Cybersecurity

News & Announcements

Virginia Department of Education announced the summer Virginia CyberCamp 2017

The summer Virginia CyberCamp 2017 was announced to the challenged school divisions that participated in the CyberCamp Program last summer and responded to an earlier survey indicating an interest in participating in summer 2017. There will be a total of eight grants awarded in the amount of $10,000 each with preference given to one in each of the VDOE Superintendent’s Regions. Schedule for CyberCamp 2017 (Word)

Governor McAuliffe Visits Pulaski County High School’s CyberCamp

Governor McAuliffe spoke with Pulaski County High School’s Cougar Coders about the 36,000 open cybersecurity jobs in Virginia with starting pay at $88,000. CyberCamps play an important role in creating a pipeline of students to fill these positions.

Play the video or read the transcript to learn more.

New Cybersecurity Career Pathway Courses Offered

Beginning fall 2017, high school students with an interest in cybersecurity careers, may enroll in one of four new pathways: Programming and Software Development, Health and Medical Sciences, STEM/Pre-Engineering Technology, and Network Systems. More information about cybersecurity courses (PDF).

Virginia’s 21st Century Career Pathway Cybersecurity-This is a PDF document.

highlights current efforts in cybersecurity education in the commonwealth and serves as a call to action for Virginia’s K-12 community of employers, educators, and citizens who are committed to the development of career and technical education programs and preparing students for this new and important career field.

Within each cluster, there are multiple career pathways that represent a common set of skills and knowledge necessary to pursue a full range of career opportunities within that pathway. Career Clusters that relate to instruction in cybersecurity include:

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Finance

Finance prepares you for careers in financial and investment planning, banking, insurance, and business financial management. Every sector of the economy offers a career in this field. Many career opportunities require specialized skills in organization, time management, customer service and communication.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Accounting Pathway

Record, classify, summarize, analyze and communicate a business’s financial information and transactions. Assist with bookkeeping, analysis and interpretation of accounting information.

Banking Services Pathway

Help customers by accepting deposits and lending funds. Provide services with cash management, investments, mortgages and bill payments.

Business Finance Pathway

Help manage a business’s budget, plans and funds. Guide a company to make smart investments based upon analysis of the economy and data.

Insurance Pathway

Protect individuals and businesses from financial losses. Deliver services that transfer risk from an individual or business to an insurance company.

Securities & Investments Pathway

Support the flow of funds from investors to companies and institutions. Assist with a company’s financial planning or serve as hedge fund manager.

Health Science

Health Science prepares you to help keep people healthy and treat those who are not. Work directly with people by conducting research on diseases and other important health information. This field allows you to work in diverse environments such as hospitals, medical and dental offices or labs.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Biotechnology Research & Development Pathway

Discover new treatments and medical technologies to improve human health and advance the overall health science field.

Diagnostic Services Pathway

Use tests and evaluations to aid in the detection, diagnosis and treatment of diseases, injuries or other physical conditions.

Health Informatics Pathway

Manage health care agencies by overseeing all patient data, financial information and technological applications related to health care processes and procedures.

Support Services Pathway

Assist health care professionals with a range of administrative and maintenance duties to ensure that the health care environment is maintained.

Therapeutic Services Pathway

Care and treat patients to improve their health over time. Counsel patients and give them the tools necessary to live a healthier and problem-free lifestyle.

Hospitality & Tourism

Hospitality & Tourism prepares you for careers that allow you to travel and work with a variety of people. Careers can be found all over the world and range anywhere from hotel and restaurant operations to working in amusement parks and other tourist destinations. Excellent customer service skills are essential for everyone in this field.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Lodging Pathway

Take care of all guests who enter your facility. Work directly with guests as well as with staff behind the scenes to ensure that all visitors have a positive experience.

Recreation, Amusements & Attractions Pathway

Provide a fun and safe environment for a diverse group of people through your customer service skills and understanding of all operations.

