Cyber Education and the Emerging Profession of Cybersecurity

Abstract

Education shapes behavior and, for that reason, a comprehensive study of an important emerging field like cybersecurity can be a powerful agent for societal change. However, there are a number of systemic and cultural challenges that have to be overcome before education can become a practical solution. If we distribute the teaching of cybersecurity in diverse places on campus, students are not going to get a coherent understanding, let alone practice overall cybersecurity effectively. A broad-scale educational understanding of the field must be developed based on a comprehensive definition of legitimate threats. Technological solutions solve specific problems, consequently we have been very successful in situations involving well-defined and established physical challenges. What we have not dealt with is the human behavior and creative thinking that characterizes the exploits of the hacker community, and until the solution incorporates actions that recognize and address every reasonable form of attack, we will never be secure.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Dan Shoemaker

Dan Shoemaker, PhD is a senior research scientist and full professor at the University of Detroit Mercy's Center for Cyber Security and Intelligence Studies, the Director of the University of Detroit's National Security Agency-Center of Academic Excellence program, and Visiting Professor at London Southbank University. As the Co-Chair for the National Workforce Training and Education Initiative (NICE), he is one of the Authors of the National Software Assurance Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) for the Department of Homeland Security. Dan has also authored numerous articles and primary textbooks in cybersecurity. Dan earned his doctorate from the University of Michigan and shepherds outreach opportunities within the State of Michigan through his leadership of the International Cyber-Security Education Coalition. He can be reached at [email protected].

Anne Kohnke

Anne Kohnke, PhD is an assistant professor of IT at Lawrence Technological University and teaches courses in both the information technology and organization development/change management disciplines at the bachelor through doctorate levels. Her research focus is in the areas of cybersecurity, risk management, IT governance, and extraterritorial surveillance and privacy. Anne earned her PhD from Benedictine University. She can be reached at [email protected].