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Budget conference: House, Senate split on <b>cybersecurity</b> spending in early budget talks

Artificial intelligence isn’t driving the biggest spending fights in budget conferences — but it hasn’t been kicked to the curb, either. The House’s first volley in the Ag, Environment, and General Government silo included about $500,000 for “Future-Ready Florida: Strengthening Economic and Workforce Growth Through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Cybersecurity.” Senate budget writers have so far snubbed the project. That’s AI’s only direct namecheck, but it’s leaving fingerprints elsewhere. The more consequential tech-adjacent divide is in the proviso language tied to the Department of Management Services. The House slotted in language barring funds from a pair of DMS approps from being used for two contracts — or substantially similar contracts — without approval from the Legislative Budget Commission. If the lower chamber gets its way, DMS would need to provide an unexecuted contract, an operational work plan and a monthly spending plan before getting the green light. The contracts: DMS-25/26-007, covering “Data Research and Development,” and DMS-24/25-547, covering “Cybersecurity Operations and Research.” Neither contract explicitly references AI, but both fall within areas increasingly tied to enterprise technology modernization and cybersecurity operations inside state government. The Senate’s version of the proviso is in nowheresville, right next to the $500K for Future-Ready Florida. Another sticking point: cybersecurity spending. The Senate’s proposed $2 million for a statewide cybersecurity risk assessment and $15 million for local government cybersecurity technical assistance grants were both zeroed out in the House offer. The House’s $2.84 million for Enterprise IT Program Management Enhancement at DMS is likewise absent from the Senate’s plan. If you’re itching to read tea leaves a day into a three-week Session, the House appears to be taking a more cautious approach to tech and cybersecurity spending, while the Senate seems more willing to pony up.

Chinese chamber issues fresh warning over draft revision of EU <b>Cybersecurity</b> Act ...

The European Union flags in front of EU headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Photo: VCG China's business chamber in the EU issued fresh warnings over the bloc's proposed revision of the Cybersecurity Act (CSA2), stating the proposed new rules could introduce overly broad restrictive measures that are not based on a transparent, evidenceâbased risk assessment methodology, according to a post published Wednesday on the official WeChat account of the China Chamber of Commerce to the EU (CCCEU). On Tuesday, the CCCEU submitted its feedback on the EU plan, stating that strengthening cybersecurity and protecting critical infrastructure should adopt a proportionate, riskâbased, evidenceâbased, and technologyâneutral regulatory approach, while safeguarding the openness and competitiveness of the EU single market. The Chinese chamber noted that certain elements of the current CSA2 proposal could introduce overly broad restrictive measures that are not based on a transparent, evidenceâbased risk assessment methodology. In particular, the proposed mandatory, comprehensive, and timeâlimited exclusion policies across several critical sectors raise serious concerns. These measures could disrupt normal market operations, increase compliance costs for businesses, and have broader adverse effects on Europe's green and digital transitions, industrial competitiveness, and economic relations with key trading partners, according to the post. The EU's proposed revision of the CSA2 could carry a price tag of nearly 367.8 billion euros ($431.5 billion) if it forces the replacement of Chinese suppliers across 18 critical sectors, a report that the chamber sent to the Global Times on May 6 showed. In January, the European Commission (EC) proposed a new cybersecurity package, including a "Proposal for a Regulation on the EU Cybersecurity Act", which aims to gradually phase out components and equipment from "high-risk suppliers" in critical infrastructure. This move is widely seen as targeting Chinese companies and forms part of a broader set of EU protectionist tools

NEWS: Mistral developing <b>cybersecurity</b> AI model for European banks lacking Mythos access

By PAUL O’DONOGHUE, Senior Correspondent FRENCH AI startup Mistral is discussing a new cybersecurity-focused AI model with European banks as lenders seek alternatives to restricted-access systems such as Anthropic’s Mythos. The company has been developing a model designed to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities and has already held talks with banks in Europe, according to reports.