Restaurants and Food/Beverage Services Pathway

Manage a catering company: lead as an executive chef or own a restaurant. Deliver a pleasing experience in the food and beverage industry.

Travel & Tourism Pathway

Ensure all aspects of the traveler’s positive experience. Plan events, manage customer’s travel arrangements, and oversee large corporate conventions.

Information Technology

Information Technology gives you the opportunity to design, develop, and manage different types of software programs and hardware. This field requires a solid foundation in mathematics and science as well as high technical skills. Information technology workers can be found in virtually every sector of the economy, providing assistance at a multitude of levels.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Information Support & Services Pathway

Implement computer systems and software, provide technical assistance and manage information systems. Provide technical support to companies of all sizes.

Network Systems Pathway

Connect people and information. Design, install, maintain and manage network systems for businesses and various other facilities.

Programming & Software Development Pathway

Design, develop, implement and maintain computer systems and software. Create innovative products applying knowledge of computer operating systems, programming languages and software development.

Web & Digital Communications Pathway

Design, create and produce interactive multimedia products and services, including digitally-generated or computer-enhanced media used in business, training, entertainment, communications and marketing.

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security

Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security prepares you for service in public safety and security. Responsibilities include prevention of and protection from harm such as crime or natural disasters. Career opportunities range from public safety to legal services to homeland security.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Correction Services Pathway

Protect citizens from crime and disaster. Manage offenders serving jail sentences by helping to rehabilitate, educate and reintegrate them into society.

Emergency & Fire Management Services Pathway

Help protect the public by being the first to respond to emergencies including fires, traffic accidents, medical emergencies and other crises.

Law Enforcement Services Pathway

Help protect public safety by maintaining order and enforcing laws. Prevent crime, control traffic violations and conduct investigations.

Legal Services Pathway

Create and uphold the laws that govern our society and protect people. Provide critical legal support to a team committed to a strict ethics code.

Security & Protective Services Pathway

Provide security by monitoring routine operations including the inspection of people and packages. May serve as guard for private information and data.

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics

Transportation, Distribution & Logistics prepares you for careers in which you plan, manage and move everything from people to company products through a range of transportation services. Individuals in this field are involved in the logistics of all types of transportation from road to rail and air to water.

Career Pathways
Students may begin to follow a sequence of courses in a pathway that will allow them to specialize in a field of interest.

Facility & Mobile Equipment Maintenance Pathway

Maintain, repair and service vehicles and transportation facilities. Research the most efficient, safe, cost-effective and environmentally friendly ways to operate equipment and machinery.

Transportation Operations Pathway

Drive or pilot vehicles that transport people and freight. Ensure that all cargo and people arrive in a safe, secure and timely manner.

21st Century Pathways to Cybersecurity

*Data on current Virginia employment and median wage come from Bureau of Labor Statistics May 2014 data.

See more Cybersecurity Employment Data

Occupation	Employed in Virginia, May 2014	Median Annual Wage, May 2014	Predominant Level of Education	Projected Growth
Electricians	16,750	$46,380	HS & Training/certification	13.66%
Information Security Analysts	10,270	$100,340	Bachelor's or more	17.85%
Medical Records & Health Information Technicians	3,810	$35,720	Some college/Assoc	15.38%
Paralegals & Legal Assistants	8,580	$49,070	Some college/Assoc	7.62%
Software Developers, Applications	36,840	$102,550	Bachelor's or more	18.83%

Emerging Careers

As greater attention is paid to cybersecurity and the prevention of attacks, cybersecurity has become an industry with many types of jobs, creating the need for a growing cybersecurity workforce.

Learn more about some of these emerging careers.

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Computer Crime Investigators

Investigate a number of crimes that range from hacked file systems on computers to investigating crimes against minors. In addition, computer crime investigators also recover data from computers that can be used in prosecuting crimes. Written and spoken communication skills are important for these professionals, as once the necessary electronic evidence is gathered, computer crime investigators may write reports that will later be used in court, or testify directly.

