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Explore the successful implementation of an Information Assurance Center, bridging academia and industry in cybersecurity education. Learn how the IAC facilitates student-employer connections, knowledge sharing, and real-world projects. Discover the key components, financial structure, and activities of the IAC.
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March 2005 FISSEA IA Community Outreach Jeff Recor Director, IAC
Discussion Points • Enhancing the Educational Experience • Nuts and Bolts • Example Clients
A Little Knowledge … Symantec, 2004
Private Sector Viewpoint: • Needs include: • Practitioners (technical) • Analysts (non-technical) • Management • Method to properly evaluate experience and credentials • Certifications not representative of need • Experience, experience, experience
Academia Viewpoint: • Need to create content that is current (valuable) • Need to enable students to compete for jobs in marketplace • Lack of instructors • Lack of textbooks • Lack of standards • Don’t want to compete with “boot camps”
The “Gap” • Employers do not see academia producing security practitioners • Knowledge is still “theoretical” • Additional training needed to make student “functional” after hiring • Perception is that we produce “analysts” • Academia not getting clear signals about needs from employers • No “connection point” • Market data tough to come by
Enhancing Educational Experience • Walsh College addressed this “gap” by creating the IAC: Information Assurance Center • Model is based on “pay” for services approach • Leverage students desire for “hands-on” with employers need for “bodies” • Managed like a profit center • Reporting structure supports mission
IAC Focus • Information Assurance Center • Directs all efforts for IA at College • Works by subscription model • Offers faculty expertise, student projects and general assistance for subscribers • Knowledge repository for all IA topics • Lab facilities will be utilized for forensic and specialized client requests in conjunction with student needs
Nuts and Bolts • What does the IAC do: • Connects students with employers: • Projects • Research • Direct employment • Connects students with the community: • Work with non-profits • Help solve problems for citizens • Support local professional organizations (ISSA, ISACA, etc) • Presentations to K-12
Nuts and Bolts • Main goal is to share knowledge ! http://www.walshcollege.edu/pages/846.asp
Nuts and Bolts • How does the IAC do it? • Support Structure • Director, Assistant Director reports to President • Separate financials • Additional sales support (corporate services structure) • Shared infrastructure (servers, web site, etc) • Marketing • Students create & maintain support infrastructure • Created IAC knowledge repository • Create client content • Managed by professors
Nuts and Bolts • Financials • Revenue generation • Three tiers of support • Marketing support also allowed • Can pay from $500 to $25,000 to “join” • Marketing sponsorships cost $7,500 • Costs: • Marketing • Salaries • Break-even model
Nuts and Bolts • Knowledge Repository • Information is tiered for sharing • Non-members (everyone) • Access depends on subscription level • Clients consent… • Students consent… • Information collected from all sources • Projects • Capstones • Individual assignments
Colleges & Universities Membership Alliances Articulation Appointment Certifying Bodies Industry Government
Infrastructure Support • Newsletter • Global Threat Alert System • Knowledge repository • Security Job Portal • IAC Member Help Desk (email) • IAC member Chat • FBI Infragard Listserv • State of Michigan ISAC
Types of Activities • Connecting Students with Employers: • Typical stuff • Requests for research • Requests for short term projects • Requests for long term projects • Not so typical stuff • Work with FBI • Help the Army with DITSCAP • Private sector projects
Examples of IAC Work • Risk Assessment for Valassis • State of Michigan Employee training • THAW Fund Posture Review • Route One executive training • Budd Co Policy development • GM Hacking video • K-12 Cyber Awareness