2021/2022 Cyber Florida's Annual Report

CYBER FL ORID A’S ANNU AL REPOR T A LOOK INTO OUR PAST, PRESENT, & FUTURE

The Florida Center for Cybersecurity was established by an act of the Florida Legislature in 2014 and created with the passage of Florida Statute 1004.444.

1. The Florida Center for Cybersecurity is established within the University of South Florida.

2. The goals of the Center are to:

a) Position Florida as the national leader in cybersecurity and its related workforce through education, research, and community engagement.

b) Assist in the creation of jobs in the state’s cybersecurity industry and enhance the existing cybersecurity workforce.

c) Act as a cooperative facilitator for state business and higher education communities to share cybersecurity knowledge, resources, and training.

d) Seek out partnerships with major military installations to assist, when possible, in homeland cybersecurity defense initiatives.

e) Attract cybersecurity companies to the state with an emphasis on defense, finance, health care, transportation, and utility sectors.

About Us

The Florida Center for Cyber Security, also known as Cyber Florida, was established by the Florida Legislature in 2014 to position Florida as the national leader in cybersecurity through education, research, and outreach. Hosted by the University of South Florida, Cyber Florida works with all State University System institutions as well as the Florida College System, public school districts, federal agencies, military installations, and private industry to support state and national security, build a robust pipeline of future cybersecurity professionals, encourage a thriving cybersecurity industry, and improve the overall cybersecurity posture of Florida’s businesses, organizations, and citizens.

Increase the number of cybersecurity professionals

Initiatives

1.1 Increase Florida’s K-12 cybersecurity pipeline

1.2 Increase the number and quality of cybersecurity degree programs and graduates

1.3 Sponsor and support cyber professional/vocational education

Operation K12 (1.1)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

The Operation K12 program was launched in 2020 to help mitigate the ongoing state and national cybersecurity workforce shortage by introducing cybersecurity defense and career awareness to students throughout Florida’s public school system. Because cybersecurity is a relatively new and emerging field, there are very few resources available to introduce the field to K-12 students, let alone support burgeoning interest among young people. Operation K12 aims to address this gap by providing free teacher training, lesson plans, activities, summer camps, and even career preparatory courses.

2021-2022 Highlights:

• Statewide Engagement - 44 districts are currently utilizing Operation K12 resources in some way

• Educational Resources - including curriculum, lesson plans, presentations, labs, tests, and activities

• Community Participation - regular webinars, speaking engagements, summer camps, informational newsletters, and more

A USF cyber camper works on solving one of many conundrums in the “Collaboratory.”

The

502 Project (1.1, 1.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Teaching & Learning> Increase the Number of Degrees Awarded Within Programs of Strategic Emphasis, Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce, and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

Launched in the summer of 2022, The 502 Project is an effort to design, implement, and support a new community platform to connect local events to formal cybersecurity career pathways, providing access to local mentors, college advisors, and others who can inspire and guide future cybersecurity professionals. A reference to the “Bad Gateway” HTTP error code, The 502 Project aims to overcome a longstanding gap between aspiring practitioners and the professional community through scheduled meetings and check-ins that facilitate mentorship and progression along formal career pathways. The platform also provides an online social space for high school student organizations to connect with undergraduates currently enrolled in cybersecurity programs.

• Led by the University of South Florida in partnership with the University of West Florida, Florida International University, Tennessee Tech University, Forsyth Technical College, St. Petersburg College, Cyversity, and Cyber Florida.

• Funded by a grant from the National Security Agency’s National Centers of Academic for Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program office.

• While it only just launched, the project is already engaged with 73 mentors and 103 students.

Cyberworks: Workforce Training (1.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

CyberWorks is a workforce development initiative to help address our nation’s critical cyber workforce shortage by preparing career-changers for new roles as cyber defense analysts. Through expert online instruction and hands-on learning, this intensive 12-week program prepares students to enter the cybersecurity workforce as Cyber Defense Analysts. A limited number of full-tuition grants are available for those who qualify, thanks to funding provided by JPMorgan Chase and a National Centers of Academic Excellence (NCAE) grant to establish a national, certificate-based cybersecurity workforce development program called CyberSkills2Work. Most applicants can participate at no cost, making CyberWorks a life-changing opportunity for many participants.

