Hands-on experience is a core part of the Cybersecurity program at Eastern Illinois University. Students learn by working directly with industry-standard equipment, software, and secure network environments that mirror real-world cybersecurity operations.
Facilities include dedicated classroom and office space, technologies that support online learning, and two specialized telecommunications laboratories.
This lab features a wide range of equipment designed to provide practical experience with basic, intermediate, and advanced cyber defense applications. Resources include:
Students also have access to a modern, 24/7 remote-access, cloud-based laboratory using VMware and EVE-NG. This platform includes hundreds of virtual images from vendors such as CISCO, Windows, Linux, and Palo Alto. Combined with tools like Wireshark, it allows students to design, implement, and evaluate a wide range of cybersecurity and data telecommunications scenarios.
The School of Business Telecommunications Lab provides additional hands-on training in computer networking and cybersecurity. Equipment includes:
This lab operates within a local area network (LAN) environment where students install approved security tools, ethical hacking software, and network defense systems to develop practical offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills.