HARRISBURG, PA – Did you know that October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month? This observance began in 2004 thanks to a partnership between the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Cyber Security Alliance (NCSA).
Recognizing the challenges of a globalized, interconnected world, and the increasing difficulty of safeguarding data within the academic, governmental, industrial, and medical communities, Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a global campaign that raises awareness of emerging cyber threats and provides a platform for developing a stronger collective defense against bad actors, complacency, and outdated cyber infrastructure.
Harrisburg University of Science and Technology (HU) observed this important annual occasion throughout the month of October – including new publications, interviews, and a well-attended Cybersecurity Summit. Let’s take a look!
HU Faculty Attend NSA Cybersecurity Education Conference
This month, Paul Roos, HU’s Associate Vice President of Workforce Development, and Dr. Bruce Young, Program Lead and Instructor of Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Graduate Studies, attended the 2024 National Cybersecurity Education Colloquium in St. Louis, Missouri.
In addition to panels, workshops, and networking opportunities, the conference featured a Designation Ceremony, during which Mr. Roos and Dr. Young formally accepted, on behalf of Harrisburg University, the Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) designation awarded earlier this year by the National Security Agency (NSA).
“It was truly a privilege to represent Harrisburg University at the National Cybersecurity Education Colloquium,” said Mr. Roos. “Dr. Young and I had the unique opportunity to personally meet with many of the federal leaders who recently awarded Harrisburg University the Center of Academic Excellence designation. This welcome recognition is both inspiring and motivating as the University continues to emphasize its ongoing commitment to creating the workforce of the future.”
Dr. Young added, “It is an honor to highlight Harrisburg University’s significant achievements. This recognition, which reflects the University’s commitment to excellence in cybersecurity education, is a testament to our leadership team including provost, Dr. Kevin Purcell, and president, Dr. Eric Darr. This achievement underscores Harrisburg University’s dedication to preparing students for today’s digital landscape challenges. By aligning with the NSA-CAE’s rigorous standards, we are enhancing the region’s cybersecurity capabilities and equipping our students with cutting-edge skills that drive innovation and secure the future of Pennsylvania.”
Dr. Bruce Young Addresses Cyberattack on America’s Largest Water Utility
On Thursday, October 3, 2024, American Water learned of a cyber incursion carried out against its computer systems and networks. The company, which has been in business since 1886, supplies water to over 14 million people across 14 states. Like other utility companies, American Water faces pressure – from regulators, increased demand, outdated technologies, and cyberattacks – to update and modernize its infrastructure.
Dr. Bruce Young joined FOX43 hosts Evan Forrester and Alyssa Kratz to shed some light on the incident and let viewers know what’s at stake.
“Attacks on critical infrastructure are starting to become more common,” said Dr. Young. “It’s not a threat to the water supply; it’s a threat to your personal account information.”
The Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission emphasized the need for robust cybersecurity practices among water utilities following the 2023 cyberattack on the Municipal Water Authority of Aliquippa. The attack targeted operational technology and demonstrated the vulnerability of critical water infrastructure.
“Be vigilant. Watch your credit,” FOX43’s Alyssa Kratz reminded viewers. “If you receive any kind of communication from American Water or any other company that could have your personal information, make sure you’re calling the company and confirming they really sent it and that it’s not a scam.”
You can watch the entire interview at FOX43.
Jessica Hoffman Moderates “CISO Stories” Podcast
On October 15, Jessica Hoffman, Corporate Faculty for HU’s Master of Science in Computer Scienceprogram and Deputy CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) for the City of Philadelphia, moderated the latest episode of the “CISO Stories” podcast. She was joined by guest Dustin Sachs, Chief Technologist and Senior Director of Programs at CyberRisk Collaborative.
This installment of “CISO Stories” focused on cognitive bias and how it can impact an individual’s and team’s decision-making process. The episode explored the ways in which human cognitive biases inform our behavior and potentially make us less safe – from institutional decisions regarding vendor or tool selection to individual web browsing or even the route we take to visit the grocery store. It’s a fascinating glimpse into human blind spots – underscoring the importance of inter-disciplinary cooperation, remembering that a given credential will not necessarily keep your data safe online, and applying risk-based thinking to decisions large and small.
Jessica Hoffman holds the Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP) certification and has nearly two decades of experience in IT and cybersecurity across government and private sectors. In addition to teaching at Harrisburg University and Pennsylvania State University, she is a national speaker and actively participates in organizations that develop future cybersecurity professionals.
You can watch the entire episode on YouTube.
Lisa Schlosser Co-Authors Report for IBM’s “Future Shocks” Initiative
Lisa Schlosser, Corporate Faculty for HU’s Cybersecurity Operations & Management BS program, has published a detailed report entitled, “Preparing Governments for Future Shocks: Building Cyber Resilience for Critical Infrastructure Protection.”
