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The FBI built its own replica small town to simulate real-world cyberattacks

The FBI’s 22,000-sq-ft indoor replica town marks a new frontier in cybersecurity training—blurring the line between simulation and reality.

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📍 How it ended

The FBI established a 22,000-square-foot indoor town in Alabama to serve as a kinetic cyber range for training agents to repel cyberattacks. The story quieted without a definitive conclusion in the coverage following the initial reveal of the facility.

Epilogue added 47d ago, after coverage quieted.

The brief

The FBI has constructed a highly detailed, 22,000-square-foot indoor facility in Alabama designed to replicate a small town, complete with homes, streets, a hotel, and a hospital. Dubbed the *Kinetic Cyber Range*, the facility serves as a controlled environment where agents can practice responding to cyberattacks on critical infrastructure, according to official FBI documentation and multiple tech outlets. Coverage highlights the facility’s realism, including interconnected digital and physical systems to mimic real-world attack scenarios.

Outlets such as *The Verge*, *TechCrunch*, and *Yahoo News Singapore* emphasize its scale, design, and purpose—positioning it as a first-of-its-kind tool for law enforcement cyber training. The FBI’s official site confirms its operational status but does not disclose specific training details. What to watch next: Whether this model will be replicated by other agencies or private sectors, and how the facility’s effectiveness will be measured against evolving cyber threats.

Coverage does not yet specify operational timelines or partnerships beyond the FBI’s internal use.

Synthesized by PULSE from the headlines below under a strict no-invention contract. ✓ fact-checked: all claims supported by sources Updated 47d ago.

Quick answers

What is the purpose of the FBI’s replica town?

The facility, called the *Kinetic Cyber Range*, is used to train agents in responding to cyberattacks on simulated critical infrastructure like hospitals, hotels, and homes.

Where is the replica town located?

The 22,000-square-foot indoor facility is based in Alabama, according to multiple reports.

Is this facility open to non-FBI entities?

Coverage does not specify whether the facility is accessible to other agencies, private companies, or international partners.

Coverage (8)

Topics

FBI cybersecurity Kinetic Cyber Range simulation training critical infrastructure law enforcement

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