At the center of the cybersecurity conversation.
The National Cybersecurity Institute at Excelsior University is an academic and workforce development center dedicated to assisting government, industry, military, and academic sectors meet the employment challenges within the cybersecurity workforce.
Collaborating with both public and private industry, NCI is leading a coordinated effort to build a diverse, equitable, and inclusive cybersecurity workforce and influence an informed leadership base that implements cutting-edge cybersecurity education and policy. NCI targets the development of effective cybersecurity practice in several sectors, including health care, finance, critical infrastructure, and national defense.
National Center of Academic Excellence
Leadership
Carl Eyler
As a subject matter expert, Mr. Eyler has held positions with global financial firms, including Schroders, Deutsche Bank, Credit Agricole, and Santander. He served thirteen years in the U.S. Army, concluding as an Information System & Security Analyst with the Department of Defense – Computer Emergency Response Team (DOD-CERT). He holds a B.S. in Computer Information Systems from Excelsior University and an M.S. in Cyber Security from the University of Maryland, University College.
National Cybersecurity Institute Fellows
Weylin Brad Leavitt
Leavitt is a 2008 graduate of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, where he studied computer engineering. In 2010, he became an active-duty Air Force officer and quickly became well- known among the cadre of cyber operators. He was first assigned to the Air Force Enterprise Service Desk for three years, creating policies and leading quality assurance efforts, before being deployed with the U.S. Army to Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. There he fulfilled the role of system operations officer-in-charge at the Regional Network Operations Service Center-Afghanistan. After returning from deployment, he was assigned to the Air Force Computer Emergency Response Team, becoming mission-qualified and eventually commanding one of the six Air Force Cyber Weapon Systems. He was responsible for conducting various cyber defensive operations against all activities, from daily phishing attempts to large-scale network attacks.
National Cybersecurity Institute Faculty
The fully online Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program provides students with the ability to enhance technical knowledge and skills in cybersecurity. Our courses are taught by a collection of highly qualified and dedicated instructional faculty
- Jose Herrera
- Tyrone Howard
- Ivan Gappy
- Patrick Kral
- Jane LeClair
- George Mikulski
- Stephen Miller
- Denise Pheils
- Laurel Schneider
- Michael Sletten
- Jianhong Sun
- Steven Tharp
Cybersecurity Industry Advisory Committee
The Cyber Industry Advisory Committee also serves as the Board of Advisors for the National Cybersecurity Institute. They provide programmatic guidance over the activities of the center and the program. This board provides a connection between the program and the cybersecurity community.
- Samuel Wilkerson
- Ronald Ford
- Christopher Johnson
- Jamie Moesch
- Greg Clawson
- Lora Vaughn
- Edward Mattison
- Brian Finch
Continue the Conversation
Excelsior University National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter
The National Cybersecurity Student Association (NCSA) encourages the educational and professional development of cybersecurity students through activities, networking, and collaboration. NCSA strives to inspire career awareness and promote creative efforts by cultivating a national community that supports students in their cybersecurity endeavors.
National Cyber League
As part of the National Cybersecurity Student Association, students have the opportunity to participate in the National Cyber League. This biannual cybersecurity competition for high school and college students consists of a series of challenges that allow students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, break into vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more.
Excelsior University has participated in the National Cyber League since 2017 and has consistently ranked on the Top 100 Leaderboard from 2018-2021. In the fall 2019 season, Excelsior University ranked No. 34 overall and teams placed No. 55 and No. 99 on the Leaderboard. Excelsior took first place in the team competition and overall in the spring 2021 season. In spring 2022, Excelsior had two participants ranked in the Top 100.
“I think the exposure and skills [gained] are the biggest takeaways. You learn things you would never learn in the classroom. This provides you a way to practice everything you learned, too.”
– Melissa Burger, MS in Cybersecurity, 2020
Excelsior University National Cybersecurity Student Association Chapter
Cybersecurity In The News
NCI Blog
- Excelsior University announces new director of its National Cybersecurity Institute
- Female Veterans – Ready to Fill Cybersecurity Jobs!
