Combating Cybercrime: FBI Builds Special Simulation City in the USA

The US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has launched a unique training ground called Kinetic Cyber Range, designed to combat cyberattacks and train specialists in digital forensics. Located in Huntsville, Alabama, this complex is a full-scale model of a typical American town, serving to develop effective measures against the massive economic damage caused by cybercriminals. This is reported by Ixbt.com reports .

According to ixbt.com, the implementation of this project is not accidental. According to the FBI's 2025 report, losses from cybercrime in the USA reached a record $20.9 billion. This figure is 26 percent higher than last year. In particular, ransomware targeting critical infrastructure is noted as a primary threat.

The harmony of the virtual world and real infrastructure

The Kinetic Cyber Range, covering nearly 2,000 square meters, includes fully equipped residential buildings, a hotel, a gas station, a grocery store, a courthouse, a hospital, and an energy company. All objects are connected by roads and traffic lights, equipped with digital systems operating in real time.

FBI experts emphasize that the main advantage of the range is that it is completely isolated from external networks. This allows specialists to safely model various cyberattacks and study their consequences. Since February 2025, more than 1,400 personnel, including representatives from federal and local agencies, have completed training here.

The data center within the complex is of particular importance. It houses over 200 servers running on Windows and Linux operating systems. According to program manager Dave Beachboard, the environment in the server rooms — tight space, low temperature, and noise — is as close as possible to the conditions investigators face in real life.

Human life and digital security

During training at the range, extreme scenarios such as the failure of hospital systems are examined. In such situations, specialists are taught to make decisions under time pressure and high stress. Such preparation can be crucial in saving human lives during a real attack.

Kinetic Cyber Range also serves as a testing ground for new methods in digital forensics. It utilizes special tools that allow bypassing security mechanisms on devices from giants like Apple and Google. Although these methods are controversial due to their use of undisclosed vulnerabilities, the FBI considers them necessary for solving crimes.

In conclusion, the creation of such a "cyber-city" shows how urgent the issue of information security is in the modern world. As the scale of cyberattacks expands, law enforcement agencies are forced to bring not only technical tools but also the practical skills of specialists to a new level.