a global reach, said he believed that cyber terrorism was the biggest immediate threat confronting nations as diverse as China and the U.S. Cyber espionage, cyber-crime and hacktivisim (when activists attack networks for political ends) already exist, said Kaspersky, who predicted that cyber terrorism will become a reality in the future.
U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron, talking at the London Cyber Conference, added to the growing chorus of world leaders sounding the cyber alarm. “We are here because international cyber security is a real and pressing concern” he said. “Let us be frank. Every day we see attempts on an industrial scale to steal government secrets— information of interest to nation states, not just commercial organizations.” In May 2011, Obama outlined the United States’ Internet Strategy for Cyberspace. The strategy focuses on increased Internet security, free expression protection, free trade, privacy safety, law enforcement’s battle against cybercrime and more. House Republicans have issued their own plan, which shares some common ground with the President’s.
The Obama administration is reviewing the Republicans’ recommendations, said White House spokeswoman Caitlin Hayden. “We remain committed to the passage of cyber security legislation, and look forward to working in a bipartisan, bicam- eral manner,” she said.
This chorus of concern occurring domestically and interna- tionally is also a rallying cry for a burgeoning career field. According to a recent CNN news report, the U.S. needs an estimated 20,000–30,000 more professionals with advanced of- fensive and defensive cyber skills.
Schools such as the University of Maryland University College (UMUC) now offer cyber security undergraduate and graduate degrees programs. At UMUC, students can pursue cyber security career paths to become cyber policy analysts, chief security officers, cyber security software engineers, digital forensics experts, information systems security administrators and more. Tennessee State University was recently awarded four grants totaling $1.3 million from the Department of Homeland Security and the National Science Foundation. The grants will support research and educational activities in the area of cyber security and incidence management, and also offer classes in computer security. The primary objective is to develop programs that prepare undergraduate and graduate students at Tennessee State University, a historically Black college and university, who are majoring in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) for homeland security-related careers. “This award will enable TSU to provide students with the requisite skills and expertise needed to enter the homeland se-
www.blackengineer.com
curity workforce,” said Sachin Shetty, Ph.D., assistant professor in TSU’s Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering. “As we prepare to open the new TIGER Research lab, the timing couldn’t be better in terms of ensuring that both the capital and operational resources are in place to not only offer our students scholarships, but quality training for cyber security, incidence man- agement and other STEM-related high-skill, high-wage careers.” For five years, students, who are eligible to participate in the research, will receive hands on training in the area of cloud security as well as emergency response. The lab, scheduled for completion in spring 2012, will consist of TSU’s research cloud cluster that will be developed and maintained by the students, providing opportunities to perform research activities in the areas of cloud computing and security. They will also work to develop a system for the TSU Police Department to effectively manage responses to emergencies.
“We are here because
international cyber security is a real and pressing concern.” –—U.K. Prime Minister David Cameron
Shetty’s goal is to prepare students, using security at the University as platform, for beyond college. Through systems modeled after those used by the campus, he hopes to proactively address known and unknown threats to critical infrastructure, public safety and e-commerce.
Said Rogers, “This is a field that requires preparation but that has a wide range of impact.”
“It is definitely something that could and should be pro- moted in the community,” said Tamara Rogers, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Computer Science at Tennessee State University. She said some young people have become aware of this new field but efforts are needed to grow the numbers. She added that there’s a lag in becoming aware and having the skills to enter the market.
Money magazine listed work in the cyber security field as number eight in the top 50 jobs in 2009. Salaries range greatly depending on company, location, experience and benefits; however, the website Simply Hired states the average salary for cyber security jobs as $58,000.
USBE&IT I WINTER 2011 69
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