Countering Cybersecurity Threats: Career Training, a New Report and Community Education

Cybersecurity Awareness Month in October was met with three major initiatives involving San Diego State University students, faculty and staff: a cybersecurity skills development program for students, the release of a major cybersecurity report and a new campaign with individual and campus security in mind. 

At the end of September, more than 70 students, faculty and staff participated in SDSU-HAIKU Cybersecurity Gameplay, a partnership between the university and Haiku, a San Diego-based company dedicated to game-based training to teach hands-on, real-world cybersecurity skills that ultimately lead to careers in cybersecurity. 

“All of our critical infrastructure in the U.S. has some sort of network connectivity, whether localized or connected to the Internet. It could be water coming through your faucet, gas being pumped down the street or the electricity you're using at work — something in that process is connected to the internet at some point,” said SDSU Homeland Security student Henry M., the SDSU Cyber Security and Intelligence Club treasurer, who participated in the event. 

“There is such a lack of people qualified in protecting those types of networks, so that is where programs like these come into play,” he said. 

Days later, and through a different partnership, SDSU was part of the team that launched a new report related to the cybersecurity industry in San Diego.  

The Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) and San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC) released the 2023 cybersecurity report, the fifth update since 2014, quantifying the economic impact of the region’s cybersecurity cluster. The report also explored the firms, technology and talent working to help thwart cyber risk across San Diego and beyond.

“The CCOE report demonstrates the remarkable growth of cybersecurity's economic impact on San Diego, the exceptional career opportunities, and the challenge of amplifying our region's unique and diverse talent pipeline,” said Jerry Sheehan, Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer, a report co-author.

In partnership with CCOE and EDC, the report was sponsored by SDSU, Haiku and cybersecurity companies Booz Allen Hamilton, CyberCatch, ESET and RiskRecon. The report indicates that cyber is both an important and rapidly growing sector in the San Diego region and has a total economic impact of 26,000 jobs and $4 billion to the regional economy – and the demand for jobs and security-informed protections are increasing.

“Our most urgent need in the area is collaborative paid internships for students with private and public sector partners,” Sheehan said. “SDSU is working on a framework for a cybersecurity residency for students, with the hope being that we can create a clear pathway from the classroom to career and, by giving them their first job experience in San Diego, keep these essential knowledge workers in our region.” 

Among other offerings, SDSU has a suite of certificates and industry mentorship through the Cyber Tech Academy, and its partners in the Graduate Program in Homeland Security, in which cybersecurity is one of the leading issues addressed. Certificate programs are available for artificial intelligence, health care and ethical hacking. SDSU faculty have also integrated cybersecurity as a core competency in many technology-based programs across the curriculum.  

Also available is the Master of Science in Cybersecurity Management (MSCM) degree and Advanced Certificate in Cybersecurity Management from Management Information Systems (MIS), which train business professionals with the current knowledge and technical skills needed to develop organizational cybersecurity plans and risk management strategies. 

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month

During Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the Information Technology Division at SDSU has launched its annual monthlong campaign regarding cybersecurity and, throughout October, is providing information and tips to counter potential security breaches. Among the tips: 

• If you are unsure who sent an email to you, do not respond and do not click on any links or attachments found in that email. 
• Be cautious of generic greetings such as “Hello Bank Customer,” as these are often signs of phishing attempts. If you are concerned about the legitimacy of an email, report it directly to [email protected].
• Install and update antivirus software, and be sure to regularly update software, firewalls, email filters and antispyware.