3 cohorts, totaling 72 students, completed the program in 2021/2022

FLDOE Partnership: The Cyber/IT Pathways Grant Program (1.1)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

Building on the success of Operation K12, the Florida Department of Education selected Cyber Florida to administer Cyber/I.T. Educational Pathways, a $20-million grant program to bolster cybersecurity and information technology educational opportunities at Florida’s public education institutions. To maximize the benefit of this investment, Cyber Florida determined that funding would be awarded to expand existing programs that had a demonstrated history of success. Working with regional partners Florida International University and Florida A&M University, Cyber Florida led an open call for proposals, which were reviewed and scored by a team of technology education experts. Reviewers prioritized projects that had demonstrated success, could scale to serve more students, and had the potential for long-term sustainability.

A few of the projects that were awarded funding include

• Project HaHa

Florida International University

• Expanding Cybersecurity & IT Pathways

Miami Dade College

• First Coast Cybersecurity & IT Pathways Project

Florida State College at Jacksonville

• Increasing Cyber Technicians 2022 Hillsborough Community College

• Hal Marcus College of Science & Engineering

University of West Florida

• Cloud Computing Initiative St. Petersburg College

• Minecraft-based Cybersecurity Professional Development for K12 Teachers

Florida International University

• CyberSkills2Work Florida/Center for Cybersecurity

University of West Florida

• Palm Beach Collaborative Cyber Pathway Project

Palm Beach State College

• Expanding Cybersecurity & IT Pathways Hillsborough County Public Schools

• Hybrid-honeynet platform for CTI education

University of North Florida

Cybersecurity Pathway for Public and Nonprofit Organizations

Florida International University

• State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota Cyber/IT Pathway State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota

St. Lucie County School Board Cybersecurity at LPA St. Lucie County School Board

• Cyber Security Lab Florida Gateway College

• Enhancing the Growth and Quality of Cybersecurity Programs (EGQCP)

Florida Polytechnic University

• Expanding the pipeline of the Cyber/IT workforce

University of South Florida

Applied Cybersecurity Fundamentals Continuing Education

Cape Coral Technical College

• CAREERS in Cybersecurity

Florida Atlantic University

Towards Empowering the Next Generation of Cyber Professionals/Pathways

University of South Florida

• Cyber Threat Intelligence Fellowship Program

Florida International University

The Modernization of Digital Information Technology

University of South Florida

Cybercrime Investigation Training for Florida Law Enforcement Officers

University of South Florida

Cybersecurity Professional Pathways for Women and URM

Florida A&M University

The Florida CyberHub (1.1, 1.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Teaching & Learning> Increase Degree Productivity & Program Efficiency and Scholarship, Research & Innovation>Increase Research Activity & Attract More External Funding

The Florida CyberHub is a cloud-based platform to support cybersecurity education and research throughout the state. Offering desktop-as-a-service, a secure sandbox, and course-related labs and activities, the CyberHub provides resources for several higher education cyber programs and is integral to supporting Operation K12.

• The CyberHub grows by roughly 4,000 users per year, serving more than 13,000 students in the 2021-2022 academic year.

Creating More Options for Master’s Students (1.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Teaching & Learning>Strengthen Quality & Reputation of Academic Programs & Universities and Increase Degree Productivity & Program Efficiency

In 2020-2021, Cyber Florida initiated the process of transforming the University of South Florida’s (U.S.F.) online M.S. in Cybersecurity program and its four concentrations into four distinct master’s degree programs. As the cybersecurity field has evolved, employer needs have shifted from cybersecurity generalists to cybersecurity specialists, professionals with advanced knowledge and skills in targeted areas. In 2021-2022, the process was completed, and U.S.F. began accepting students into four new master’s programs.

• The College of Arts & Sciences launched the M.S. in Cyber Intelligence and Information Security. The College of Behavioral Sciences enhanced the M.S. in Cybercrime with concentrations in cyber criminology and digital forensic investigations.

• The Muma College of Business unveiled the M.S. in Information Assurance & Cybersecurity Management.

• The College of Engineering launched the M.S.C.Y.S. (M.S. in Cybersecurity).

