Weber State emerges as hub for internet safety resources

OGDEN, Utah – Be wary of what you post online.

It’s a simple web safety tip, but a valuable one. As director of Weber State University’s Cybersecurity Initiative, Matt Paulson wants the WSU campus and community partners to know that simple steps matter when it comes to protecting their information.

“Everybody’s at risk, no matter what you’re doing on the internet,” Paulson said. “A lot of the problems we see are social media scammers who go and gather information on people from their posts. Be aware of what you’re sharing, why you’re sharing, and who you’re sharing it with.” 

October is National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and WSU’s Cybersecurity Initiative is northern Utah’s central resource for all things internet-safety related. 

In addition to producing future IT professionals with degrees in network management technology, WSUCI also provides outreach and training to the community at large so individuals and businesses can better protect their information. 

“It doesn’t matter where you are on your cybersecurity journey,” Paulson said. “Weber State can help out with that.”

In September, WSU was formally recognized as a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education, a program sponsored jointly by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security. The CAE-CDE designation provides Weber State national cybersecurity expertise recognition and helps provide more grant opportunities to expand WSUCI’s training offerings. 

It also strengthens Weber State’s partnerships with the local defense and aerospace community, including Hill Air Force Base, Boeing, BAE Systems, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

“We teach Weber State students how to protect information on an enterprise level, so when they join the workforce, they can hit the ground running from day one,” Paulson said. “They’ll provide the sort of protection that companies need when managing their information.” 

For more information about degrees, business training and the other resources WSUIC has to offer, visit our website.

Author:

Jessica Kokesh, social media editor
801-626-7316, jessicakokesh@weber.edu

Contact:

Bryan Magaña, public relations director
801-626-7948, bryanmagana@weber.edu