In a world where new cyber threats constantly emerge, a new agreement between Saint Leo University and (ISC)2 will expand opportunities at the university in the arena of cybersecurity.
(ISC)2 is a nonprofit organization that primarily focuses on education and certification in the field of cybersecurity.
Saint Leo University has recently joined (ISC)2 in a Global Academic Partnership.
USF and Polk State College are other institutions in the region that also joined (ISC)2’s Global Academic Partnership.
(B.C. Manion/Staff Photo)
“This is one of the largest and most respected organizations that operates in this field,” said Dr. Vyas Krishnan, assistant professor of computer science at Saint Leo University.
“It’s sort of a gold standard,” he added, noting the organization boasts a membership of more than 110,000 cybersecurity professionals worldwide.
“They also offer some of the most highly respected certifications in the field of cybersecurity,” Krishnan said.
The university benefits because the partnership provides Saint Leo students access to educational modules and certification opportunities that (ISC)2 provides for professionals, he said.
“Since we are a Global Academic Partner, our faculty, ourselves would be providing workshops, seminars and training for some of those certifications,” Krishnan said.
That will enable Saint Leo students to work with the same faculty that they’ve been taking classes from at the university, he noted.
Additionally, the partnership will give students a chance to interact with working professionals, Krishnan said.
The cybersecurity field is constantly evolving, and it’s a field that offers significant employment opportunities, Krishnan said.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 37 percent increase in demand for cybersecurity specialists in the next 10 years, he added.
Jobs in this field pay well. Experts can earn from $75,000 to $125,000, with five to 10 years of experience, and the proper certifications, Krishnan said.
Many of the certifications required in job postings are certifications provided by (ISC)2, he noted.
Through the agreement, (ISC)2 will provide thousands of students and professionals across the states of Florida, Virginia and Georgia, and online students from across the country with the opportunity to gain knowledge, skills and certifications.
(ISC)2 also sees a benefit by partnering with Saint Leo, because working professionals must earn continuing professional education credits to keep their certifications current.
Another benefit is that through interactions between the university, the working professionals and the (ISC)2 consortium, knowledge can be shared in the evolving field, Krishnan said.
The interactions will provide a broad view, and raise awareness about emerging threats and new ways to mitigate them.
Cyber criminals are constantly coming up with new ways to steal data or stymie systems.
“The frequency is going up. Cyber criminals are becoming more sophisticated,” Krishnan said.
At the same time, companies and organizations recognize that steps must be taken to ensure that data is protected.
“Upper management has fully realized the gravity of the situation, how important it is to protect the assets because there could be legal implications and there could be financial implications, reputation hits, things of that nature,” Krishnan said. “The ramifications are huge.”
The cybersecurity profession is highly technical, Krishnan said. But he added: “It’s also challenging and exciting.
“It’s a lot of cat-and-mouse kind of games.
“You can see the tracks that they leave behind. You can see how they’re impacting your network, but you cannot see the person. A lot of times, you may not even know where they’re located.”
Published November 4, 2015