Student Security Operations Center (1.2, 1.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Teaching & Learning> Increase Degree Productivity & Program Efficiency and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

Cyber Florida’s student-run security operations center (SOC) offers hands-on experience for students as they learn how to use state-of-the-art threat monitoring software to identify and investigate anomalies and learn to write comprehensive threat reports. Employing up to ten students at a time, the SOC provides invaluable real-world experience and without exception, SOC students graduate with job offers in hand.

The SOC produced more than 20 cyber threat reports that are shared online and used as a reference by cybersecurity professionals.

STRATEGIC GOALS EDUCATION

• Continue to grow Operation K12 to provide additional professional development initiatives for K-12 instructors, enhanced cybersecurity curriculum, and programmatic needs for summer camps and other informal learning for K-12 students.

• Continue to support The 502 Project community portal development

• Continue to support the student security operations center, exploring ways to incorporate private sector support and expand to other SUS institutions

• Continue to provide the Florida CyberHub with expanded customer support

• Continue to grow the CyberWorks career training initiative, supporting four cohorts.

• Lay the foundation for a statewide cybersecurity competition for middle school, high school, and college students to launch in 2023-2024. - this was used twice under future goals - Education and repeated under Outreach. Should probably be removed from Outreach.

OUR

Contribute to the state of the art in cybersecurity research.

Initiatives

2.1 Expand, accelerate, and target Cyber Florida grant programs.

2.2 Expand statewide cyber research collaboration and funding.

2.3 Shape federal grant funding to create more SUS cybersecurity research opportunities.

Creating Resources for Cyber Citizenship (2.1, 2.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Scholarship, Research & Innovation>Increase research activity & attract more external funding.

Numerous investigations have revealed that U.S. adversaries such as Russia, China, and North Korea are using cyberspace to influence U.S. citizens’ thinking and behavior through misinformation and disinformation, posing an urgent threat to democracy and public safety. To help address this growing threat, Cyber Florida partnered with New America and the National Association for Media Literacy Education (NAMLE) to create a curated online catalog of resources for K-12 teachers to help teach “cyber citizenship”—a combination of civics and media literacy to help young people learn to navigate cyberspace without falling victim to misinformation or disinformation.

• In partnership with USF Assistant Professor Nate Fisk and the Florida Center for Instructional Technology, NAMLE created an online portal equipped with 100 curated resources for teachers, which launched nationwide in June 2022. Visit cybercitizenshipeducation.org to learn more.

Shaping State Cybersecurity Policy (2.3, 3.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Scholarship, Research & Innovation>Increase research activity & attract more external funding.

The 2021-2022 academic year marked a strong foray into the public policy realm for Cyber Florida. Former executive director, Vice Admiral (Ret.) Mike McConnell, was appointed by Governor DeSantis to the Florida Cybersecurity Advisory Council, which is tasked with assisting state agencies in protecting their information technology resources from cyber threats and incidents. Following Executive Director McConnell’s retirement, his successor, General (Ret.) Frank McKenzie, has continued to support and consult with the council.

Additionally, Cyber Florida has served in an advisory capacity to various Florida state legislators, specifically related to the drafting of HB 7055: Cybersecurity, which was signed into law in June 2022. Cyber Florida received $57.5M in legislative appropriations for the 2022-2023 fiscal year for cybersecurity training and education, workforce development, research and simulation activities at USF. The specific appropriations are as follows:

$10M in recurring funds to Cyber Florida’s operational budget.

$10M in recurring funds and $500K in nonrecurring funds to develop and equip a Cyber Attack and Simulation Range to provide training and testing in a highly technical, simulated environment.

$7M in nonrecurring funds to conduct a comprehensive risk assessment of the state’s critical infrastructure and provide recommendations to support actionable solutions for improvement of the state’s preparedness and resilience to significant cybersecurity incidents.

• $30M in nonrecurring funds to conduct cybersecurity training for state and local government executive, managerial, technical, and general staff.

The Illinois Institute of Technology awaits the final results at the NCAE Cyber Games live stream.

