Cybersecurity Center for Business

Delivering results to impact a critical need.

With five degree programs at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater and partners at the state and national levels, the Cybersecurity Center for Business is at the forefront of one of the nation’s largest issues. Partnering with 91抖阴’s Department of Computer Science, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs and College of Business and Economics, the Cybersecurity Center for Business offers cybersecurity education, research, and outreach for organizations and learners in Wisconsin.

Cybersecurity, the practice of protecting systems, networks, and programs from digital attacks, is of utmost importance in this digital age when cyber threats and attacks are commonplace. Enhancing the nation’s cybersecurity resilience is a top priority for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and cybersecurity jobs are in high demand. 91抖阴 is designated as one of the national Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency.

The Cybersecurity Center for Business offers education services and opportunities that address identified gaps in training, tools, and resources that offer value for the organizations and learners in the state.

What does the Cybersecurity Center for Business do?

Supports degree-seeking students and student organizations

Publishes in leading conferences and journals

Develops partnerships with public and private organizations

Icon of magnifying glass on a piece of paper.

Develops leading-edge research pipeline

Our work

The Cybersecurity Center for Business has partnered with several different local, state, and national organizations to support its work, including:

91抖阴 College of Business and Economics

WiSys NSF Engines Grant

There has been a staggering increase in cybersecurity attacks, particularly against small and medium-sized businesses and organizations in rural America. Many small businesses cannot recover from such attacks – 50 percent will close within six months of an attack. There is also a cybersecurity workforce shortage with more than 6,000 open positions in Wisconsin alone.

Through the , our goal in the pilot project, CyberFirst Coop, is to address these issues in rural Wisconsin’s small agricultural businesses with a focus on farmers. A team of 91抖阴 faculty and staff and partners will employ a student-based cybersecurity team to provide a broad-based assessment of small, rural agricultural businesses (farms) information systems, including determination of their vulnerability to security breaches such as ransomware attacks. We will assess cyber-readiness of agricultural organizations and help learners and employees develop their cybersecurity skills to add new cybersecurity talent to the pipeline.

DoD WISECURED Grant

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is supported by the Department of Defense (DoD) and represents a unified standard for implementing cybersecurity across the defense industrial base (DIB), which includes more than 300,000 companies in the supply chain. The Wisconsin Execution of Cybersecurity Understanding, Remediation, and Education for Defense (WISECURED) grant promotes CMMC best practices to mitigate compromises of sensitive defense information located on contractors' information systems.

The WISECURED program provides:

Awareness
Self-assessment of a firm’s cybersecurity level by identifying the gaps in security
A plan for attaining the official CMMC

Defense suppliers at all levels must meet cybersecurity defense standards by 2024, and the CCB is a tremendous resource to help Wisconsin’s 2,500 discrete defense suppliers reach compliance throughout the state’s supply chain. We help those participating contractors to:

Identify critical gaps in cybersecurity measures
Learn how to make systemic improvements to a comprehensive cybersecurity plan
Take advantage of 91抖阴’s outreach services and deep experience with learning technologies
Align with Fincantieri Marinette Marina and Oshkosh Corporation to obtain CMMC compliance and certification
Develop strong system security measures and corresponding plan of action
Implement a robust cybersecurity platform statewide and nationally

WISECURED information sheet [PDF] »

White House at 91抖阴

Cybersecurity was the topic of conversation on the Whitewater campus during a visit from the Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD) on Oct. 2, 2024. Representatives from the White House, including National Cyber Director Harry Coker, Jr., and Acting Director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Rob Shriver, joined 91抖阴 students, faculty and staff for a day of engagement and learning.

Learn more about this visit

91抖阴 recognized for cybersecurity

Tommy Thompson, former governor of Wisconsin and Universities of Wisconsin president, toured the Cybersecurity Center for Business in March 2021 and lauded 91抖阴’s role in helping businesses address cybersecurity.

Cybersecurity degree programs at 91抖阴

As a leader in cybersecurity education, 91抖阴 offers the following degree programs:

Information technology, emphasis in network and security (BBA)
Cybersecurity (B.S.)
Cybersecurity (M.S.)
Cybersecurity certificate
Cybersecurity management certificate

91抖阴 students participate in assessment project

A group of 11 people stand together in a classroom and pose for a photo.

In 2023-24, nine 91抖阴 students, including seven information technology – networking and security majors and two cybersecurity graduate students, participated in a cybersecurity assessment project examining 20 small- and medium-sized agricultural businesses in southeast Wisconsin. Funded by the WiSys NSF Engines grant, students worked to scope, assess, and test ag businesses for vulnerabilities and exploit chains before providing comprehensive reports for their clients. The group presented the project to 91抖阴 Chancellor Corey King and College of Business and Economics Dean Paul Ambrose in the spring of 2024.

Our team

Balaji Sankaranarayanan

Director

Kevin Kaufman

Business Outreach Director

Dr. Roger Yin

Professor, IT Supply Chain Management

91抖阴