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The Los Angeles chapter of ISACA is holding a Career Night on Tuesday, October 9th.
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Students will obtain hands-on coaching from professionals and hiring managers on
resume writing and interviewing techniques. We encourage students to
bring their resume and be prepared for an interactive session with good commentary
and fresh insights from experienced professionals, audit directors, and hiring managers.
I would appreciate you sharing this opportunity with your students.
Please register by Friday, October 5th, to get the early registration discount.
The dinner is "FREE" for full-time students and faculty that pre-register.
For more information on the event and registration, please visit
http://isacala.org/events/dinner-meetings/
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Mt. SAC Cybersecurity Defense Team Earns National Title
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The No. 2-ranked Mt. SAC team battled DePaul University, ranked No. 1.
Mt. San Antonio College has long been noted for its success in sports. For instance, the campus' football and soccer teams both have received national titles in recent years.
And now another of the community college's teams is hoisting a national championship trophy. Mt. SAC's cyber team on Sunday defeated DePaul University in the National Cyber League Championship match up held in Orlando, Fla. The championship was the culmination of the inaugural National Cyber League season in which around 30 teams from across the country competed for a chance at the title.
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By the end of an eight-hour battle that had both eight-member teams playing offense and defense, the second-ranked Mt. SAC had beaten the school at the top.
"DePaul was ranked No. 1 and Mt. SAC was No. 2, so it was nice that the No. 1 team faced off against the No. 2 team," said Chris Nila, team captain.
The cyber security competition involved the two teams trying to capture each other's flags and ward off attacks. Both were tasked with trying to break into the other team's system to steal fake social security numbers set up for the competition, call signs, and license plate numbers. Mt. SAC captured 16 of DePaul's 25. DePaul was not able to grab any of Mt. SAC's.
In previous competitions, the teams had played defense, but the championship called for them to play offense as well, Nila said.
Team member Philip Weniger competed for the first time in the championship and said the trip the day before had him wired.
"I was nervous on the flight there," he said. "I don't think I ever slept really well. I was still trying to go over everything."
Nila said the team was thrown a bit after arriving to find out that organizers had made some last minute rule changes. That forced the team to alter its strategy but the squad stayed calm and focused.
Brian Baligad said that the team developed a secret strategy that helped them secure the win.
"We basically did it the right way," he said. "Other teams will figure it out and it will be common knowledge, but for now, we keep it tight."
Last year, Mt. SAC received a $3 million four-year grant to establish and operate a CyberWatch West center from 2011 through 2015. The regional center, one of four in the country, will support CyberWatch West programs, including dealing with the shortage of workers in the network security field. Besides Mt. SAC, the CyberWatch West consortium includes Cal Poly, Cal State Dominguez Hills, Cal State San Bernardino, and Whatcom Community College in Washington.
The National Cyber League grew out of these centers, said Jaishri Mehta, CyberWatch West's director.
Both the Committee on National Security Systems and the National Security Agency have certified Mt. SAC's Computer Information Systems curriculum, citing that the college's program meets national standards for information systems security professionals. Mt. SAC is the first community college in the state and is among only a few two-year schools in the West to receive national certification.
"We beat DePaul, which is a private school," Mehta said. "It proves the kind of robust program we have here at Mt. SAC. Being a champion is very good, but the students' skill sets is what gets them to that level."
Jim Gau, Mt. SAC computer information systems professor and "proud" advisor to the team, agreed that what the students learn in the classroom gives them the foundation they need to perform well during the competitions. They take what they do in class to a whole other level in competition, he said.
"It prepares you as a nice cook. You learn how to put the ingredients together to make a nice dish," he said. "This competition makes them like 'Iron Chef.'"
Taken from the "Walnut Patch"
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Summer US Cyber Challenge Camps for Students
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This summer two US Cyber Challenge camps will be held at Cal Poly Pomona July 16-20 and August 6-10. Students will need to score well in an on-line competition to receive an invitation for the camp.
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USCC Summer Camps feature one week of specialized cyber security training that includes workshops, a job fair, and a culminating "Capture the Flag" competition. The workshops are led by college faculty, top SANS Institute instructors, and cyber security experts from the community. The workshops and presentations focus on a variety of topics ranging from intrusion detection, penetration testing and forensics. Participants can also participate in a job fair that provides them the opportunity to meet with USCC sponsors and discuss potential employment. The week-long program ends with a competitive "Capture the Flag" competition and an awards ceremony attended by notables in the cyber security industry.
Prospective participants must compete in a US Cyber Challenge to earn a spot at a summer USCC Summer Camp. Camp spaces are limited so sign up today for the April Cyber Quests competition to test your cyber skills and advance your journey toward becoming a "Cyber Security Defender!"
More information on the camp is available at:
https://www.nbise.org/uscc/camps
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$3-million Grant Awarded to Establish Cybersecurity Center
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A consortium of West Coast organizations led by Mt. SAC has been awarded a $3-million grant over four years from the National Science Foundation (NSF) to establish the only cybersecurity center in the region. The grant will enable Mt. SAC to establish and operate a regional center in cybersecurity from 2011 through 2015 and support CyberWatch West programs. While similar centers have been established in the Midwest and on the East Coast, this is the only center located on the West Coast.
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In addition to Mt. SAC, the CyberWatch West consortium includes: California State Polytechnic University, Pomona; California State University, Dominquez Hills; California State University, San Bernardino; and Whatcom Community College in Washington. Initially, faculty from 16 additional community colleges and universities throughout California, Oregon and Washington will be involved in the center's activities as will industry partners and professional associations.
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The CyberWatch West Center will address challenges and concerns in education and the business industry, specifically the shortage of security professionals. The center will also address the lack of business and team-work skills among information technology professionals as well as enhance cybersecurity curriculum at many higher education institutions.
According to Jaishri Mehta, Mt. SAC CIS professor and the center's principal investigator, research indicates that the financial impact of cyber crime on businesses worldwide is as much as $1 trillion annually. As a result, additional digital personnel are needed for the 21st century, she says, adding that U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics indicate that employment of computer network, systems, and database administrators is projected to increase by 30 percent from 2008 to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations.
"Our overarching goal is to strengthen and build an information security workforce and produce a greater number of highly qualified information assurance professionals in Western United States," Mehta said.
The consortium members will collaborate to share best practices, methodologies, curricula, course modules and materials, and provide student cybersecurity competitions and faculty training and support to colleges who want to develop cybersecurity/information assurance programs and curriculum.
"At the CyberWatch West Center, we want to be a leader in building a stronger cybersecurity workforce to combat the threats of the future," Jaishri said. "With the financial impact of cybercrime on the business worldwide estimated at $1 trillion, we plan to partner with business and industry in this important initiative."
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