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…

The National Security Agency (NSA) awards Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) designations to institutions that commit to producing cybersecurity professionals who will work in careers that reduce vulnerabilities in our national infrastructure. A review of the curricula in the 327 institutions and their degree programs reveal that only two…

The goal of this research was to discover a list of changes that can be applied to IT security certifications to enhance the day-to-day capabilities of IT security professionals. Background: IT security professionals are often required to obtain certifications that do not adequately prepare them for the full scope of work that will be necessary…

The Inspector General Act of 1978 (Public Law 95-452), as amended, requires that the Inspector General report semiannually to the Congress on the activities of the Office of Inspector General (OIG) during the 6-month periods ending March 31 and September 30. This Semiannual Report presents the activities and accomplishments of the U.S. Department…

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced the closure of schools across the nation, many K-12 schools moved from in-person to remote education, increasing their dependence on IT and making them potentially more vulnerable to cyberattacks. Education Facilities, including K-12 schools, is one of the nation's critical infrastructure subsectors. Several…

Much has been published about developing a cybersecurity curriculum for institutes of higher learning (IHL). Now that a growing number of IHLs globally offer such programs, a need exists on how to guide, maintain, and improve the relevancy of existing curricula. Just as cybersecurity professionals must be hone their skills continually to keep with…