Cyber Security Degree CT – Before We Get Into The Topic, Let’s Learn Some Basic Of This Topic

Connecticut is an excellent place to earn a degree and enter the job market, with a slew of corporations willing to fund cybersecurity education and research at the state’s colleges. We’ll share our list of Connecticut schools that offer cybersecurity degree programs. But first, let’s look at research initiatives, online options, networking opportunities, and job opportunities.

Studying Cybersecurity in Connecticut

Although several schools offer cybersecurity degree programs, the University of Connecticut is the only one in the state to be designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research by the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Agency. It’s well-deserving of the moniker:

The Center for Hardware Assurance, Security, and Engineering (CHASE Center) has been housed in the new Information Technology Building at UConn since 2012. It has received several major grants during that time, including one from the United States. A $7.5 million grant from the Department of Defense will be used to research security upgrades for nanoscale hardware. CHASE allows embedded students to impress dozens of potential employers by securing lucrative sponsorships from government agencies and corporations.

The Storrs campus was an ideal location for the Comcast Center of Excellence for Security Innovation (CSI) in 2014, given UConn’s reputation as a leader in hardware security research. The annual CyberSEED conference and hackathon for college cybersecurity teams across the country are now hosted by CSI.

Synchrony Financial announced the establishment of a Center of Excellence in Cybersecurity at UConn in late 2016. The Stamford-based firm has pledged $2.2 million over five years to fund graduate-level researcher fellowships and scholarships. Synchrony sees this as an opportunity to cultivate and recruit new talent.

Online Cybersecurity Programs in Connecticut

Charter Oak State College, a public online college in Connecticut, does a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of distance education. It’s where you’ll find online baccalaureate and certificate programs in cybersecurity, as well as the lone graduate degree for cybersecurity professionals offered by the University of New Haven, a private school.

Distance learning options may expand in the future, so check the Connecticut Office of Higher Education’s academic program catalog, which lists online options from all of the state’s colleges, before committing to one of these programs. If you prefer, you can search solely for online programs offered by the Connecticut State College and University (CSCU) system elsewhere.

Cybersecurity Scholarships in Connecticut

There were no institutional scholarships specifically for cybersecurity students that we could find. However, because individual colleges and departments within postsecondary institutions often have financial aid distribution discretion, they are some of the first places to look for institutional awards. Here are a couple of examples of what you might come across:

Western Connecticut State University

  • Anthony and Julia Caraluzzi Family Scholarship: After completing 30 credits in the BBA in Management Information Systems program, students pursuing the Information Security Management concentration can compete for the Caraluzzi Scholarship against other continuing students at the Ancell School of Business. To qualify, they must have a 3.5 GPA and financial needs.
  • Hawley Family Endowed Scholarship: Incoming freshmen at the Ancell School of Business qualify for this award if they graduated from Danbury, Henry Abbott Tech or Immaculate High Schools with a 3.0 GPA and can show financial need.
  • Morton Family Scholarship for Academic Excellence: Sophomores and juniors at the School of Business become eligible for the Morton Scholarship by earning a 3.3 GPA and receiving a faculty recommendation.
  • Rizzo Family Endowed Scholarship: The Rizzo Scholarship also targets Danbury and Immaculate High School students entering the School of Business. Recipients must have a 2.8 GPA and financial needs.

Cybersecurity Events in Connecticut

Cybersecurity Meetups & Communities in Connecticut

Several professional groups have planted chapters in the Constitution State. We highlight the most important dues-collecting groups below as well as some free gatherings:

  • ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) of Connecticut is a professional organization that welcomes student members. If you join the Connecticut chapter in Danbury, you’ll be able to attend networking events and hear from outside speakers on occasion.
  • Hartford Cyber Security Meetup/OWASP: The Hartford chapter of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) hosts presentations and discussions with local industry experts on a semi-regular basis.
  • ISACA Hartford Chapter: ISACA (formerly the Information Systems Audit and Control Association) is a professional organization that welcomes student members. Once a month, the Hartford chapter gathers for seminars led by experts from the private and academic sectors.
  • (ISC)2 Southern Connecticut Chapter: The International Information Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC)2, has a quarterly meeting in Shelton where members of the International Information Security Certification Consortium, or (ISC), discuss current trends and attacks and how to respond to them.

Cybersecurity Conferences & Workshops in Connecticut

While we encourage utilizing local groups for networking and learning opportunities, annual conferences can swiftly link you to thought leaders and innovators from beyond your network. Here are five Connecticut events that you should attend:

BSidesCT: BSides is a big annual event for the local cybersecurity community because it’s locally organized and executed, so instead of big-name keynote speakers, you’ll find the experts next door. Hour-long presentations, lightning talks, and the occasional Capture the Flag competition are all part of the daylong, low-cost event.

Connecticut Risk Management Conference: The University of Connecticut School of Business hosts this annual conference in Stamford, which isn’t solely focused on cybersecurity but is increasing including long sessions on cyber risk.

Since 2014, CyberSEED has been hosted by UConn’s Center of Excellence for Security Innovation. The cybersecurity challenges for college teams in Capture the Flag, social engineering, and secure coding are the main draws of CyberSEED. However, the two-day conference also features notable keynote speakers (such as Mr. Robot’s tech consultants) and expert panels.

Although you can pay to attend seminars that earn continuing professional education credits, the major purpose of this free one-day event is to examine what new goods big firms have released. This can be seen at both sponsor presentations and vendor booths.

The North East Annual Cybersecurity Summit (NEACS) is a three-day event for company leaders and managers to connect with technology specialists. You can attend the workshops, listen to any of the scheduled panel discussions, and network with industry executives if you join the conference organizers ISACA or (ISC)2.

Cybersecurity Jobs in Connecticut

In terms of cybersecurity positions, Connecticut is in the middle of the pack, seemingly trapped in the shadow of New York. NXT-ID, based in Oxford, provides biometric security applications; Protegrity, based in Stamford, focuses on enterprise security; and SecureRF, based in Shelton, is working to make the ungainly Internet of Things more secure.

Furthermore, over a dozen Fortune, 500 corporations have offices in Hartford, Stamford, and other parts of Connecticut, where they can escape the rush and bustle of New York City. Several of them employ security professionals. United Technologies, a leading aircraft manufacturer, has a research center in Hartford. Cigna, based in Bloomfield, requires security specialists regularly to protect patients’ health information. Charter Communications, a telecommunications behemoth, relies on UConn’s hardware security expertise to assist lessen the vulnerability of its infrastructure.

Cybersecurity Salaries in Connecticut

Cybersecurity specialists in Connecticut don’t have much difficulty making a reasonable living. Statistics from the United States According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, even the lowest-paid information security analysts can earn up to $60K per year, which is 20% more than the national average. Although there is less of a disparity among those in higher-income groups, Connecticut’s median annual incomes are still a few thousand dollars greater than the national average ($93,000 vs. $90,000).

When looking at these figures, keep in mind that the phrase “information security analyst” does not apply to all professionals in the sector. Network security engineers earn between $105,000 and $110,000, according to Indeed.com, while IT security specialists earn between $125,000 and $130,000. Both figures are above the national average, which is commendable given that Connecticut’s cost of living is 30% higher than the national average.

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