The Applied Physics Institute of WKU has collaborated with Mississippi State University, University of Arizona, EdAptive Computing, Inc. and Electronic Warfare Associates to create a new program called Network Attack Characterization Modeling and Simulation Testbed (NacMast).

The NacMast contract originates from the Army Research Lab. The faculty and students involved at the Applied Physics Institute will be working on cyber defense issues from the U.S. Military. This is a multidisciplinary project that involves the departments of Computer Science and Mathematics in WKU’s Ogden College of Science and Engineering.

Using the $269,000 contract received from the Electronic Warfare Associates Government Systems, Inc., WKU has constructed a 1,200 square foot Cyber Defense Lab at the Innovation and Commercialization Center to house the new NacMast project.

The Cyber Defense Lab contains a quarantined “sandbox” where viruses that originate network attacks can be released and studied in hopes of achieving faster, effective detection and prevention of future attacks.

“With the opening of the Cyber Defense Lab, a new era has embarked at WKU that provides unique opportunities in research and education, as well as helping our national defense efforts,” said Dr. Phillip Womble, Director of both the Applied Physics Institute and Cyber Defense Lab.

• Sandbox scheme.

The Cyber Defense Lab is currently structured under the Applied Physics Institute but will become its own separate entity in the near future as research efforts expand.

The Applied Physics Institute is a multidisciplinary center performing research and development projects in areas of nuclear physics, nuclear engineering, wireless data communications, homeland security, material science, and electronics. API researcher’s interests cover virtually all aspects of applied science and technology.

For further information, contact Anessia Loveless at 270-781-3859 or anessia.loveless@wku.edu.