- Cybersecurity Divas
- Risk or Resilience: A Look at Fraud, Forensics, and Cybersecurity Challenges and Career Opportunities
- Excelsior College Hosts Virtual Fraud, Forensics, and Cybersecurity Executive Panel on November 18 with Siena College
Events and Webinars
Upcoming Events
The Excelsior team is now forming. The NCL competition provides students with experience solving real-world cybersecurity challenges, such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pen-testing and auditing vulnerable websites, recovering from ransomware attacks, and more.
No experience is necessary as the NCI and Excelsior will provide training and guidance to prepare for this event.
If you are a current student and interested in participating, send an email to NCI@excelsior.edu
This webinar will guide you through the diverse landscape of cybersecurity professions. Discover the various roles within the field, from threat analysts to security engineers, and gain insights into the skills and qualifications needed for each. Whether you’re just starting out or looking to pivot within the industry, this session will provide valuable information on how to navigate and advance in the dynamic world of cybersecurity. Don’t miss this opportunity to explore career paths that protect and defend the digital realm!
The National Cybersecurity Training and Education (NCyTE) Center and the Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cybersecurity Community are hosting the eighth annual National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair. Employers from industry, government, and academia will be present seeking top cyber talent from over 400 institutions designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Research (CAE-R), Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), and Cyber Operations (CAE-CO).
This event is open to students and alumni from institutions designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity.
Join us for the webinar where we delve into the complex intersection of AI and cybersecurity. This session will explore how emerging AI technologies are transforming both the threats and defenses within the cybersecurity landscape. Learn about the unique challenges AI poses, from sophisticated cyber-attacks to the ethical implications of AI-driven security solutions. Gain insights from experts on how to stay ahead of AI-powered threats and effectively leverage AI tools to enhance your cybersecurity strategy. Don’t miss this chance to understand and address the evolving challenges at the forefront of cybersecurity.
(ISC)², the world’s leading cybersecurity professional organization known for the CISSP® is offering free Certified in Cybersecurity℠ (CC) online self-paced training and exams as part of its One Million Certified in Cybersecurity initiative.
How the Program Works
To participate in the One Million Certified in Cybersecurity initiative, individuals must visit www.isc2.org/candidate to enroll as an (ISC)² Candidate. Upon completion of that process, which includes an online form and affirmation to abide by the (ISC)² Code of Ethics, individuals will be able to access their free education and exam via their (ISC)² Candidates benefits page.
Participants will receive a free exam, as well as access to the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity online self-paced education course. The course provides a review of the subject matter published in the (ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity exam outline, which shares the security concepts on which certification candidates will be evaluated.
Go to Certified in Cybersecurity to learn more.
Past 2023 Events
The National Cybersecurity Training and Education (NCyTE) Center and the Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cybersecurity Community are hosting the seventh annual National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair (VCF). As the CAE in Cybersecurity program continues to designate new CAEs, the number of students participating in the VCF grows each year. Last year, over 1100 students and alumni participated in the virtual career fair. Employers from industry, government, and academia will be present seeking top cyber talent from over 400 institutions designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Research (CAE-R), Cyber Defense (CAE-CD), and Cyber Operations (CAE-CO), and institutions in the Candidate’s Program (pending approval).
This event is open to students and alumni from institutions designated as Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity.
https://www.caecommunity.org/events/save-date-national-cybersecurity-virtual-career-fair-2023
Event Archive
- September 22, 2023 – National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair 2023
- June 1, 2023 – US Open Cyber Games
- May 18, 2023 – CAE Forum: Introducing Security Operations to the Cyber Curriculum
- May 18, 2023 – CAE Forum: Remote Access Trojans
- April 20, 2023 – CAE Forum: The Concept of Zero Trust: Tenets, Architecture, and Threats
- April 20, 2023 – CAE Forum: Rethinking the Security and Privacy of Bluetooth Low Energy
- April 5, 2023 – CAE Forum: Are Personal Information Sharing, Awareness, Habits, and Practices a Concern for Cybersecurity?
