Scalability Assessments for the Malicious Activity Simulation Tool (MAST)

Abstract

MAST Malicious Activity Simulation Tool aims to support the conduct of network administrator security training on the very network that the administrator is supposed to manage. A key element of MAST is to use malware mimics to simulate malware behavior. Malware mimics look and behave like real malware except for the damage that real malware causes. MAST enhances training by providing realistic scenarios that are dynamic, repeatable, and provide relevant feedback. This thesis is meant to test the scalability characteristics of MAST. Specifically, we show that an exponential increase in clients using the MAST software does not impact network and system resources significantly. Additionally, we demonstrate and discuss how MAST is installed on a new network, and delivers feedback to the organization being trained.