Enabling Cyber Security Education through Digital Twins and Generative AI

Fuente: arXiv
Salvato in:
Dettagli Bibliografici
Autori principali: Barletta, Vita Santa, Bavaro, Vito, Calvano, Miriana, Curci, Antonio, Piccinno, Antonio, Posa, Davide Pio
Natura: Preprint
Pubblicazione: 2025
Soggetti:
Accesso online:
Tags: Aggiungi Tag
Nessun Tag, puoi essere il primo ad aggiungerne!!
_version_ 1866918102738927616
author Barletta, Vita Santa
Bavaro, Vito
Calvano, Miriana
Curci, Antonio
Piccinno, Antonio
Posa, Davide Pio
author_facet Barletta, Vita Santa
Bavaro, Vito
Calvano, Miriana
Curci, Antonio
Piccinno, Antonio
Posa, Davide Pio
contents Digital Twins (DTs) are gaining prominence in cybersecurity for their ability to replicate complex IT (Information Technology), OT (Operational Technology), and IoT (Internet of Things) infrastructures, allowing for real time monitoring, threat analysis, and system simulation. This study investigates how integrating DTs with penetration testing tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance cybersecurity education and operational readiness. By simulating realistic cyber environments, this approach offers a practical, interactive framework for exploring vulnerabilities and defensive strategies. At the core of this research is the Red Team Knife (RTK), a custom penetration testing toolkit aligned with the Cyber Kill Chain model. RTK is designed to guide learners through key phases of cyberattacks, including reconnaissance, exploitation, and response within a DT powered ecosystem. The incorporation of Large Language Models (LLMs) further enriches the experience by providing intelligent, real-time feedback, natural language threat explanations, and adaptive learning support during training exercises. This combined DT LLM framework is currently being piloted in academic settings to develop hands on skills in vulnerability assessment, threat detection, and security operations. Initial findings suggest that the integration significantly improves the effectiveness and relevance of cybersecurity training, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Ultimately, the research demonstrates how DTs and LLMs together can transform cybersecurity education to meet evolving industry demands.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2507_17518
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Enabling Cyber Security Education through Digital Twins and Generative AI
Barletta, Vita Santa
Bavaro, Vito
Calvano, Miriana
Curci, Antonio
Piccinno, Antonio
Posa, Davide Pio
Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
Computers and Society
Human-Computer Interaction
Software Engineering
Digital Twins (DTs) are gaining prominence in cybersecurity for their ability to replicate complex IT (Information Technology), OT (Operational Technology), and IoT (Internet of Things) infrastructures, allowing for real time monitoring, threat analysis, and system simulation. This study investigates how integrating DTs with penetration testing tools and Large Language Models (LLMs) can enhance cybersecurity education and operational readiness. By simulating realistic cyber environments, this approach offers a practical, interactive framework for exploring vulnerabilities and defensive strategies. At the core of this research is the Red Team Knife (RTK), a custom penetration testing toolkit aligned with the Cyber Kill Chain model. RTK is designed to guide learners through key phases of cyberattacks, including reconnaissance, exploitation, and response within a DT powered ecosystem. The incorporation of Large Language Models (LLMs) further enriches the experience by providing intelligent, real-time feedback, natural language threat explanations, and adaptive learning support during training exercises. This combined DT LLM framework is currently being piloted in academic settings to develop hands on skills in vulnerability assessment, threat detection, and security operations. Initial findings suggest that the integration significantly improves the effectiveness and relevance of cybersecurity training, bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world application. Ultimately, the research demonstrates how DTs and LLMs together can transform cybersecurity education to meet evolving industry demands.
title Enabling Cyber Security Education through Digital Twins and Generative AI
topic Cryptography and Security
Artificial Intelligence
Computers and Society
Human-Computer Interaction
Software Engineering
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.17518