DESCRIPTION

The Texas Cybersecurity Clinic is a two-semester sequence that first equips students with the technical and business skills of an entry-level cybersecurity analyst (semester 1) and then partners them in (supervised) teams with a Central Texas-based small business, municipal government, or nonprofit to render pro bono cybersecurity services (semester 2). During the first semester, students will learn key cybersecurity defense concepts and skills, such as vulnerability assessment, network configuration and security, access controls, authorization techniques, responding to a cyberattack, business planning, and penetration testing. Students will also learn how to form an effective cybersecurity operations team and communicate with organization leaders and employees about essential cybersecurity controls and functions. During the second semester, students work within their assigned teams to assess, design, and render a cybersecurity improvement project plan for their designated client organization, building cybersecurity capacity and bolstering the client organization’s ability to recover from a cyber incident long-term.

COURSE NOTES

The Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic is a two-semester sequence that first equips students with the technical and business skills of an entry-level cybersecurity analyst (semester 1) and then partners them in (supervised) teams with a small business, public sector organization, or nonprofit to render pro bono cybersecurity services (semester 2). During the first semester, students learn key cybersecurity defense concepts and skills, such as risk assessment, network configuration and security, access controls, responding to a cyberattack, business planning, and penetration testing. Students also learn how to form an effective cybersecurity consulting team and communicate with organization leaders and employees about essential cybersecurity controls and functions. During the second semester, students work within their assigned teams to assess, design, and render a cybersecurity improvement project plan for their assigned clinic client organization, building cybersecurity capacity and bolstering the client’s ability to manage its cyber risk and recover from cyber incidents long-term.

PREREQUISITES

Upper-division standing.

Acceptance into to the Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic course sequence and prior credit in I 320 Applied Cybersecurity Foundations.

RESTRICTIONS

Participation is limited to a small number of exceptional undergraduate students from any college or school. Strong candidates will be able to commit to two semesters of coursework and possess proven teamwork skills, an interest in learning and applying the technical aspects of cybersecurity, and a commitment to improving cyber resilience in Austin. No prior cybersecurity knowledge or experience required. See https://www.strausscenter.org/cybersecurity/apply-here-cyber-clinic for more information on applying to the Applied Cybersecurity Community Clinic.