The university's Department of Professional Security Studies (DPSS) has started working with Cisco Systems and SHI International Corp. to add experiential, skills-based learning to its cybersecurity program, according to a recent news release. The DPSS website said the department offers a wide range of degrees and minors, from a doctorate in civil security leadership to a bachelor’s degree in cybersecurity to a minor in military science.
The school has been recognized as a center of academic excellence in cyber defense by the National Security Agency and in intelligence, or information gathering, by the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. However, the school’s website lists few cybersecurity outreach events in recent years, and these new partnerships aim to change that.
This fall and spring, SHI is sponsoring a series of applied cybersecurity competitions, including hackathons and “capture the flag” challenges, asking students to exploit vulnerabilities in simulated systems to locate hidden digital assets known as “flags.” The events will be hosted through NJCU’s Center for Cybersecurity but will be open to students throughout the area, including those from Hudson County Community College and Bergen Community College.
The Cisco agreement also grants the department access to the Splunk Technology platform, used to monitor networks, detect threats and analyze security data, along with advanced AI and cloud-based training tools. With these technologies, students will be trained on enterprise systems used by cybersecurity professionals, the news release said.
