Cybersecurity Programs

It is well-known that there is a huge, urgent, and growing unmet need for cybersecurity professionals in the United States—209,000 in a recent Bureau of Labor study. Cisco, the worldwide leader in information technology and networking puts the number at one million jobs world-wide. New students, as well as those already in the tech field, are flooding into cybersecurity education programs with the growing realization that expertise in information security can also mean a substantial bump in pay.  What is sometimes less understood is that cybersecurity is a concept that touches many disciplines and requires many diverse job skills. Students are increasingly asking "what will a job in cybersecurity look like for me?"

On Friday, April 28, 2017, Garrett College staff and faculty in the Cybersecurity and Network Administration programs invited cybersecurity professionals from several local organizations to address students’ questions about what to expect from their careers, and how to make the most of the opportunities out there. For the second "Cybersecurity Industry Expert Day" lunch and learn, students in these Garrett College IT Associate of Applied Sciences (A.A.S.) and Certificate programs heard professionals speak about employer expectations, job requirements, and ways to make themselves stand out as they compete in this rapidly evolving job market. This year, Trey Clark, CISSP, Associate Partner, Cyber & Biometrics at IBM’s Rocket Center facility and his colleague, Cecelia Schartiger, a Compliance Officer for IBM’s highly-secured cloud environment for U.S. government clients, provided some insight into their employer’s particular needs. High on the list of requirements, Clark noted, is the necessity that candidates have passed crucial certification exams. Achievement of these professional "certs" in various essential areas of cybersecurity proves that an individual has the knowledge and specialization to work with a variety of hardware, software and networks. Common certifications acknowledged by employers as critical include Security +, Network +, A +, and Linux +, all of which are covered in the Cybersecurity curriculum at Garrett College. The classes that prepare students for each of these certifications culminate in the certification exam as the final. Clark further stressed that IBM requires that individuals have passed the Security+ exam for employment, as such certification indicates to employers that they are able to detect and mitigate the many types of cyber threats present in today’s technological environment.

IBM Compliance Officer Cecelia Schartiger enlightened students as to the many areas of cybersecurity creating new jobs in industry today, and the value of diverse educational and experiential background in successfully filling those positions. Schartiger explained that her own academic background and preparation includes an undergraduate teaching degree from Frostburg State University and subsequent teaching experience in the public school setting, as well as an understanding of cybersecurity concepts and technology from an online course at Allegany College of Maryland.

Nathaniel Watkins, Chief Information Officer at the Garrett County Department of Technology and Communication (DoTCom) and Garrett College alumnus, moved forward with that theme by encouraging students in the program to "do what you love." Finding a way to parlay your passion for a particular discipline or topic into an expertise in the technology that impacts that field in today’s world can turn into a successful career in cybersecurity. He used as an example a student’s passion for automobiles intersecting with cybersecurity through learning the expertise required to secure the operating systems that run today’s vehicles. He also stressed the importance of thinking with an entrepreneurial mind and selling your technological strengths. He strongly agreed that certifications play an important role in moving forward in the field of information security.

Finally, Shawn Sisler, owner of Western MD Defense Systems, LLC, government defense contractor, addressed the process for obtaining various levels of US government security clearances, increasingly required for certain government and defense industry jobs. He defined security clearance or "eligibility for access" and described the difference between clearances and the levels of classified information based on their criticality to national interests. Especially illuminating to many students, he dispelled some of the myths associated with what is the actual criteria for obtaining a security clearance, stressing that accuracy and honesty are key in determining how far an individual will get in the process. He further noted that there is no determinative set of guidelines, and that each case is investigated and treated individually, but highlighted several red flags related to behavior and circumstance. A one-credit online course, Introduction to Security Clearances and Background Checks, covering the subject matter in greater depth will be offered during the summer session at Garrett College. Students had the opportunity to ask questions of each cybersecurity professional with respect to the topics presented, as well as to gain tips on interviewing and creating a striking resume.

Individuals interested in pursuing an education in cybersecurity at Garrett College or to register for the Intro to Security Clearances and Background Checks course for the summer session are encouraged to contact the Garrett College Office of Admissions office at 301-387-3044, or to email Jill Horner, TAACCCT grant coordinator for the Cybersecurity program, at jill.horner@garrettcollege.edu.

On Thursday, April 27, 2017, Garrett College hosted a training event in collaboration with partner First United Bank that simulated a cybersecurity incident, using a device called a Virtual Table Top exercise (VTTX). The exercise was offered by the Integrated Emergency Management Branch of Department of Homeland Security (DHS)/Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)/Emergency Management Institute, and was just one of a series of monthly exercises using a video teleconference platform to reach community-based training audiences around the country and provide a virtual forum for disaster training. Several other organizations from the Garrett County community sent representatives to participate or simply observe the exercise. The college’s partner in the exercise, First United Bank, acted as the facilitator and sponsored a buffet lunch for all parties prepared by Goehringer’s Catering.  In all, roughly twenty individuals from First United Bank, Garrett County Department of Technology and Communications (DoTCom), Garrett County Community Action, a visiting cybersecurity professor from Allegany College of Maryland, as well as faculty, staff and students from Garrett College attended the round-table event, held in the Mac lab classroom of the Cybersecurity suite. The goal of the exercise was to raise awareness of cyber risk management, cyber-related planning, and other issues related to cyber incident prevention, protection, and response.

