Research Infrastructure: Mid-scale RI-1 (M1:IP): Global Laboratory for Internet Measurement, Probing, and Security Evaluation (GLIMPSE)

The objective of the Global Laboratory for Internet Measurement, Probing, and Security Evaluation (GLIMPSE) is to close an epistemological gap in our understanding of the global Internet. This gap poses a threat to national security as well as to the U.S. scientific and engineering research community. Specifically, the proposed research infrastructure (RI) will transform the Internet research community’s ability to infer properties of critical Internet infrastructure relevant to its security, stability, and resilience (SSR). The project includes five key tasks: (1) deploying advanced global Internet measurement infrastructure from heterogeneous vantage points; (2) building systems for managing, curating, discovering, and sharing data; (3) launching AI-driven analytics tools validated through strategic case studies and data sets; (4) integrating with national AI resources to enhance impact; and (5) ensuring community engagement, with a focus on STEM workforce development. The proposed infrastructure and its community of users will enable wide engagement in developing innovative, efficient, and robust capabilities to tackle the challenges of known and emerging Internet vulnerabilities. The results will enable data-intensive methods for assessing security, stability, and resilience properties of network infrastructure, and contribute to a broad range of disciplines that depend on data about the Internet. The team will integrate state-of-the-art AI capabilities at multiple points in the infrastructure. The project will advance U.S. leadership in information technology by expanding access to advanced tools for data acquisition, curation, and secure sharing. By lowering barriers to participation in large-scale Internet research, it will accelerate scientific discovery and innovation across sectors. The project will also support workforce development by integrating resulting datasets and analytics into cybersecurity education, including at the high school level. 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.