Cybersecurity Coordination Center

University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu

Cybersecurity Begins Here

The purpose of the UHWO Cybersecurity Coordination Center (CSCC) is to provide Information Technology and Security students with an opportunity to work in a cyber operations center and coordinate cyber defense information with local and regional partners. This center provides students with research experience as network defense subject matter experts in order to prepare them for future employment in the federal government, state government, or industry.  This center also supports information security needs in the community and region by acting as a resource supporting research in modern cyber conflicts and emerging cyber threats.

The National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security have designated the University of Hawai’i – West O’ahu as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CDE) Through academic year 2021.

The UH West Oahu CSCC...

  • Leads multidisciplinary cybersecurity activities and/or programs.
  • Leads cybersecurity outreach activities.
  • Functions as part of the university to support the university mission, vision and strategic plans.

Mission

“Prepare all students – including local, national, and regional students- for employment in the Cyber and Information Security career fields upon graduation.”

Vision

“Expand the BAS-ISA Program as a Center of Academic Excellence (CAE) in Cyber Defense Education to include Cybersecurity of Industrial Control Systems and Cyber Investigations Specialties. Earn the designation as a CAE – Cyber Operations, educating students to be engaged global citizens and leaders in national and global cybersecurity.”

The CSCC currently focuses on five key aspects of information technology and security to support and guide student research efforts. Each of these focus areas can be researched in detail from the CSCC tab above:

The Global Cyber Environment
Information Security Best Practices
Vulnerability Research
Forensic Analysis
Cybersecurity of Industrial Control Systems

News & Announcements

Matthew Chapman is a cybersecurity expert and professor at the University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu. Talks about cybersecurity on Hawai’i Public Radio (HPR). Listen here.

The cyber teams of UH West O’ahu scored a major touchdown in Fall of 2021. For the first time in its history the university ranks top ten overall in the National Cyber League (NCL) competition. Find out more here.

Intelligent.com ranked the University of Hawai’i – “West O’ahu, “Best for Cybersecurity”. Find out more here.

Students in the University of Hawai’i West O’ahu Computer Science (CS) and Cyber-Security (CYBR) programs were given a power ranking of 12th in the United States by the National Cyber League. It is a major achievement, as the national rankings involve 749 teams composed of thousands of competitors. It is a validation of the commitment of the administration, its faculty and its students to be making the university a leader in computer science and cybersecurity education. (read more on pages 58-60)

University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu cyber students finished 2020 with a power ranking of 12th in the country, according to a ranking recently published by the National Cyber League.

The National Cyber League is a performance-based cybersecurity competition where individual students and teams compete against all-comers from around the nation. At the end of each season, the National Cyber League publishes the Cyber Power Rankings of schools across the country. Every year, thousands of students compete from hundreds of universities, colleges, and schools across the country. Read the full story.

“An interview with Matthew A. Chapman.” The cybersecurity education website’s expert interview series features Chapman, Computer Science and Cybersecurity Professor and Chair of the Business Administration Division at UH West Oʻahu. Cybersecurity Guide aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information about cybersecurity degree programs. Read the full story.

Matthew Chapman, a computer science and cybersecurity professor at the University of Hawaiʻi – West Oʻahu talks on Hawai’i Public Radio (HPR). Listen here.

The University of Hawaiʻi-West Oʻahu’s cybersecurity program ranks 30th among 1,290 colleges, according to the testing of students’ cyber aptitude by a leading organization focusing on internet security. Read the full story.

E Kamakani Hou - NSA Hawai'i visits the CSCC

“The University of Hawaiʻi–West Oʻahu Cybersecurity Coordination Center hosted leadership from the National Security Agency Hawaiʻi on Feb. 5 [2020] in a continued strengthening of the partnership between the university and intelligence organization.” Read the full story.