present a Photovoltaic (PV) Plant scenario set in a fictional smart city. The scenario follows a multi-stage attack that begins with the compromise of a home Internet of Things (IoT) device and escalates into a major power outage at a military base. The proposed CR, natively supports industrial protocols such as Modbus/TCP and Message Queuing Telemetry Transport (MQTT) and includes a"Green Team"framework for evaluating human performance during crisis situations. This paper describes the system architecture, automated setup, protocol-simulation capabilities, and scenario design.