<b>Cybersecurity</b> Breach Impacts SMC's Canvas Site — The

Cybersecurity Breach Impacts SMC’s Canvas Site Canvas, an online educational tool operated by the company Instructure, was hacked on May 7, leaving students and faculty unable to log in to the site until Friday morning. The incident began on May 1 when Instructure disclosed that Canvas experienced a cybersecurity incident by a “criminal threat actor,” according to CNN. Although the breach was contained, usernames, email addresses and student ID numbers were among the data stolen. Halcyon, a ransomware research center, noted that on May 3, black-hat criminal and extortion group ShinyHunters listed Instructure on its website, claiming that roughly 3.65 terabytes of data were stolen. By May 5, negotiations with the group and Instructure fell through as they did not meet demands, claiming that the latter “had not even bothered speaking to us to prevent a data leak.” By May 7, users reported disruptions and the Canvas login page being replaced by a ransomware message by ShinyHunters, reading that Instructure had until May 12 to negotiate a settlement before all the data was leaked. The group also invited all affected institutions to consult with a cybersecurity firm to reach a compromise. In a campus-wide statement by Santa Monica College President and Superintendent Kathryn Jeffery, SMC’s Information Technology Department disabled all user logins to the Canvas page and instead redirected them to a webpage sharing the latest updates of the incident. By 5:45 p.m. the same day, many institutions, such as SMC, were removed from ShinyHunters’ extortion list. On the morning of May 8, Instructure announced that Canvas was accessible for most users. In a statement addressed to SMC faculty by SMC’s Vice President of Academic Affairs, Jason Beardsley, full access would not be restored until a final security assessment was completed by the IT Department in accordance with the guidance

Michigan Matters: Boosting tourism and stepping up <b>cybersecurity</b> efforts

Michigan Matters: Boosting tourism and stepping up cybersecurity efforts Tourism is a huge business in the Great Lakes State, which is why Janet Korn of Experience Grand Rapids, Kelly Wolgamott of Pure Michigan, and Liz Ware of Mission Point Resort on Mackinac Island appear on Michigan Matters this Sunday to talk about this critical industry as the summer season is about to kick off.

Canvas hack exposes <b>cybersecurity</b> flaws across California's universities

This story was originally published by CalMatters. Sign up for their newsletters. The last message I expected to receive Thursday afternoon was a request by a student to postpone an assignment because of a cyberattack. Canvas, the tool where millions of students around the world submit their work, check their grades, watch lectures and take quizzes was inaccessible to faculty and students in the waning days of the school year. People were posting ransom note screenshots on social media. Something like this was bound to happen eventually. It’s an inevitable consequence of information centralization. About an hour after I got the message, I was trying to assess the damage. For me, it was not that bad. I give paper tests and quizzes and I’ve been regularly creating Slack workspaces for my classes. I mainly use Canvas to link to documents and allow students to check their scores and ponder about their grades. It was a real hassle when the only answers to “How am I doing in this class” sat in a private gradebook in the instructor’s office. But I am probably in the minority. Many of my colleagues are heavily dependent on Canvas, especially for bigger or online classes — those that have no live lectures. For them this was “deeply disruptive,” as the California Faculty Association put it. I had never heard of the parent company Instructure before, and until this hack, I didn’t realize Canvas content was centrally stored. It’s been at least a decade-long trend to move services off campus to save on costs. All kinds of records and student databases are offsite now. The pitch is always the same: save money by doing things at scale. Cut out expensive maintenance and data storage. Why pay for servers and IT staff for technology that will be

Boyne City responds to <b>cybersecurity</b> incident affecting parts of city network

Boyne City responds to cybersecurity incident affecting parts of city network CHARLEVOIX COUNTY, Mich., (WPBN/WGTU) -- Boyne City is currently responding to a cybersecurity incident affecting limited portions of the city’s computer network and digital systems. City officials said the incident is not impacting emergency or critical infrastructure. According to city officials, once the issue was discovered, the city immediately began working with information technology professionals and cybersecurity specialists to assess the situation and secure affected systems. The scope of the incident is currently under investigation as city officials work to determine what systems have been impacted and whether any data has been compromised. The full extent of the breach is not yet known as city officials continue to investigate.