NCAE Partnerships (2.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Workforce

In 2020-2021, Cyber Florida partnered on three projects funded by the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program to lead national cybersecurity educational initiatives. The initial grant duration concluded in 2021-2022, with the following outcomes:

In partnership with Mohawk Valley Community College, Cyber Florida helped implement the nation’s first cyber competition for new cyber competitors. The program is designed to help more students engage in cyber competitions, which employers look for on resumes. More than 50 colleges and universities and over 500 students participated nationally. This project has been approved to continue for 2022-2023.

• Cyber Florida supported the University of West Florida in their role as the Southeast Regional Hub for the NCAE-C program. Cyber Florida earned recognition for the outreach activities conducted on behalf of the Southeast Regional Hub.

• Cyber Florida was part of a 10-institution consortium led by the University of West Florida to implement a national workforce development initiative called CyberSkills2Work. Our CyberWorks career training program served as one of the pilot initiatives, and this grant was approved to continue for 2022-2023.

Searching for the Cyber Unicorn (2.1, 2.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Scholarship, Research & Innovation>Increase research activity & attract more external funding.

More and more, recent graduates have reported encountering a barrier to getting their cybersecurity careers started: so-called “entry-level” positions requiring significant experience. Rather than relying on anecdotal reports, Cyber Florida contracted with the Burley Group to investigate the phenomenon. The Burley Group is investigating the frequency of entry-level cyber positions asking for multiple years of experience and surveying applicants to see if this is merely a perception or a significant obstacle preventing recent graduates from entering the field.

The results of the study will inform future education and workforce development programs, and outreach efforts to employers.

The first year’s data is being analyzed, and based on initial reporting, the project scope will shift, focusing on Florida specific trends. The primary objective remains to understand the root causes of the entry-level cyber workforce challenges.

• Reinstate Cyber Florida’s research funding program to support new research initiatives across the State University System of Florida and add opportunities for the Florida College System.

• Expand the Faculty Fellows program to improve collaboration and coordination among SUS institutions.

• Establish an Associate Director of Research to assist in securing external funding for cybersecurity research and build a cybersecurity research network across institutions.

• Continue to engage with state and national leaders to ensure ongoing funding in support of state and national cybersecurity programs.

STRATEGIC GOALS RESEARCH & GRANTS

OUR

Make Florida the most cyber-secure state.

Initiatives

3.1 Improve the cybersecurity of Florida’s public and private sectors.

3.2 Improve the cyber hygiene of Florida’s citizens.

3.3 Develop and implement a public policy agenda.

The Great Power Competition: How 9/11 Changed National Security (3.1)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Strengthen Quality & Recognition of Commitment to Community & Business Engagement and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement.

Cyber Florida was proud to assist the University of South Florida’s College of Arts & Sciences in putting together a two-part installment of the Great Power Competition (GPC) Series. Funded by the Near East South Asia (NESA) Center for Strategic Studies, the GPC Conference Series examines the challenges facing U.S. national security on the global stage, particularly in the Central Region (encompassing the Horn of Africa, the Middle East, and Central Asia). Because 2021 marked the 20th anniversary of the September 11 terrorist attacks, the GPC Conference focused on that watershed event. The first installment, a virtual event held in September 2021, focused on the events leading up to 9/11 and how our nation responded in the immediate aftermath. The second event, also virtual, was held in April 2022 and focused on the national security policy changes implemented in response to 9/11.

• Each installment boasted nearly 2,000 registrants

• Speakers included such luminaries as former Secretary of Homeland

Security Michael Chertoff

Outreach Event Highlights (3.1, 3.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

Cyber Florida leads and supports numerous events over the course of the year that align with our mission areas. Here are some highlights for 2021-2022:

• In partnership with USF Sarasota-Manatee, Cyber Florida presented, “Ukraine What’s Next,” a five-part webinar examining the challenges facing Ukraine in the wake of Russia’s invasion.

• War Studies University in Warsaw, Poland, invited Cyber Florida to participate virtually in the 2022 Warsaw Cyber Summit. Cyber Florida is pursuing future events in partnership with War Studies University as a result of this engagement.

Cyber Florida partnered with the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Department of Homeland Security, and others to host two webinars on “How to Land a Federal Cybersecurity Job.” Both webinars were attended by hundreds of students across the Southeast thanks to support from CAE Community partners.

