Missoula’s New Cybersecurity Center and How it Could Benefit You

If your job is like mine, you are seeing more and more fraudulent emails, trying to hack into my account, and subsequently place my employer at risk.

CYBERMONTANA CELEBRATES OPENING

Cyber creeps continue to get more clever, and the University of Montana is ramping up its defenses, at the same time offering a lot of beneficial services and training.

UM News Service tells us that University of Montana-based CyberMontana will celebrate the opening of its student-operated Security Operations Center with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Tuesday, October 27. Events will run from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m. in Missoula College Room 023 and are free and open to the public. Remarks will begin at 9:30 a.m. 

Housed within the Cybersecurity Policy and Training Academy, the Security Operations Center connects hands-on student learning with cybersecurity services for Montana communities. Powered by Blackfoot Communications, the center will provide practical experience monitoring networks, analyzing cyber threats and identifying suspicious activity.

THE MISSION STATEMENT

"CyberMontana is a statewide, Legislature-funded cybersecurity workforce development program delivering security awareness training and education to Montana's businesses, adults, and students - strengthening cybersecurity across the state."

Through this work, students help strengthen community cybersecurity while developing the skills needed to enter the workforce. The center supports CyberMontana’s efforts to prepare cybersecurity professionals and expand communities’ capacity to protect their networks and critical systems.

CyberMontana's offerings include:

>Security Awareness Training - Best practices in computer and network security for businesses, organizations, and individuals.

>Workforce Development Programs - Certificate and degree options for those entering the cybersecurity field or advancing their careers.

>K-12 Cyber Education - Cyber STEM summer camps, dual enrollment courses, and classroom resources for high school and middle school students.

>Community Cyber Clinics - Free public events to help Montanans secure their devices, accounts, and data.

>Customized Training - Tailored security awareness programs to meet the needs of specific industries and organizations.

There's lots more CyberMontana information available that could be of use and interest to you in the expanded UM News Service press release available here.