Cybersecurity Awareness Week

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month (NCSAM), created through a collaborative effort between government and industry. The goal is to raise awareness among all citizens to engage in safe and secure online practices. NCSAM reminds us that cybersecurity safety is the responsibility of all Americans. We all have the important role of protecting ourselves and others through safe and secure online behavior.

In recognizing NCSAM, Missoula College will be hosting Cybersecurity Awareness Week, October 29 - November 1. Missoula College Cybersecurity students will be conducting free security diagnostics checks of computing devices from 11am - 2pm in the Foyer of Missoula College’s Riverfront Campus (1205 E. Broadway). Students and community members are invited to bring their tablets, notebook computers, and smartphones to campus for a cybersecurity checkup.

On Tuesday October 30, Missoula College will host the guest lecture “Cryptocurrency and Cybercrime”, by Lake Missoula Group Security Consultant, Matt Durin. Matt is a University of Montana graduate who specializes in digital forensics, programming, development, and cybersecurity R&D. Matt’s lecture will focus on cryptojacking, the latest trend used by criminals to hijack computers, install cryptocurrency miners, and use stolen information to set up wallets for illicit funds transfers on the darknet markets. The lecture will be held in MC room 235 and is free to the public.

Thursday November 1, Missoula College will host the first Cybersecurity Education Summit of Montana Two-Year Colleges. This event will provide faculty members from two-year colleges across the State an opportunity to collaborate and share best practices in education for preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have designated Missoula College as a Center for Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense.