The first step to improving an organization's security posture is to define the organization's security goals. At a technical level, these goals are expressed as security policies. Security policies are predicates over programs, that return true or false if the program adheres to the policy. Defining these policies correctly is thus essential to…

Curriculum development is currently being done in a variety of ways: individually, with peers, through an academic committee that may or may not have an industry representative, or through workshops. But the current ways of developing curriculum have challenges and inefficiencies, specifically when using groups and committee (logistical…

K-12 schools in Louisiana face unique cybersecurity challenges due to the state's high poverty rate, resource constraints, infrastructure weaknesses, and vulnerability to natural disasters. Public school systems in Louisiana have been particularly vulnerable to these attacks, with incidents of cyberattacks tripling in 2020 alone. The Louisiana…

The study helped investigate Peruvian Higher Education Institutions' (PHEI) security posture and how the adoption of modern technology enhanced the operational processes to reduce cyber threats. The purpose of the research was based on research questions to assess access controls effectiveness, infrastructure security gaps, emerging technology…

This study sought to understand how cybersecurity professionals in technical U.S. Federal Government (USFG) positions transition into first-time cybersecurity leader roles. The study also sought to explore which leadership competencies were used/developed in this transition and how those leaders gained the knowledge and skills to perform their…

Organizations need help keeping their infrastructure and data secure because cybercrimes and cyberattacks are rising. It is known that the highest risk to any organization is the risk that end users present (Aljeaid, 2020; Yuan, 2021). The problem to be addressed in this study is that end-user employees' behavior remains the biggest reason for…

The cybersecurity talent gap has been a hot topic for most of the 2000s, yet only one aspect or viewpoint of the gap has been investigated: that of the employers. Governmental and private organizations suggest what they think led to or is a contributing factor to the cybersecurity talent gap. This study detailed aspects that could contribute…

Private higher educational institutions are at a high risk of cyber-attacks based on the amount of data they consume about students, their families, donors, faculty, and employees. I determined that there was a gap in the body of knowledge concerning how IT leaders in private higher education secure their information assets. The purpose of this…

Public school districts are frequently targeted by cybercriminals to gain access to a wealth of under-protected sensitive data. As a result, information technology (IT) leaders in public school districts must implement measures to maintain the security and confidentiality of sensitive data collected and stored by their schools. This qualitative…

The purpose of this generic qualitative inquiry research study is to examine the features that need to be improved in self-paced cybersecurity awareness training to educate retail employees to identify phishing attacks. Malicious phishing attacks are a significant threat to retail corporations' business operations and confidential data. Employees'…

This proposal is to develop a framework for designing a cybersecurity program. The goal of the program is to prepare students graduating from an accredited two-year college for success in cybersecurity careers. Several challenges such as program accreditation, workforce development, and Department of Homeland Security/National Security Agency…

This dissertation addresses the problem of practice of the high rate of employees in financial organizations clicking on phishing links, positioning their companies at risk of a data incident or breach. The financial sector was the most breached industry in 2022 (Schwartz, 2022) and was impacted the most by malicious phishing emails (Trellix…

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of gamified training in cybersecurity concepts on individuals not employed in information technology roles compared to traditional pieces of training. As the world becomes increasingly connected technologically, so too do the cyber vulnerabilities increase, and it is essential for all types of…

The rise in cyber-related attacks targeting school districts is outpacing cybersecurity readiness, as education institutions in the USA continue to fall victim to online threats (Levin, 2022). The education industry has been slow to react to an increasingly dangerous security landscape, leading many schools to become prime targets and victims of…

Cybersecurity job roles and responsibilities constantly evolve due to technological advancements, complex infrastructure, and increasing cybersecurity threats and regulations. As a result, organizations require a highly skilled and experienced cybersecurity workforce in both the public and private sectors. Many colleges and universities offer…