1. How can I get involved with the UMBC Cyber Defense Lab (CDL)?
Attend the biweekly CDL meetings in the fall and spring and talk with CDL members.
2. Are CDL talks open to the public?
Yes, anyone may attend.
3. What cybersecurity scholarships are available at UMBC?
NSF SFS, DoD CySP, Cyber Scholars, and ROTC Cybersecurity. Go to Scholarships.
4. What cybersecurity courses are offered?
See courses offered by the CSEE and IS departments, including courses listed as CMSC, IS, and CYBR. There are also a few relevant courses sometimes offered through EENG, CMPE, MATH,
and History (e.g., history of intelligence agencies). Students in computer science and information systems are invited to elect the cybersecurity track, at the undergraduate or graduate level. Core cybersecurity courses include CMSC-426/626 computer security, CMSC-443 cryptology, and CMSC-487/687 network security. There are many interesting special topics courses in cybersecurity offered through CMSC-491/691. UMBC offers CMSC-491/691 cybersecurity research (INSuRE) once every two years (next time in fall 2022).
5. How can I start doing research in cybersecurity?
Join one of the many ongoing research projects. Read papers from one of the top cybersecurity research conferences. Pick an area that interests you and start learning about that area.
6. What are some of the top research conferences in cybersecurity?
The top conferences include USENIX Security, ACM CCS, IEEE Security & Privacy, Network and Distributed System Security (NDSS), and CRYPTO.
7. Would it make sense for F1 students to pursue cybersecurity?
Yes. It will be very difficult for non-citizens to obtain employment in the federal government in security positions. There are, however, many security jobs in private industry and in state and local government that do not require citizenship.