Defendify Shares Cybersecurity and Career Knowledge with Students 

Defendify Partner Success Manager Shanna Utgard was recently invited to speak to students on a panel of cybersecurity professionals at the University of Southern Maine (USM) on November 20, 2019. Shanna was quick to accept and share her cybersecurity and career expertise with the students.

Additional panel participants included Lori Sussman, Assistant Professor in the Department of Technology at the University of Southern Maine, John Forker, CISO of the University of Maine, and a member of the U.S. Secret Service specializing in cybersecurity. The panelists shared a wealth of knowledge with students, drawing on their many years’ combined experience with cybersecurity, small and large business, military, and government.

The discussion began with an introduction of each panelist and how they got into the field of cybersecurity, then an explanation of a typical day in their position. Then, the floor was opened for questions. The student audience asked about a wide variety of topics, including:

• The recent news of new Disney+ account passwords for sale on the Dark Web
• Skills (both soft skills and technical certifications) that businesses look for in people applying for cybersecurity roles
• How cybersecurity professionals can help educate Small Business about the need for ongoing, comprehensive security
• Who shoulders the cybersecurity risk if businesses don’t appropriately protect themselves from cybersecurity threats
• The diverse background and skill set of hackers and cybercriminals, from young kids messing around on a computer to complex, high-level criminal organizations with detailed “business models”
• What panelists would want students to learn if they were teaching the Introduction to Cyber Security class at USM

The University of Southern Maine offers both a B.S. in Cybersecurity and a minor in Cybersecurity Literacy. The students who attended the panel are currently taking an Introduction to Cyber Security course, covering the fundamentals of cybersecurity and information assurance. The course helps students develop a knowledge base for defining and recognizing both online threats and potential targets and develop intellectual tools for evaluating relative risks within cyberspace. Students also apply theories and best practices for addressing potential costs of countermeasures for cyberattacks through the class.

Defendify is proud to support educational initiatives in the community, and was thrilled that Shanna could share her valuable insight into cybersecurity and career topics with students. We look forward to participating in future University and community initiatives.

Stay Safe,

Your Friends @ Defendify