OpenAI's Daybreak Challenges Anthropic in AI <b>Cybersecurity</b> Race

OpenAI has moved deeper into enterprise cybersecurity with the launch of Daybreak, a platform that identifies software vulnerabilities, validates fixes, and speeds up patching workflows using AI models and its Codex Security system. Daybreak places OpenAI more directly in competition with Anthropic, whose Project Glasswing and Claude Mythos models also offer dual-use AI systems built for cybersecurity research and defensive operations. Rather than promoting Daybreak as a standalone security product, OpenAI designed it as an operational layer embedded inside software development and enterprise security workflows. The system combines GPT-5.5 models, Codex Security, and integrations with established security vendors to help customers analyze codebases, model attack paths, validate vulnerabilities, and provide remediation guidance. “Daybreak positions OpenAI as a control surface for application security, asserting itself above the AppSec agent layer incumbents are building. The tiered Trusted Access framework and Codex Security operating inside repositories signal OpenAI competing for the governance role in defensive workflows,” Mitch Ashley, VP, Software Lifecycle Engineering, The Futurum Group, told DevOps. “Pressure lands on Snyk, Semgrep, and the SAST market to articulate what their agent layer governs that OpenAI’s does not. Buyers will weigh verification, scoped access, and audit evidence, and partner-network presence cannot substitute for owning the governance layer,” Ashley said. Three Tiers Daybreak introduces three model tiers. Standard GPT-5.5 is intended for general enterprise and development work. GPT-5.5 with Trusted Access for Cyber is reserved for verified defensive security tasks including code review, malware analysis, detection engineering, and vulnerability triage. A third model, GPT-5.5-Cyber, is aimed at tightly controlled workflows like red teaming and penetration testing. Access to the platform remains restricted. Organizations must currently request vulnerability scans or apply for access through OpenAI and its partners. Supporting the initiative is Codex Security, which OpenAI is expanding beyond developer productivity into broader application security workflows.

WIU to Offer New Artificial Intelligence and <b>Cybersecurity</b> Emphases for the M.S. in ...

University News WIU to Offer New Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity Emphases for the M.S. in Computer Science May 12, 2026 MACOMB, IL â Western Illinois University will expand its Master of Science (M.S.) in Computer Science program beginning in the Fall 2026 semester with the addition of two new emphases: Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity. Students enrolled in the M.S. in Computer Science will now have three emphases to choose from, including the newly introduced Artificial Intelligence Emphasis and Cybersecurity Emphasis, in addition to existing program options. The Artificial Intelligence emphasis will include coursework in CS 460G Artificial Intelligence Methods, CS 548 Advanced Artificial Intelligence and CS 549 Topics in Artificial Intelligence. These courses have been highly popular among graduate students in recent years and reflect growing demand for advanced study in AI-related fields. The Cybersecurity Emphasis will include CS 505 Computer and Information Security and the new CS 508 Computer Forensics course. Additional related offerings include CS 507 Topics in Cybersecurity, CSEC 482G Wireless LANs and Security and IS 455G Information Assurance, providing students with a broad foundation in modern cybersecurity practices. Across all emphases in the M.S. in Computer Science program, students will complete coursework spanning software development, artificial intelligence, operating systems and computer architecture and cybersecurity and computer networks, ensuring a comprehensive graduate-level preparation in the field. University officials noted that prospective students frequently inquire about specialized study options in artificial intelligence and cybersecurity. The newly approved emphases, recently confirmed by the Graduate Council and the Provost's Office, are designed to meet that demand and will take effect beginning Fall 2026. For more information on WIU's Computer Science programs, visit wiu.edu/cbt/computer_science. Posted By: University Communications (U-Communications@wiu.edu) Office of University Communications & Marketing Connect with us:

