Public invited to explore cybersecurity in practice

Protecting information takes more than one kind of expertise. A network engineer, an auditor and a criminal investigator may look at the same problem from different angles. Central Michigan University’s virtual National Cybersecurity Awareness Month Conference will bring those perspectives together Friday, Oct. 30, in a free event open to students, working professionals and community members.

Hosted by the Department of Business Information Systems in CMU’s College of Business Administration, the conference runs from 9 a.m. to 2:45 p.m. Attendees can join the full program or choose individual presentations through the event’s online hub.

CMU’s cybersecurity education connects technical skills with the business decisions and human behavior that shape security. The conference extends that conversation beyond the classroom. Students can explore possible paths into the field, professionals can hear how peers approach shared challenges, and community members can learn more about the digital habits that affect their own lives.

The program includes a keynote on cybersecurity fundamentals from FBI special agent Anthony Kraudelt and another from John Fowler II, deputy information security officer at Henry Ford Health System. Concurrent sessions will examine network security in banking and the role of IT and cybersecurity auditing. Michigan State Police Detective Lt. Jeff Hoffman will discuss “digital exhaust”—the signals people leave behind online—while CMU’s Karen Arthur will introduce the university’s cybersecurity programs. A panel featuring professionals from CMU, Centric Consulting and Dow will bring additional perspectives to the discussion.

For those who want to try cybersecurity for themselves, a beginner-level Capture the Flag competition begins at 3 p.m. Participants work through challenges in a game format. The competition is free and open to the public, with prizes available to CMU students.

The conference’s online hub has the full agenda, speaker bios and Webex links for each presentation.