Disaster Recovery Analysts

Assist in developing, implementing and maintaining policies, procedures, and programs for ensuring the security and integrity of company data, databases, information systems, and technology. This requires these professionals to coordinate, test, and administer disaster recovery and restoration plans, and to implement secure database designs and data access procedures.

Security Analysts

Maintain the security and integrity of data; offer training on proper security measures both in the office and online; work with business administrators as well as IT professionals in communicating flaws in security systems; and recommend changes that will improve every aspect of company security Communication is a critical skill in this field, as these professionals are responsible for maintaining documentation of their efforts.

Cryptanalysts

Evaluate and decode messages and coding systems for police agencies, government agencies, and the armed forces and protect the privacy of organizations and individuals by supervising the online security of data systems. These professionals may specialize in ensuring the security of credit card, inter-bank, automatic teller machine (ATM), and other online transactions or develop technology to protect cellphone, secure telephone lines, and wireless networks.

Cryptographers

Develop algorithms, cipher and security systems to encrypt sensitive information, decode and analyze encrypted data, cipher texts, and telecommunications protocols in cryptographic security systems. These individuals use mathematical techniques to develop the data-protection protocols that keep financial, national security and other important information protected.

Network Security Engineers

Implement and maintain corporate local area networks and server architecture; ensure connectivity to wide area networks; implement and administer network security hardware and software; enforce the network security policy and comply with requirements of external security audits and recommendations.

Security Systems Developers

Implement and monitor security measures for the protection of computer systems, networks and information; identify and define system security requirements; design system security architecture, and technical solutions and new security tools to help mitigate security risks. Communication is an important skill for these professionals, as they may be responsible for comprehensive reports including assessment-based findings, outcomes and proposals for further system security enhancement.

Chief Information Security Officers

Establish and implement firm-level security policies; oversee regulatory compliance; manage the company's Computer Security Incident Response Team; supervise identity and access management; establish and oversee the organization's security architecture; conduct electronic discovery and digital forensic investigations; and work with other high-level executives to establish information security strategy as well as disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Computer Service Technician

Assess and repair computer-level hardware and software malfunctions and threats, including corrupted files, crashed hard drives, outdated programs, failed operating systems, and computer viruses. These professionals may also install new equipment or programs, or maintain existing ones.

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Resources

New Career Pathway Programs

General Resources

Overview

Virginia Cyber Range (Virginia Tech)
Cybersecurity (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
Cyber Security Information Portal (Commonwealth of Virginia)
Law Enforcement Cyber Center (International Association of Chiefs of Police)
Cyber Security Primer (University of Maryland)

Current News (journals, newsletters online)

Trends & Issues

State of Cybersecurity—Implications for 2016 (ISACA, formerly Information Systems Audit and Control Association)
The Global Risks Report 2016, 11th Ed. (World Economic Forum)
The Global State of Information Security Survey 2016 (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
Global Economic Crime Survey 2016: US Results (PricewaterhouseCoopers)
Cybersecurity [in Federal Agencies] (U.S. Government Accounting Office)
Why Corporate Directors Need to Get Real about Cyber Security (CIO)
5 Cybersecurity Trends to Watch for 2016 (NetworkWorld)
10 Cyberthreat Predictions for 2016 (Risk Management)

Cybersecurity Education

NICERC Curricula (National Integrated Cyber Education Research Center)
National CyberWatch Center K-12 (National Science Foundation)
Cybersecurity Competency Model (CareerOneStop: Competency Model Clearinghouse)
iForce Curriculum (Institute for Cyber Education)
CyberPatriot: The National Youth Cyber Education Program (Air Force Association)
Saving the World with CS--Cyber Security learning standards (Computer Science Teachers Association)
OnGuardOnline.gov: Computer Security (Federal Trade Commission, et al.)