<b>Cybersecurity</b> measures to keep Mobile Banking Apps Safe

Mobile banking applications have transformed the way people manage their finances by allowing users to transfer money, pay bills, and monitor transactions anytime and anywhere. However, the increasing use of mobile banking has also made these applications a major target for cybercriminals. To protect users’ sensitive financial information, strong cybersecurity measures are essential for ensuring the safety and reliability of mobile banking apps. One of the most important cybersecurity measures is the use of strong authentication methods. Banks now commonly use multi-factor authentication (MFA), which requires users to verify their identity through more than one step, such as a password, fingerprint, facial recognition, or a one-time password sent to a registered mobile number. This additional layer of security makes it more difficult for hackers to gain unauthorized access to customer accounts. Encryption is another critical security feature used in mobile banking applications. Encryption converts sensitive information, such as account details and transaction data, into coded text that cannot be easily read by attackers. Secure communication protocols, including HTTPS and SSL/TLS encryption, ensure that data transferred between the user’s device and the bank’s servers remains protected from cyber threats and interception. Regular software updates also play a significant role in maintaining security. Mobile banking apps must be updated frequently to fix vulnerabilities, improve performance, and strengthen protection against newly discovered threats. Users are encouraged to install updates immediately to reduce the risk of cyberattacks caused by outdated software. In addition, banks implement fraud detection systems powered by artificial intelligence and machine learning. These systems monitor user behavior and transaction patterns to identify suspicious activities, such as unusual login attempts or unauthorized transactions. If suspicious activity is detected, the system can temporarily block access or alert the customer instantly. User awareness is equally important in ensuring mobile banking security. Customers should avoid

New TrickMo Variant Uses TON C2 and SOCKS5 to Create Android Network Pivots

Cybersecurity researchers have flagged a new version of the TrickMo Android banking trojan that uses The Open Network (TON) for command-and-control (C2). The new variant, observed by ThreatFabric between January and February 2026, has been observed actively targeting banking and cryptocurrency wallet users in France, Italy, and Austria. "TrickMo relies on a runtime-loaded APK (dex.module), used also by the previous variant, but updated with new features adding new network-oriented functionality, including reconnaissance, SSH tunnelling, and SOCKS5 proxying capabilities that allow infected devices to function as programmable network pivots and traffic-exit nodes," the Dutch mobile security company said in a report shared with The Hacker News. TrickMo is the name assigned to a device takeover (DTO) malware that's been active in the wild since late 2019. It was first flagged by CERT-Bund and IBM X-Force, describing its ability to abuse Android's accessibility services to hijack one-time passwords (OTPs). It's also equipped with a wide range of features to phish for credentials, log keystrokes, record screen, facilitate live screen streaming, intercept SMS messages, essentially granting the operator complete remote control of the device. The latest versions, labeled TrickMo C, are distributed via phasing websites and dropper apps, the latter of which serve as a conduit for a dynamically loaded APK ("dex.module") that's retrieved at runtime from attacker-controlled infrastructure. A notable shift in the architecture entails the use of the TON decentralized blockchain for stealthy C2 communications. "TrickMo carries an embedded native TON proxy that the host APK starts on a loopback port at process start," ThreatFabric said. "The bot's HTTP client is wired through that proxy, so every outbound command-and-control request is addressed to an .adnl hostname and resolved through the TON overlay." Dropper apps containing the malware masquerade as adult-friendly versions of TikTok through Facebook, whereas the actual malware impersonates Google

Baker McKenzie Recruits <b>Cybersecurity</b> Partner Hanniford in DC

Katherine Hanniford joined Baker McKenzie as a partner in its data & cyber practice in Washington, DC, the firm announced Tuesday. Hanniford advises clients on cybersecurity risk management, data compliance, governance and regulatory enforcement. Her practice spans cybersecurity and data privacy matters, from evolving regulatory requirements to investigations, enforcement actions and cross border incidents, the firm said. She joins from Alston & Bird, according to her LinkedIn profile. This story was produced by Bloomberg Law Automation. Learn more about Bloomberg Law or Log In to keep reading: See Breaking News in Context Bloomberg Law provides trusted coverage of current events enhanced with legal analysis. Already a subscriber? Log in to keep reading or access research tools and resources.

Ongoing <b>Cybersecurity</b> Incident Involving the Canvas Learning Management System