The report was created in partnership with IBM’s Center for the Business of Government and supported the “Future Shocks” international roundtable series. Featuring practical and inter-disciplinary discussions with government, business, nonprofit, and technology leaders from across the world, “Future Shocks” is focused on several key priority areas, including Emergency Preparedness and Response, Cybersecurity, Supply Chain, Sustainability, Workforce Skills, and International Cooperation. Co-authors included IBM’s Cristina Caballe, Daniel J. Chenok, and David Zaharchuk, and Teresa W. Gerton of the National Academy of Public Administration.
According to IBM, “the report presents challenges, best practices, and opportunities for strong cyber protections … cyber resilience is crucial for protecting critical infrastructure, which includes essential services from the energy grid to clean water distribution. These systems are increasingly targeted by cyberattacks. Cyber resilience involves not only robust cybersecurity measures to prevent attacks but also the ability to quickly detect, respond to, and recover from incidents. By enhancing cyber resilience, governments can safeguard critical systems, support the reliable functioning of vital services even in the face of crises, and help build and maintain public trust.”
“Government leaders increasingly indicate that what were previously viewed as Black Swan events are now becoming more frequent – and more destabilizing – shocks,” the report states. “The past several years saw acceleration toward a connected world where physical goods and digital services are increasingly interdependent. The vulnerability of social and economic well-being has increased due to reliance on connectivity and distributed value chains subject to disruption on multiple fronts.”
The full report is available on IBM’s Business of Government blog. To learn even more about the “Future Shocks” initiative and its impact on academic, business, and regulatory priorities, be sure to explore IBM’s “Business of Government Hour” podcast.
Harrisburg University Hosts Ninth Annual Cybersecurity Summit 2024
On October 2–3, Harrisburg University collaborated with the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Information Technology Office of Administration and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) to host the ninth-annual Cybersecurity Summit. This was a hybrid event, welcoming over 350 in-person attendees and more than 500 total registrants. A total of 54 speakers from government and the private sector attended.
The Summit brings together cyber experts from diverse disciplines to explore best practices in protecting the confidentiality of data entrusted to the government and other public and private stakeholders and featured compelling discussions about upcoming technologies, case studies, and abundant resources for educational institutions as well as local and state governments across PA.
Each day included an opening plenary session, panel discussions and presentations, and networking opportunities. The learning tracks for this year’s summit included, “Preparing for and Responding to Cyber Attacks,” “Cyber Pro Technical Workshop,” “Cyber Threats and Solutions,” and “Innovations in Cybersecurity.”
To highlight the growing need for cybersecurity professionals throughout Pennsylvania and beyond, this was also the first year in which the Summit featured a Cybersecurity Career Fair. High-school students and instructors from the region, including Carlisle Area School District, were also in attendance.
Harrisburg University thanks the following sponsors for helping to bring the event to life:
- Platinum Sponsors: Accenture, Deloitte, VMWare
- Gold Sponsors: KPMG, Unisys
- Silver Sponsors: Cisco, Crowdstrike, ePlus, Zscaler
- CCAP Annual Sponsors: Accenture, Appalachia Technologies, Arctic Wolf, Aspire, CDW, CiviLink, Cost Savings Consult/Collective Intelligence, Crowdstrike, ePlus, Fortinet, GDC IT, Motorola Solutions, Palo Alto Networks, Inc., RSA Security, Rubrik, Sentinel One, Tanium, Tek Systems, Varonis, Zscaler
“Harrisburg University is proud to host the annual Cybersecurity Summit along with our partners, the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania,” said Charlie Gerhards, Executive Director of the Government Technology Institute at Harrisburg University. “The impressive increase in attendance each year demonstrates the value of the Summit across academia, industry, the community, and publicly accountable bodies.”
A well-attended and well-received event, feedback from attendees was overwhelmingly positive. “The event was extremely well coordinated,” one visitor wrote. “The audience was engaged, and the other speakers were great. I really enjoyed the opening panel discussion. It was an honor to be included in such a wonderful event! Thank you!”
Mike Sage, COIO for CCAP, added, “We are thrilled with the success of the recent Cybersecurity Summit, which showcased the importance of collaboration across all levels of government and education in the Commonwealth. As we celebrate our achievements, it is crucial that we continue to work together as a unified force. Long-term funding for local/county governments remains a key priority to ensure sustained progress in our cybersecurity efforts. Together, we can build a safer digital environment for all.”
Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a reminder that everyone has a role to play in protecting digital assets. Harrisburg University once again thanks each of the sponsors, speakers, contributors, authors, and attendees who worked together to amplify this timely message and make this Cybersecurity Awareness Month such a resounding success!
ABOUT HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY
Harrisburg University is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a private, nonprofit university offering bachelor’s and graduate degree programs in the fields of science, technology, and mathematics. For additional information about the University’s affordable, demand-driven undergraduate and graduate programs, please call 717.901.5146 or email Connect@HarrisburgU.edu. Stay updated by following Harrisburg University on X, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.