• In April, Cyber Florida participated in a panel discussion on Cyber Workforce Development hosted by the National Academy of Public Administration.

• Cyber Florida hosted a “Women in Cybersecurity Lunch-n-Learn” featuring Major General Tina Boyd, who, at the time, was Director, J-6, United States Central Command.

• In partnership with Tampa’s Economic Development Council, successfully worked with cybersecurity firm Rapid7 to establish a new corporate office in Tampa, generating over 100 cybersecurity, and cyber related jobs.

No Password Required Podcast (3.1, 1.1)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

Now in its third season, Cyber Florida’s No Password Required podcast has found its niche in the podcast world. The show features cybersecurity practitioners and luminaries sharing how they got into cybersecurity and found success in the field to show up-and-coming cyber professionals that the cyber industry is made up of all kinds of people from all kinds of backgrounds.

• No Password Required has nearly 3,400 listeners around the world

FeedSpot named No Password Required among the Top 30 cybersecurity podcasts globally

Guests have included Thomas Vaughn, City of Tallahassee CISO, Serge Jorgensen, CTO of Sylint Group, and Kayley Melton of KnowBe4.

Helping Local Governments Prepare (3.1)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

One of the best ways to understand how cyberattacks work is to go through one—virtually, that is. Cyber Florida developed a tabletop exercise for non-technical managers that often serves as an eye-opening experience as to how much damage a cyberattack can inflict across an organization. With ever-escalating scenarios, the exercise helps non-technical managers see that cyberattacks are not merely an IT department concern but have far-reaching operational, financial, and reputational implications.

• Cyber Florida partnered with the Federal Executive Institute under the U.S. Office of Personnel Management to host several online cybersecurity tabletop exercise events for federal agency managers.

• In May, Cyber Florida partnered with the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to host a tabletop exercise for department managers from across the county. Close to 80 county employees participated.

In June, Cyber Florida was invited by the Orange County Clerk of Courts to host a tabletop exercise for Orange County department managers. About 50 Orange County employees participated.

Taking the Public Pulse on Cyber (3.1, 3.2, 3.3)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goal Scholarship, Research & Innovation>Increase research activity & attract more external funding.

Each year, Cyber Florida partners with the University of South Florida School of Public Administration and others to conduct surveys of relevant audiences on a variety of cybersecurity topics. These surveys help inform our outreach, research, and public policy strategies. In 2021-2022, we conducted the following studies:

• A survey of Florida’s local government cyber readiness in partnership with the Florida League of Cities to determine gaps in cybersecurity that could be addressed through legislative efforts.

• A nationwide survey of 1,000 U.S. adults to better understand patterns of social media usage, including their management of online privacy and security, as well as the effects of social media usage on their social well-being.

A nationwide survey to determine how people perceive social media quality markers such as articles labeled as “fact-checked.”

Combating Cybercrime (3.2)

Aligns to Florida Board of Governors strategic goals Community & Business Engagement>Strengthen Quality & Recognition of Commitment to Community & Business Engagement and Community & Business Engagement>Increase Community & Business Engagement

Each year, cybercrime spikes in November and December as more and more people turn to online solutions for their holiday shopping needs. Scams run the gamut from fake package delivery notifications to too-good-to-be-true discounts designed to snag credit card information. Senior citizens are particularly vulnerable to these threats, so Cyber Florida runs a targeted online awareness campaign to help Florida’s seniors learn to recognize and avoid the online scams that abound during the holidays.

• Nearly 50,000 Floridians engaged with the campaign, an impressive amount for a $5,000 investment

STRATEGIC GOALS OUTREACH & ENGAGEMENT

• Continue to host awareness events that benefit vulnerable organizations such as small businesses and nonprofit organizations.

• Continue to engage the public through social media and other channels with cybersecurity awareness content.

• Begin laying the foundation for a statewide cyber competition event in 2023-2024 for middle school, high school, and college students.

• Begin planning to re-introduce an annual conference in 2023-2024 to engage both public and private audiences.

• Initiate a new academic/research conference focused on emerging threats and cybercrime.

• Lead outreach in support of the state-funded risk assessment and public employee training efforts.