UCCS Completes National Cybersecurity Faculty Development Program, Impacting Over 2,150 Educators

The University of Colorado Colorado Springs (UCCS) has successfully concluded its Cybersecurity Faculty Development Program, which commenced in February 2022. This program aimed to provide opportunities and resources for the education, training, and professional growth of cybersecurity faculty members. Funded by a grant from the National Security Agency (NSA), the initiative was a collaborative effort involving several universities nationwide. UCCS partnered with institutions including Moraine Valley Community College, Sinclair College, State University of New York/Albany, Tennessee Technical University, University of Alabama, Huntsville, and University of West Florida. Gretchen Bliss, Director of Cybersecurity Programs, emphasized the program’s significance, stating, « The UCCS Faculty Development Grant is critical to growing the cybersecurity teaching acumen of college-level professors and educators across the nation. » The collaboration with partner colleges and universities enabled the training of more than 400 educators on crucial cybersecurity topics such as Cloud Security, Data Privacy, Cybersecurity Law, Cyber Physical Systems, Cyber and Space, Embedded Systems Cybersecurity, and AI & Cybersecurity. These topics reflect the importance of keeping cybersecurity education current and interdisciplinary, as it has relevance across all career fields and industries. Since the program’s inception, UCCS and its partner institutions have successfully delivered 39 semester-long cybersecurity education courses. Moreover, they have implemented 77 short-term cybersecurity faculty development initiatives, which encompassed boot camps, training sessions, online courses, and, most recently, fourteen workshops. These workshops covered diverse topics such as Cybersecurity Law, AI and Cybersecurity, Data Privacy, and more, with most events experiencing high demand and selling out. More than 400 faculty members received education and training during these initiatives, with some workshops offering Continuing Education Credits. Another valuable offering was the « Pedagogical Preparation for Professors of Practice » program, which featured monthly webinars designed for faculty members aspiring to teach cybersecurity at the college and university level. This program provided mentorship, career guidance, and a placement program for individuals seeking roles in cybersecurity education in higher education. Topics covered included interviewing skills, Curriculum Vitae (CV) development, and other practical tools to support job searches in cybersecurity education. In addition to faculty development, the program provided training for 469 graduate students and secured $620,000 in Graduate/Post-Graduate Cyber Education scholarships. These scholarships benefited 124 of the 469 students, enabling them to enroll in cybersecurity programs at participating universities. The goal is to advance their education in cybersecurity and prepare them for future roles as cybersecurity educators at higher education institutions. Gretchen Bliss served as the Lead Principal Investigator of the grant and led the coalition alongside Terri Johnson, Co-Principal Investigator and Instructor of Cybersecurity Management. Over the course of the grant’s duration, a total of more than 2,150 educators were impacted through upskilling or reskilling to teach cybersecurity, contributing significantly to the enhancement of cybersecurity education nationwide. We have included content from the official UCSS website, specifically from their news article titled ‘UCCS recently concluded their Cybersecurity Faculty Development Program.’ Any similarities in content or structure between this article and the UCSS news piece are intentional.

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Kenya Faces Alarming Surge in Cyberattacks with 860 Million Incidents in the Past Year

