Network outages, hacking, computer viruses, and similar incidents affect our lives in ways that range from inconvenient to life-threatening. As the number of mobile users, digital applications, and data networks increase, so do the opportunities for exploitation.
Why Work in Cyber Security?
If you're new to cyber security, we've created an overview on this exciting field.
Cyber Security Overview
Cyber security, also referred to as information technology security, focuses on protecting computers, networks, programs, and data from unintended or unauthorized access, change, or destruction.
Government agencies, the military, corporations, financial institutions, hospitals, and other groups collect, process, and store a great deal of confidential information on computers and transmit that data across networks to other computers. With the growing volume and sophistication of cyber attacks, ongoing attention is required to protect sensitive business and personal information, as well as safeguard national security.

The curriculum has a flexibility about it that I haven’t seen from other academic institutions. UMGC, I think, has cracked the code in terms of allowing it to be very agile and very much focused on the changing dimensions of cyber security.
Robert Lentz
President and CEO, Cyber Security Strategies

Not only am I in a very hot field, I'm also in a good company where I feel secure, and I like what I'm doing a lot. And I feel like I'm [adding] value not just to myself but to the country and to the government…. I'm heading in the right direction for my career.
Tyler Carlin
Cybersecurity Consultant, Deloitte
Master of Business Administration
Cybersecurity Management and Policy Master's Degree

UMGC deserves the highest praise for recognizing and responding to the critical workforce need for trained professionals in the field…. It is an exciting time for cyber security, for the state of Maryland, and for UMGC.
Martin O'Malley
Former Governor, State of Maryland
When I mentioned UMGC, everybody’s eyes lit up in the room because they knew that the [cyber security] program had a good reputation in the industry.
Cate Reich, MS
Demand for Skilled Cyber Security Professionals
Source: CyberSeek | "Cybersecurity Supply/Demand Heat Map" | 2019
Source: ISACA | "State of Cyber Security 2017: Workforce Trends and Challenges" | 2017
Source: ISACA | "State of Cyber Security 2017: Workforce Trends and Challenges" | 2017
Center for Security Studies
The Center for Security Studies at UMGC provides educational resources, networking, and career training opportunities for working professionals pursuing cyber security education. Learn more about the Center for Security Studies by visiting the Administration section.
Cyber Security Glossary of Terms
Learn cyber speak by familiarizing yourself with cyber security terminology from the Department of Homeland Security.
Access
The ability and means to communicate with or otherwise interact with a system, to use system resources to handle information, to gain knowledge of the information the system contains, or to control system components and functions.
Active Attack
An actual assault perpetrated by an intentional threat source that attempts to alter a system, its resources, its data, or its operations.
Blacklist
A list of entities that are blocked or denied privileges or access.
Bot
A computer connected to the Internet that has been surreptitiously/secretly compromised with malicious logic to perform activities under the remote command and control of a remote administrator.
Cloud Computing
A model for enabling on-demand network access to a shared pool of configurable computing capabilities or resources (e.g., networks, servers, storage, applications, and services) that can be rapidly provisioned and released with minimal management effort or service provider interaction.
Critical Infrastructure
The systems and assets, whether physical or virtual, so vital to society that the incapacity or destruction of such may have a debilitating impact on the security, economy, public health or safety, environment, or any combination of these matters.
Cryptography
The use of mathematical techniques to provide security services, such as confidentiality, data integrity, entity authentication, and data origin authentication.
Cyber Space
The interdependent network of information technology infrastructures that includes the Internet, telecommunications networks, computer systems, and embedded processors and controllers.
Data Breach
The unauthorized movement or disclosure of sensitive information to a party, usually outside the organization, that is not authorized to have or see the information.
Digital Forensics
The processes and specialized techniques for gathering, retaining, and analyzing system-related data (digital evidence) for investigative purposes.
Enterprise Risk Management
A comprehensive approach to risk management that engages people, processes, and systems across an organization to improve the quality of decision making for managing risks that may hinder an organization's ability to achieve its objectives.
Information Assurance
The measures that protect and defend information and information systems by ensuring their availability, integrity, and confidentiality.
Intrusion Detection
The process and methods for analyzing information from networks and information systems to determine if a security breach or security violation has occurred.
Key
The numerical value used to control cryptographic operations, such as decryption, encryption, signature generation, or signature verification.
Malware
Software that compromises the operation of a system by performing an unauthorized function or process.
Passive Attack
An actual assault perpetrated by an intentional threat source that attempts to learn or make use of information from a system but does not attempt to alter the system, its resources, its data, or its operations.
Penetration Testing
An evaluation methodology whereby assessors search for vulnerabilities and attempt to circumvent the security features of a network and/or information system.
Phishing
A digital form of social engineering to deceive individuals into providing sensitive information.
Root
A set of software tools with administrator-level access privileges installed on an information system and designed to hide the presence of the tools, maintain the access privileges, and conceal the activities conducted by the tools.
Software Assurance
The level of confidence that software is free from vulnerabilities, either intentionally designed into the software or accidentally inserted at any time during its lifecycle, and that the software functions in the intended manner.
Virus
A computer program that can replicate itself, infect a computer without permission or knowledge of the user, and then spread or propagate to another computer.
Whitelist
A list of entities that are considered trustworthy and are granted access or privileges.
Articles About Cyber Security
- Big Data: Dream or Potential Nightmare?: The vast amount of data being generated in our technologically connected world presents cyber security concerns.
- Unlocking the Secrets of Cyber Security: UMGC Cyber Security Program Advisory Board members discuss the challenges of hacking, tracking, and attacking in the virtual world.
- Larger State Commitment Needed to Protect Cyber Data: UMGC faculty member Debora Plunkett called for more investment into cyber security defense in remarks to the Maryland Cybersecurity Council on January 25, 2018.
- Six Must-Reads for Your Cyber Book List: When you assemble your next cyber security reading list, start with these recommendations.