- April 5, 2023 – CAE Forum: Aviation and Aerospace Cybersecurity
- January 19, 2023 – CAE Forum: The Future of Physical Side-channel Analysis: The Next Decade
- January 19, 2023 – CAE Forum: Best Practices in Cybersecurity Pathway Education
- November 17, 2022 – CAE Forum: Security of Heterogeneous Systems
- November 17, 2022 – CAE Forum: Scalable Remote Live Forensics for Android
- November 2, 2022 – CAE Forum: The Use of Steganography and Steganalysis Trends in Computer Forensics
- November 2, 2022 – CISA and Girls Who Code Webinar: Learn About Incident Response Techniques and Jobs in Cybersecurity
- October 20, 2022 – CAE Forum: Vulnerabilities of Machine Learning Algorithms to Adversarial Attacks for Cyber-Physical Power Systems
- October 5, 2022 – CAE Forum: CyberChef Lessons for Learning Encryption
- October 5, 2022 – CAE Forum: Demystifying and Exploiting IoT Timeout Behaviors in Smart Home
- September 16, 2022 – National Cybersecurity Virtual Career Fair
- September 15, 2022 – CrowdStrike & NCL Webinar
- August 22, 2022 – National Cyber League Fall 2022 Season
- August 16, 2022 – Senator Patrick Leahy Cyber Symposium
- August 9, 2022 – NSA Codebreaker Challenge
- July 1-10, 2022 – US Cyber Games Open CTF Challenge
- June 6-8, 2022 – Demystifying Cybersecurity NICE Conference & Expo
- May 19, 2022 – CAE Tech Talk: Volatility
- May 19, 2022 – CAE Tech Talk: Ransomware and the Zero Trust Framework
- May 6, 2022 – HUE Tech Summit 2022 s
- May 4, 2022 – Building a Smart Secure Manufacturing Testbed Using Zero Trust Model, Machine Learning and 5G
- May 2, 2022 – How Serious is the Cybersecurity Threat Posed by the Current Geopolitical Climate?
- April 21, 2022 – CAE Tech Talk: HE and ZKP: Privacy-Enhancing Technologies
- April 21, 2022 – April CAE Tech Talk: Symbolic Execution for the Win: Pwning CTFs with Angr
- May 7, 2021 – HUE Tech Summit
- May 4 2021 – Military Spouses in Cybersecurity
- March 25, 2021 – Webinar: Data Privacy
- December 10, 2020 – Webinar: Veterans Apprenticeship Program Webinar
- November 19-20, 2020 – CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium
- November 18, 2020 – Webinar:Fraud, Forensics and Cybersecurity
- November 12, 2020 – Webinar: Seeking Careers in Cybersecurity
- American Society for Public Administration (ASPA) Annual Conference
- Webinar: The Difference Between an IT Degree and a Cyber Degree
- NICE Conference and Expo
- CAE in Cybersecurity Symposium
Resources
The key to staying ahead in the field of cybersecurity is to watch for and analyze trends. It’s a challenge to stay one step ahead of the criminals. As a cybersecurity professional, you will want to stay on top of new findings and current cyber events.
Here are some resources that will help you stay up-to-date:
Vulnerability Alerts and Information
- National Cyber Awareness System – CISA
- National Vulnerability Database
- NIST – Last 20 Scored Vulnerability IDs & Summaries
- Industrial Control Systems Cyber Emergency Response Team (ICS-CERT Advisories)
Regulations
- United States Federal Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Laws Directory
- US State Cybersecurity Legislation
- European Union General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
Frameworks
- National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education (NICE)
- Control Objectives for Information Technology (COBIT)
- HITRUST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
- International Office of Standardization (ISO) 27001
- Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS)
Studies and Research
Publications
Security News & Threat Intelligence Blogs
News Feeds
- SANS Internet Storm Center
- Reddit Security News Channel
- European Union Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-EU)
Videos and Podcasts
Other Sources
- U.S. Department of Homeland Security – Cybersecurity
- European Union Agency for Network and Information Security
What is Phishing and How to Protect Yourself
National Cybersecurity Institute Journal
The National Cybersecurity Institute Journal, a peer-reviewed journal, covers topics that appeal to a broad readership within the cybersecurity discipline, with a particular focus on education, training, and workforce development.
