If you’re a technical professional interested in a cybersecurity education that gives you the chance to practice your skills in a safe environment where you can literally break things without causing harm, keep reading.
In the Master of Science inCybersecurity program, offered through UW Online Collaboratives, students have access to a virtual environment that allows them to try different tools while building confidence in their work. The Virtual Lab, which opens up like a virtual machine (similar to a physical computer lab on campus), is 100 percent remote and accessible to all students in the program without a software license. The lab can be run on any device (Mac, Microsoft, Linux, etc.), and doesn’t require students to purchase a separate computer or extra software programs.
“I used the Virtual Lab frequently throughout the program, but it was especially critical in two core courses: CYB 780 (Software Security) and CYB 703 (Network Security),” says Tyler Wester, a recent graduate of the Cybersecurity program. “While it was available in other courses, those two made the most intensive use of the lab environment. I’d estimate I used the lab in 3 to 4 courses, but the usage was most intense and impactful in CYB 780 and CYB 703. In CYB 780 and CYB 703, the lab truly became a core part of the learning experience, enabling practical exploration of security concepts that complemented and enriched the theoretical material.”
There were several benefits of using the Virtual Lab, according to Tyler, and in many ways, it elevated his entire learning experience. Having all the tools and configurations he needed for his courses was not only convenient—it saved him hours of installation, configuration, and troubleshooting. Instead, Tyler was able to log into the lab and immediately begin working on assignments.
“This saved time, reduced frustration, and allowed me to stay focused on learning core cybersecurity concepts rather than getting bogged down in setup issues,” he says. “It also reduced the risk of conflicts with other software on my computer and kept my system safe from potential misconfigurations.”
The Virtual Lab is similar to a child’s sandbox environment, where children play and experiment with different toys in the sand. In the Virtual Lab, students can get their hands dirty by interacting with other virtual computers and machines. They gain real-world experience in a safe environment, where they can make mistakes and learn what went wrong without any repercussions.
“Because the lab environments could easily be reset or relaunched, I felt comfortable trying things I might otherwise avoid on my system, whether that meant tweaking firewall rules, running exploit tools, or intentionally misconfiguring services to see what would happen,” Tyler says. “The lab helped bridge the gap between theory and practice. It brought abstract cybersecurity principles to life by letting me observe them in action, troubleshoot issues in real time, and immediately see the results of my decisions.”
“That type of feedback loop was invaluable for solidifying knowledge and building the kind of intuition that’s hard to develop through textbooks or slides alone. The lab provided a secure, isolated, and realistic environment to test and experiment with tools and techniques that would be risky or infeasible to run on a personal system.”
The ability to “break things” without consequence allowed Tyler to take risks and experiment in ways he wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing on his personal machine. In CYB 780, for example, students worked with vulnerable applications and could simulate and execute attacks, analyze exploits, and understand how insecure code behaves in a live environment without endangering machines or networks. In CYB 703, the lab delivered even more complexity with a multi-VM network configuration, including systems behind firewalls and simulating enterprise network behavior.
“This allowed us to perform deep dives into network security, firewall configurations, and intrusion detection in a hands-on, highly visual way,” he says. “It was like having access to a small enterprise test environment from anywhere. This freedom gave me the confidence to try different exploit paths, misconfigure things on purpose, and better understand how security flaws behave in practice. It also deepened my understanding of remediation, being able to fix what I broke, test again, and see the results firsthand. That kind of experiential learning reinforced software and network security concepts far more effectively than theory alone. In CYB 703, the same principle applied to network environments. We had firewalled VMs, weak or exposed systems, and different configuration layers to test against. Tracing traffic, manipulating rules, or testing offensive tools in a safe sandbox helped me build both defensive and offensive skills very realistically.”
One of the Virtual Lab’s many advantages is the ability to save your work between sessions. If you need to log out while working on an assignment or project, you can log back in later and continue where you left off.
Most of the assignments that require the Virtual Lab “stack,” meaning that concepts you learn in early assignments lay the foundation for bigger projects later on. In essence, the knowledge and skills you gain will continue to build momentum throughout your courses. And because you can save all of your work, you can look back at past assignments for help with future projects, including projects you may have on the job.
“The lab was incredibly useful in supporting both my job and ongoing research,” Tyler adds. “I was able to explore real-world software vulnerabilities and exploits, which directly informed my work in software security, secure coding standards, and vulnerability analysis. Being able to test and observe how insecure configurations or code could be exploited gave me practical insight into why secure design and implementation matter. This hands-on experience supported my research into static and dynamic analysis tools, security testing methods, and secure development practices. The lab provided a safe and controlled environment to try out techniques and tools that I later evaluated or applied in professional settings.”
The Virtual Lab is built into each program’s learning resource management system, which means you’ll receive credentials to enter the lab as soon as you’re enrolled in a course. These credentials remain active for the duration of the program.
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The lab is central to over a dozen UW Online Collaboratives degree programs, and its use isn’t exclusive to just cybersecurity concepts. While some programs might use the lab for one course, others use it for about 75 percent of their courses. However, students in different degree programs don’t cross paths—targeted environments have been built for each, ensuring all students’ needs are met.
“If you’re someone who learns best by doing, the Virtual Lab will be one of your favorite parts of the program,” Tyler says. “It’s not just a supplement to the coursework; it’s a core part of the learning experience. These courses go beyond theory and push you to apply what you learn in realistic environments that simulate the challenges you’ll face in the field.”
“What stood out to me was how accessible and low-barrier the lab made everything. You don’t need a powerful machine or to be a sysadmin to get started; everything is ready to use, allowing you to dive right into the content. If you’re juggling work, school, and life, that kind of streamlined setup is invaluable. The Virtual Lab environment reflects the reality of modern cybersecurity work. Isolated test environments, virtual machines, containerized applications, and simulated networks are all part of how today’s teams operate securely. Getting comfortable with that model in school sets you up for success post-graduation. It’s not just helpful—it’s a realistic and valuable preparation for what’s next.”
Are you interested in cybersecurity and learning the practical skills you need to excel on the job in a hands-on, virtual environment like the Virtual Lab? Find out more about our program and its many benefits by emailing learn@uwex.wisconsin.edu or calling 608-800-6762.