Google Invests In U.S. Education With 15 New Cybersecurity Clinics

Uploaded on 2024-11-22 in TECHNOLOGY--Resilience, FREE TO VIEW

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With the advent of new technologies like AI, the landscape for organizations is evolving, presenting both opportunities and threats. This shift is prompting many small and medium-sized businesses to seek ways to enhance their cybersecurity standards, highlighting a growing need for support for cyber uplift.

For fifteen universities, colleges, and collaborative initiatives, a recent investment by Google’s philanthropic arm endeavors to supercharge their capacity to support local communities with $1 million in grants, mentorship, and scholarships to support ongoing learning.

Google’s philanthropic investments in enabling and improving cyber resilience for communities across America highlight the changing priority of security - from MBA program graduates to nonprofit leaders; this investment in the program looks to be a new frontier in the fight against malware.

The Role of Cybersecurity Clinics

Cybersecurity clinics are vital in empowering communities by providing hands-on experience with technologies that pose a risk to critical infrastructure, such as power plants and hospitals.

Much like pro-bono firms, cybersecurity clinics offer a unique opportunity for non-profits, public interest groups, and other organizations to improve their cybersecurity capabilities.

Operating at no cost to the community, cybersecurity clinics provide an opportunity for educators, often at the forefront of modern technology, to interface with parties that often have limited access to and exposure to the latest in cyber standards. Small businesses can learn practical and meaningful ways to protect themselves against the growing cyber attack and disruption threat.

Tackling A Global Shortage

It’s widely recognized that cybersecurity professionals are an essential part of modern workforces. However, there are significant headcount shortages across the global workforce.

According to research compiled by ISC2, a member association representing cybersecurity professionals, the total shortfall of cybersecurity professionals is estimated to be approximately 3.4 million workers worldwide.

Providing cyber uplift when there are workplace shortages can be tricky - and in part, the new cybersecurity clinics, supported by the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, look to act as a force multiplier. By providing the tools needed to create clinics, educational institutions can provide qualifications with the technical skills necessary to succeed in cyber roles, creating a feedback loop.

This can also address a common issue in the information technology space - the need for more diversity. By supporting the development of clinics serving diverse populations, cybersecurity education can extend into historically underrepresented areas.

Making Cyber Education Accessible

Overall, each of the fifteen initiatives supported by Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund will receive a range of tools to assist in setting up new cybersecurity clinics. This includes a grant of $1 million in funding from Google.org, scholarships for further cybersecurity education, as well as Titan Security Keys, so these organisations can also look to improve their own cyber defenses.

This increases Google’s overall investment in cybersecurity clinics beyond what was initially announced in June 2023, bringing the total number of clinics to 25, up from an initial goal of 20. It indicates how cybersecurity has emerged as a significant issue, particularly in the last year, as organizations from Ticketmaster to UnitedHealthcare have been targeted by hackers and cyber incidents.

“It’s essential that we invest in growing a strong, diverse, and widespread cybersecurity workforce to help protect everyone — from critical infrastructure to small businesses and schools,” said Heather Adkins, Google's Vice President of Security Engineering.

“The 15 clinics that we’re helping to establish serve a wide variety of students across all corners of the U.S. and we’re excited to see the impact they’ll have in their local communities.”

As cybersecurity threats emerge and evolve, clinics will play a vital role in providing support to communities where there are gaps in knowledge about best practices and other standards. By investing in a broad range of initiatives, Google’s philanthropic efforts highlight the important steps that all organizations must take to help create a cyber-aware world.

Image: Firmbee

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