FBI gives first peek inside 22,000-square-foot town its built for digital crime training the one of a kind facility has a gas station, houses, and a data center with 200 hackable servers

Date:
Tue, 16 Jun 2026 03:46:03 +0000

Description:
The FBI has built a town with homes, businesses and hackable servers to help train its cyber agents.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter The FBI has built an entire
town to help train its agents The town contains houses, businesses, and 200 hackable servers The idea is to give agents hands-on experience so theyre ready for the field In the never-ending cat-and-mouse game between hackers
and law enforcement, it helps the latter to know exactly what theyre up against. Usually, that might mean sitting in a classroom and getting a little hands-on time with a hacked server or laptop. But thats not the case with the FBIs Kinetic Cyber Range no, this time the USs Federal Bureau of Investigation went out and built a whole town to keep itself sharp.

The 22,000-square-foot Kinetic Cyber Range is built to be as lifelike as possible. Pay it a visit, and youll find 11 different facilities, including houses, a data center, a gaming arcade, a convenience store, a hotel, and
much more. Its designed to replicate the kind of town you might find anywhere in America, yet its all contained within an enormous hangar at the FBIs training campus in Huntsville, Alabama. All the businesses and tech in the ersatz community can be hacked , allowing students to put their skills to the test. Would-be cyber officers will encounter firewalls , email systems, file directories, and more, helping to prepare them for future digital investigations. That said, the Kinetic Cyber Range is designed to ensure that nothing nefarious spills out of its secure bounds and into the wider world. Latest Videos From Watch full video here:

In addition to the FBI, the facility can be used by NASA, the US Army, and local law enforcement agencies. The idea is to get people up to speed with
the latest cyber techs including drone software, vehicle forensics, and the internet of things. Facing emerging threats (Image credit: FBI) Given how incredibly lucrative the cybercrime industry is for hackers and fraudsters , it makes sense for law enforcement to seek as much real-world, hands-on time as possible. Theory alone will only provide so much education, and without encountering the kinds of situations you might find in the real world, FBI agents will be a step behind their adversaries. You may like FBI slams cybercriminals for attacking schools, hospitals, as crypto fraud soars We
need a cybersecurity curriculum taught by hackers Hackers are turning up to victim's work dressed as IT support to install malware in-person, FBI warns

Speaking on the FBIs YouTube channel , David Beachboard, Program Manager of the Kinetic Cyber Range, described the training location as one of a kind and said that there is no facility like this in the world This is about as real as its going to get before people go out in the field.

Interestingly, students at the center will also be involved in various roleplay exercises that mimic those theyll encounter outside the facility, from conducting interviews with business executives whose premises are being searched to dealing with medical staff who are concerned for patient welfare in the middle of a ransomware attack. Its these scenarios that are difficult or impossible to fully replicate inside a classroom. Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more. Contact me with news and offers from other Future brands Receive email from us on behalf of our trusted partners or sponsors By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

According to the FBI, more than 1,400 students have passed through the
Kinetic Cyber Range since its opening in February 2025, with the training being regularly updated to cover emerging threats . As threat actors evolve, so too must those attempting to stop them. No doubt Beachboard and the FBI hope the Kinetic Cyber Range will play a key role in doing just that. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. The best laptops for all budgets
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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/computing/cyber-security/fbi-gives-first-peek-inside -22-000-square-foot-town-its-built-for-digital-crime-training-the-one-of-a-kin d-facility-has-a-gas-station-houses-and-a-data-center-with-200-hackable-server s


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