DEVELOPMENT OF A LABORATORY WORKSHOP ON ANALYSIS AND DETECTION OF RANKING PROGRAMS FOR CYBERSECURITY EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of insufficient practical training of cybersecurity students in analyzing and detecting ransomware, which remains one of the most dangerous and rapidly evolving types of malicious software. Modern ransomware samples employ advanced encryption mechanisms, extensive command-and-control infrastructures, built-in anti-analysis techniques, and capabilities for bypassing traditional security tools. Consequently, effective specialist training requires not only theoretical knowledge but also well-developed practical skills in using static and dynamic analysis tools, behavioral threat detection methods, models for classifying malicious activity, machine learning and deep learning techniques, as well as EDR and SIEM systems in the context of real cyber incidents. The purpose of the study is to develop a laboratory practicum that provides comprehensive immersion into the processes of ransomware analysis and detection, contributing to the formation of the professional competencies required in the field of cyber defense. The paper substantiates the structure and content of laboratory tasks covering the analysis of the ransomware attack lifecycle, investigation of behavioral characteristics of malicious processes, work with test datasets and dynamic environments, development of machine-learning-based detection algorithms, dataset creation and processing, and evaluation of model accuracy and robustness. The proposed practicum can be integrated into academic courses on cybersecurity, digital forensics, and malware analysis. The developed approach enhances the quality of professional training, strengthens the practical component of the educational process, and creates conditions for student research in modeling, analyzing, and countering modern cyber threats. The results may be applied in higher education institutions, professional training centers, and cyber ranges to deepen the practical competencies of future cybersecurity specialists.