Student Safety Online

StaySafeOnline (National Cyber Security Alliance)
A Parent’s Guide to Internet Safety (U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation)
OnGuard Online (U.S. Federal Trade Commission)
ISC2 Center for Cyber Safety and Education (International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium)
Cybersecurity 101 video (Education World)
Cyberbullying Research Center (Cyberbullying.org)

Careers in Cybersecurity

NICCS: Careers (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
National Cybersecurity Workforce Framework (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)
CyberCorps: Scholarships for Service (U.S. Office of Personnel Management)
Cyber Surety (U.S. Air Force)
Security Pros in High Demand, Highly Paid, and Highly Selective (CIO)
Women in Security: Wisely Positioned for the Future of InfoSec (ISC2 study)
How to Land a Cybersecurity Job (Network World)
So You Want to Work in Cybersecurity (National Cyber Security Alliance)
Careers in Cybersecurity (Lord Fairfax Community College)
Occupation Profile (Virginia): Information Security Analysts (CareerOneStop)
Information Security Analyst (U.S.News & World Report—Careers)
Information Security Analysts (Virginia Career VIEW) Note: Click on Career Search and search for Information Security Analysts.

Cybersecurity in Career Clusters

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Food and Agriculture Sector (U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security)
Homeland Security News Wire: Agroterrorism is a major threat to America: Experts (U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security)
Cybersecurity (U.S. Department of Agriculture)
What Does Cybersecurity Have To Do with Our Food Supply? (National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior College)
Midwest Agriculture Is a Prime Target for Theft of Intellectual Property and Cyber Attacks (Successful Farming)
Agriculture Giants Boost Cybersecurity to Shield Farm Data (Wall Street Journal)

Architecture and Construction
Cybersecurity (Electric Light & Power)
Cybersecurity in the Construction Industry (Holland & Knight)
SmartGrid.gov (U.S. Department of Energy)
Are Smart Homes Cyber-Security Smart? (enisa)
How Vulnerable Are Smart Buildings to Cyber Attacks? (IFSEC Global)
Whole Building Design Guide: Cybersecurity (National Institute of Building Sciences)

Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications

Cyber-Security: Computer and Online Safety Tips (Studio Protector, The Artist’s Guide to Emergencies)
Global Media, Communication Technology, and the War on Terror (Global-e: A Global Studies Journal)
Computer Crime and Intellectual Property (U.S. Department of Justice)
New Terrorism and New Media (Wilson Center)
Digital Security (Global Investigative Journalism Network)
Going Dark Issue (Federal Bureau of Investigation)
Communications Sector (U.S. Department of Homeland Security)

Business Management and Administration

Cybersecurity: The New Business Priority (PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP)
Cybersecurity for Small Business (Federal Communications Commission)
Implement a Cybersecurity Plan (National Cyber Security Alliance)
Cybersecurity Awareness Basics (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation)
How to Protect Your Business from Ransomware (Information Security Media Group)
Keep My Business Safe (StaySafeOnline)
Cybersecurity (U.S. Small Business Administration)
Cybersecurity toolkit, including Internet Security Essentials for Business 2.0 (U.S. Chamber of Commerce)
Electronic Crimes Task Force (U.S. Secret Service)

Scholarships & Grants

Governor McAuliffe Announces $1 million in Cybersecurity Scholarships

CyberCamps

Top of Page

Cybersecurity

Virginia Department of Education announced the summer Virginia CyberCamp 2017

Governor McAuliffe Visits Pulaski County High School’s CyberCamp

New Cybersecurity Career Pathway Courses Offered

Virginia’s 21st Century Career Pathway Cybersecurity-This is a PDF document.

21st Century Pathways to Cybersecurity

Emerging Careers

Overview

Current News (journals, newsletters online)

Trends & Issues

Cybersecurity Education

Student Safety Online

Careers in Cybersecurity

Agriculture, Food, and Natural Resources

Arts, Audio/Video Technology and Communications

Business Management and Administration

Education and Training

Finance

Government & Public Administration

Health Science

Hospitality & Tourism

Human Services

Information Technology

Law, Public Safety, & Corrections

Manufacturing

Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics

Transportation, Distribution, and Logistics

CyberCamps