The VTTX contained three multi-media, facilitated modules, each one designed to simulate a separate stage of a cyber-threat incident. A half-hour offline discussion session at each of the participating locations followed the presentation of each module of the scenario, with the individual locations coming back online to present their responses for the entire VTTX group before moving to the next module. Module One/’Preparation’ focused on establishing cyber incident response capabilities and preventing cyber incidents. Module Two/’Detection and Analysis’ focused on identifying initial indicators of a cyber-incident, as well as analyzing and validating the incident. Module Three/’Containment, Eradication, and Recovery’ focused on limiting damage from the incident and remediation actions.  The round table format of the room facilitated and resulted in a “no-fault” learning environment where the varied levels of knowledge, capabilities, plans, systems, and policies were shared between members of each organization. All participants agreed that the value of sharing knowledge that impacts every industry and discipline in such a dynamic technological climate -- regardless of the size of the network-- is immeasurable, and one significant outcome of the exercise was the consensus that more local and regional collaboration within the information technology industry is desired. The exercise concluded with a ‘hot wash’ discussion of the ideas and issues that emerged from the event. Participants and the facilitators completed feedback forms to assist the EMI VTTX program manager compile an After Action Report (AAR) which participants will receive for review upon completion. This was the first such FEMA VTTX attended by all participants aside from First United Bank, and all members of the exercise were able to recognize both strengths and opportunities for remediation in their organizations’ current cyber hygiene regimen.

More information about the FEMA-Emergency Management Institute series of Virtual Table Top Exercises can be found at: https://training.fema.gov/programs/emivttx.aspx.

Staff and faculty from two Western Maryland colleges recently attended the third annual Community College Cyber Summit, held July 22 through July 24, 2016 at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pittsburgh, Pa. The event, known as 3CS, is devoted to expanding the role of community colleges in cybersecurity education. Since its inception in 2005, the National CyberWatch Center (CyberWatch), headquartered at Prince George’s Community College, is the organizing force behind the creation of 3CS.

In partnership with five other Advanced Technological Education (ATE) centers funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) which focus on cybersecurity, CyberWatch established 3CS to meet the perceived need for a national academic conference that focuses exclusively on cybersecurity education at the community college level. Community colleges are increasingly aware of the growing demand for a workforce prepared to secure and protect our nation’s computer networks from cyber threats, and to respond to and investigate computer security breaches. 3CS encourages community collaboration to address the institutions’ evolving role in educating and training students for that preparedness. Faculty, administrators, students, and other stakeholders in community college education, are invited and encouraged to attend the yearly event. This year’s summit, hosted at the Community College of Allegheny County in Pa., in the “Silicon Valley of the East,” featured more than 60 cybersecurity-related workshops and presentations during the three-day event, along with a series of roundtables and interesting vendor exhibits.

Pictured from left to right are: Dr. Bob Spear, 3CS Chair and National CyberWatch Senior Advisor; Dr. Qing Yuan, Director of of Business, Information Technology and Engineering at Garrett College; Jill Horner, Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) Cybersecurity Grant Coordinator at Garrett College;  Richard Soderman, Lead Cybersecurity Professor at Allegany College of Maryland; Richard Lewis, Assistant Professor of Computer Science at Garrett College; and Kristi Smith, Associate Professor of Computer Technology and TAACCCT Cybersecurity Project Director at Allegany College of Maryland.

Garrett College, as a partner in a consortium with 13 other Maryland community colleges, led by Montgomery College, has been awarded a Trade Adjustment Assistance Community College and Career Training (TAACCCT) grant for $448,959, over four years. A total of 14 community colleges in Maryland will benefit from the $14,957,899 in funding to support job-driven training programs. The funding is part of the TAACCCT competitive grant program, which is co-administered by the Department of Labor and Department of Education.

Vice President Biden, Secretary Thomas E. Perez, and Secretary Arne Duncan announced the winners of $450 million in job-driven training grants going to nearly 270 community colleges across the country. Maryland is a national center of cybersecurity with over 130,000 IT jobs–49% above the national average–yet many workers find these careers difficult to enter.

The grant will support the Cyber Technology Pathways Across Maryland (CPAM) project which is directed toward significantly increasing the number of pathways leading to employment in cybersecurity or closely related fields, where this is a critical shortage of workers.

The TAACCCT grant will enable Garrett College to expand existing AAS degree programs and offer new training programs. “The new certification programs offered in Continuing Education and Workforce Development will enable students to earn various industry recognized credentials or certifications. The training will be designed to meet the needs of students new to Cyber Technology as well as enhance employability for individuals who have already earned an AAS or BS degree,” says Carol Mowbray Brooks, Director of Workforce Development and Adult Education. “The Health Information Technology training program will expand job opportunities for individuals wishing to enter the Allied Health field or expand their knowledge and employability.”

With support from grant funding, Garrett College will provide a continuum of training (both noncredit and credit) ranging from basic skills through coursework leading to an Associate in Applied Science degree in Cybersecurity. Health Information Technology will be a new certificate program. The college will also upgrade and expand its PearsonVue testing center to facilitate certification testing for CPAM project participants, and work with local business partners to provide job shadowing, internship, and possible employment opportunities.

The grant also provides funding to support curriculum development, student recruitment and advising, and faculty/instructor professional development, acquisition of equipment and supplies, and project management and administration. The grant will also cover costs associated with hiring the temporary (contractual) personnel needed to carry out the CPAM project. These include a program coordinator, a part-time instructor, and a testing center administrator.

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