Scalable Network Technologies (SNT), a provider of communication network performance evaluation, has introduced a new software tool EXata/cyber, designed to support and accelerate development of cyber security capability for communication networks.
The new software tool provides an emulation platform that can expose vulnerabilities that threaten communication networks and enables development and testing of countermeasures. It makes it possible to vet networks through creation of a ‘software virtual network’ (SVN), which are exact digital replicas of physical networks in virtual space, SNT said.
The company claims that SVNs are based on emulation, which enables them able to interoperate with applications, devices, management tools, threats, and people. SVNs emulate all of the layers in IP networks up to thousands of nodes and provides cyber security planners high fidelity results that are comparable to physical testing.
According to SNT, EXata/cyber’s main components include, a graphical user interface, emulation kernel, universal protocol adapter, connection manager, packet sniffer and SNMP Agent. Also included is a library of protocol models for many types of networks and cyber capabilities. It comes in two parts, the main EXata emulation engine that creates a digital replica of the user’s target network, and the Connection Manager that runs on their operational systems.
SNT said that the connection manager supports various applications such as internet browsers, tactical communications, situational awareness information, sensor data, instant messengers, VoIP, streaming video, and multi-player games.
In addition, the software tool can also interface with semi-automated forces or computer generated forces via HLA or DIS and can serve as the communications effects server for a SAF using a standard interface like HLA/DIS.
