Cyber News

We live in a digital era and are more connected than ever before. The increased reliance on the use of Internet in our daily lives comes with increased cybersecurity risks. Today, no one is immune to the cyber risks. As a nation, we face rapidly evolving cyber threats against our cyberspace, a critical domain of our national security. As individuals, our finances, identity, and privacy can be threatened by online theft, fraud and abuse.

Recognizing the importance of cybersecurity to our nation, President Obama designated October as National Cyber Security Awareness Month. The purpose of National Cyber Security Awareness Month is to enhance cybersecurity awareness among organizations and individuals of all ages and segments of the community.

UMUC has joined with the Department of Homeland Security in the promotion of Stop.Think.Connect, a national public awareness effort aimed at enhancing cybersecurity awareness and empowering Americans to be safer and more secure online. As part of the Stop.Think.Connect Campaign, UMUC offers a variety of cybersecurity awareness and educational activities during the month of October to its community – students, alumni, faculty, staff and beyond. We encourage you to actively participate in these activities as cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and we each have a role to play in promoting and protecting the cyberspace.

Thank you for all your efforts in promoting cybersecurity awareness during October and beyond. Together we can meet the cybersecurity challenges of today and tomorrow.

Dr. Amjad Ali serves as associate vice president and cybersecurity advisor to the president of University of Maryland University College (UMUC). In addition, he is professor of cybersecurity at the Graduate School. He made significant contributions to the development and launch of UMUC’s cybersecurity programs and initiatives, and has served as director of the UMUC’s Center for Security Studies of the Cybersecurity. Before joining UMUC, Amjad worked as manager of Continuing Education at the American Council of Engineering Companies in Washington, DC.  He has also served as the Dean of Keller Graduate School of Management-New York Region. Amjad has presented at major conferences and seminars on cutting-edge topics in cybersecurity, and he has a strong portfolio of scholarly publications. He holds a doctorate in Engineering Management from the George Washington University. He is UMUC’s staff to the Maryland Cybersecurity Council and serves on the advisory board of the Center for Strategic Cyberspace & Security Science and AFCEA International Cyber Committee.