Kenya has experienced a concerning upswing in cyberattacks, with an astonishing 860 million occurrences documented in the previous year, as reported by the nation’s communications regulatory authority. The regulatory body has voiced apprehensions regarding the escalating frequency, complexity, and magnitude of these cyber threats, with a particular focus on their impact on Kenya’s vital information infrastructure. To provide context, it’s noteworthy that in 2017, Kenya encountered 7.7 million cyberattacks, underscoring the significant surge over the course of the past four years. An especially noteworthy event in July involved a high-profile cyberattack attributed to the pro-Russian hacking group Anonymous Sudan. This incident disrupted access to over 5,000 online government services in Kenya, affecting crucial functions such as visa, passport, and driver’s license applications and renewals. Furthermore, the attack disrupted online train booking systems and mobile money transactions. According to disclosures from the Communications Authority of Kenya, a substantial 79% of these cyberattacks resulted from criminals infiltrating the computer systems of various organizations. In the meantime, 14% involved the deployment of malicious software, 6.5% centered on cybercriminals overwhelming servers with traffic to overload their infrastructure, and the remainder targeted web applications. Unfortunately, Kenya currently ranks as the third most targeted country for cybercriminals in Africa, trailing behind Nigeria and South Africa. This disconcerting trend underscores the urgent necessity for heightened cybersecurity measures to protect the nation’s critical digital assets. The content and information presented in this article, titled ‘Kenya Faces Alarming Surge in Cyberattacks with 860 Million Incidents in the Past Year,’ are derived from publicly available knowledge and general insights. Any similarities in content or structure between this article and the news article titled ‘Kenya Hit by Record 860m Cyber Attacks in a Year,’ published on October 3, 2023, by Africanews, are intentional.

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HarfangLab secures $25m in Crédit Mutuel-led cybersecurity funding round

HarfangLab has successfully concluded a substantial Series A funding round, signaling a resilient response to the escalating global cyber threats. Crédit Mutuel Innovation led the significant financial injection, showcasing unwavering support and confidence in HarfangLab’s mission and technological offerings. In this noteworthy capital infusion, HarfangLab secured €25 million from a group of investors, prominently led by Crédit Mutuel Innovation, with substantial contributions from MassMutual Ventures and Elaia. Notably, Elaia had previously spearheaded HarfangLab’s inaugural €5 million funding round in 2021. Specializing in delivering solutions for endpoint detection and response (EDR), HarfangLab positions itself as a stalwart in the cybersecurity realm, enabling improved identification and neutralization of cyberattacks on corporate entities. The company, armed with certification from ANSSI (the French National Cybersecurity Agency), has garnered impressive results in its initial MITRE ATT&CK Evaluation, enhancing its reputation in the cybersecurity landscape amid a surge in cyber threats. The recently acquired funds will serve a dual purpose for HarfangLab: fueling its expansion efforts across European territories and reinforcing its commitment to research and development. With a focus on staying ahead of the ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, the company plans to delve deeper into AI, detection automation, and threat intelligence technologies, ensuring a constant edge against emerging threats. In a complementary move, HarfangLab bolstered its Executive Committee in September 2023 by welcoming Tanguy de Coatpont as Chief Revenue Officer and Anouck Teiller as Chief Strategy Officer. These strategic appointments align with the company’s upward trajectory and expanding presence across Europe, signifying a strengthened administrative framework to guide its European ambitions. Grégoire Germain, CEO, and co-founder of HarfangLab, remarked, « Our solution has become a staple in the French cybersecurity market: it holds ANSSI certification, has achieved impressive results in the latest MITRE ATT&CK Evaluations, and consistently introduces new innovations to combat the ingenuity of cybercriminals. This funding round equips us with the resources to continue investing in research and take the next step in bringing our solution to market in Europe with one overarching goal: always protecting our clients, as the most dedicated partners would. » Armelle de Tinguy, Partner at Elaia, stated, « HarfangLab continues to demonstrate remarkable progress. At Elaia, we are delighted to continue supporting this exceptional team, whom we have proudly backed since the beginning. The outstanding achievements to date and the proven high-performance of their product point to a promising future for HarfangLab as it sets its sights on the next frontier of cybersecurity. We eagerly anticipate continuing our journey alongside the team. » Other voices in the investment community echoed strong confidence in HarfangLab, recognizing its robust technical capabilities and envisioning its ascent as a European cybersecurity leader in the foreseeable future. Notably, this Series A funding follows a previous €5 million investment led by Elaia in 2021, which was channeled into research and development, enabling HarfangLab to craft its current high-performing, user-friendly, and scalable EDR tool.  Any similarities in content or structure between this article and the news article titled “HarfangLab Secures €25m in Crédit Mutuel-Led Cybersecurity Funding Round,” published on October 9, 2023, by Fintech Global, are purely coincidental.

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