Instructure Holdings, Inc. (Instructure), the parent company of the Canvas Learning Management System (Canvas), recently disclosed an ongoing cybersecurity incident affecting Canvas platforms used by K–12 schools and institutions of higher education worldwide. This incident involves unauthorized access to usernames, email addresses, course names, enrollment information, and messages. While some messages may incidentally include personally identifiable information, Instructure stated on their public web page that there is no evidence that passwords, dates of birth, government identifiers, or financial information were exposed. A ransomware group identified as ShinyHunters claimed responsibility and repeatedly defaced Canvas login pages with ransom demands. Some institutions reported receiving ransom messages when attempting to access Canvas. For the latest verified information from Instructure, institutions should continue to monitor the Instructure Status Page at instructure.com/incident_update. Senior U.S. Department of Education (ED) leaders have been actively engaged with Instructure regarding this incident. ED is in contact with Instructure’s chief information security officer about technical details; the affected systems; the population of impacted institutions; and steps to protect students, teachers, school districts, K-12 schools, and institutions of higher education. ED’s office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) is coordinating with federal partners and continues to analyze incoming information as the investigation progresses. ED’s Student Privacy Policy Office has also requested information from Instructure to ensure compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act or FERPA. Schools are reporting Canvas-related impacts to ED, consistent with existing incident-reporting requirements. ED continues to track every school that reports it received notice from Instructure or observes suspicious activity. Institutions of higher education should report incidents using established channels, including: - Email: FSASchoolCyberSafety@ed.gov If your institution receives a ransom message, threat communication, or evidence of unauthorized access through Canvas, please report immediately. Instructure publicly confirmed that bad actors compromised the Canvas platform through Free-For-Teacher accounts,

Survey: CTOs on <b>Cybersecurity</b>, AI, the LMS and More

Wenjin Chen/DigitalVision Vectors/Getty Images Colleges and universities are struggling to keep pace with rapid technological change, according to the 2026 Survey of Campus Chief Technology/Information Officers from Inside Higher Ed and Hanover Research: Nearly half of surveyed CTOs (49 percent) indicate that the current pace of technology-driven change is unsustainable without new resources, while almost all expect IT costs to rise over the next two years. Looking ahead to 2030, CTOs perceive the biggest risks to their institutions to be recruiting or retaining IT talent (62 percent), cybersecurity threats (59 percent) and unsustainable cost trajectories (56 percent). The survey also found growing institutional reliance on AI, coupled with persistent concerns about value, academic integrity and cybersecurity. Some institutions are also experimenting with alternatives to their current learning management systems. Download the full results here. On Wednesday, June 10, at 2 p.m. Eastern, Inside Higher Ed will present a free webcast featuring expert panelists to discuss the survey findings and what it takes to lead on technology in today’s rapidly shifting postsecondary landscape. Register for that conversation here, even if you can’t attend live. The independent 2026 Survey of Campus Chief Technology/Information Officers was made possible by support from T-Mobile for Education, Jenzabar and Modo.

Japan's PM orders <b>cybersecurity</b> review to stop Mythos going full CyberZilla

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NU <b>Cybersecurity</b> expert weighs in on Canvas cyber attack

NU Cybersecurity expert weighs in on Canvas cyber attack Hackers disrupted access for more than 8,000 universities during final exams OMAHA, Neb. (WOWT) - Millions of students worldwide are dealing with the fallout from a major cyberattack on one of the most widely used education platforms. Hackers targeted Canvas, disrupting access for more than 8,000 universities and their students. It was the last week of school. Students were cramming for finals. The platform they use to turn in homework and tests was not working. “I do have two finals left that I have to submit online through Canvas,” said Trini Finke, a UNO student. Like Finke at UNO, millions of students had to end the school year with the same chaos. Criminal group claims responsibility “Taking down a system like that, at that time is almost certainly intentional,” said Matt Hale, director of Matrix. Hale is the director of Matrix, the cybersecurity system used by the NU system. They track threats in real time. “They are very commonly known to attack large single points of failure that can sort of affect many different organizations,” Hale said. The group that claimed the Canvas cyberattack goes by the name of ShinyHunters, a criminal group Hale said he is familiar with. “They have attacked Google, Gucci, Adidas, Salesforce, you name it. They have been responsible for a number of high profile attacks,” Hale said. Within seconds, these hackers have access to private student and faculty data, threatening to release it unless a ransom is paid. “If they don’t, which is also quite frequently the case, then they go public with it and take down the system, and post some of the data,” Hale said. Within days, students were able to use Canvas again. But Hale thinks now that ShinyHunters has found a weakness

<b>Cybersecurity</b> expert weighs in on Canvas hack - Omaha

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NC schools restore Canvas access after <b>cybersecurity</b> breach exposed student, staff data

