Sandbox for Cybersecurity Research

This project proposes to operationalize ethical principles in cybersecurity through the development of a novel ecosystem. It will support researchers, students, institutional review board members, and professionals in navigating context-sensitive cybersecurity challenges. The project team aims to develop educational resources that foster a culture of professional integrity in the realm of cybersecurity. The project is organized around four integrated research thrusts. First, the project team will conduct empirical studies to assess the ethical challenges experienced by cybersecurity researchers, culminating in a repository of real-world cases in the field. Second, through participatory action research and grounded theory analysis, the project team will develop an evidence-based taxonomy of protocols tailored to recurring cybersecurity research scenarios. Third, this taxonomy will be translated into an interactive simulation platform that enables users to explore cybersecurity challenges in a safe, dynamic environment. Users will receive real-time feedback and guided decision support. Fourth, the project will integrate these tools into cybersecurity education, developing a set of mini-modules for integration into technical curricula and launching pilot programs at partner institutions. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.