NORTH CAROLINA, USA — North Carolina education officials restored access to the Canvas learning platform Monday after a cybersecurity firm found no evidence of an active compromise, though some student and teacher data was exposed in the breach. The N.C. Department of Public Instruction reconnected to Canvas at approximately 4 p.m. following an interim assessment by CrowdStrike, a third-party cybersecurity firm assisting with the investigation into the Instructure/Canvas incident. Instructure confirmed that compromised data included usernames, email addresses, course names, enrollment information and messages. Course content, assignment submissions and login credentials were not affected. NCDPI is urging students, families and employees to watch for suspicious emails or requests for personal information, avoid reusing passwords across multiple platforms and enable multi-factor authentication where available. CrowdStrike's forensic investigation is ongoing. Individual school districts may continue making operational decisions based on their own continuity needs while NCDPI monitors the situation and implements additional safeguards.

<b>Cyber security</b> sectoral analysis 2026

Cyber security sectoral analysis 2026 Published 12 May 2026 Foreword The UK’s cyber security sector continues to demonstrate why this country is one of the best places in the world to start and grow a cyber business. This year’s analysis shows a sector that is expanding in scale and capability, generating £14.7 billion in revenue, contributing £9.1 billion in Gross Value Added, and employing nearly 70,000 highly skilled people across more than 2,600 firms. These businesses protect our digital economy while creating high value jobs in every part of the UK. At the heart of this success is talent. UK cyber businesses consistently highlight the strength of our engineering and security expertise as a key competitive advantage. Through programmes such as TechFirst, the government is helping to sustain the pipeline of specialist skills needed across cyber security and the UK’s wider frontier technologies. Alongside this, reforms to technical education and apprenticeships, and our continued focus on increasing the participation of women in tech, are helping to ensure that more people can access and benefit from the opportunities the cyber sector creates. The UK is also a leading environment for cyber innovation. Our universities continue to generate new ideas, companies and intellectual property. Targeted accelerator programmes, including CyberASAP, are supporting researchers and founders to turn cutting edge research into commercially viable businesses, attracting private investment and strengthening the UK’s innovation pipeline. Cyber security is a clear government priority. The Government Cyber Action Plan set out how we will strengthen resilience against cyber threats, and the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will raise standards across critical national infrastructure and digital supply chains. As this report shows, public sector spending on cyber security continues to increase. Harnessing this demand to support UK capability, and to build stronger design partnerships between government, industry and

Building the <b>Cybersecurity</b> Workforce: A SOC Lab Experience at CU–Bloomsburg

Building the Cybersecurity Workforce: A SOC Lab Experience at CU–Bloomsburg Bloomsburg Posted Commonwealth University – Bloomsburg’s Security Operations Center (SOC) Lab gives students hands-on, real‑world cybersecurity operations experience. Commonwealth University – Bloomsburg Center for Digital Forensics and Cybersecurity, within the Department of Mathematics, Computer Science, and Digital Forensics, began providing Security Operations Center (SOC) lab experience to students. Under the supervision of Professor Dr. Atdhe Buja, the SOC lab has been built and operated since Fall 2025, where students simulate high-demand roles, such as SOC Analyst (Tiers 1, 2, 3), Incident Responder, and Threat Analyst. Students hands-on experience The team designed a networked SOC lab infrastructure inside the Ben Franklin building at Commonwealth University–Bloomsburg. Within this environment, undergraduate students gain practical experience detecting and responding to simulated cyber incidents using tools and workflows like those used in modern security operations centers. Students analyze alerts, investigate suspicious activity, and develop incident reports while performing tasks such as threat intelligence enrichment, event correlation, and endpoint forensic analysis. Through these exercises, students complete a full SOC workflow from detection → enrichment → correlation → investigation → reporting, allowing them to understand how cybersecurity teams monitor, analyze, and respond to threats in real operational environments. Vision The vision of the Security Operations Center (SOC) Lab at Commonwealth University – Bloomsburg is to become a regional hub for applied cybersecurity operations training, preparing the next generation of SOC analysts, incident responders, and digital forensics professionals. The initiative also aims to create a structured bridge between university cybersecurity education and industry workforce needs by preparing students for entry-level cybersecurity operations roles and facilitating engagement with cybersecurity organizations. Framework alignment The SOC lab infrastructure was designed in alignment with the Workforce Framework for Cybersecurity (NICE Framework) incident handling guidance described in NIST Special Publication 800-61 Revision 2.