Charlotte Cybersecurity Clinic Provides Support To Local Organizations
In a pioneering move to bolster regional cybersecurity, the College of Computing and Informatics at UNC Charlotte has unveiled its Citizen Cybersecurity Clinic, an initiative aimed at assisting organizations in the area that are most vulnerable to digital threats. Spearheaded by notable faculty members Bill Chu and Vinicius Da Costa, this clinic is part of a growing national trend to democratize cybersecurity knowledge and skills.
Bill Chu, who heads Charlotte’s CyberDNSA Center, and Vinicius Da Costa, an adjunct cybersecurity faculty member, are at the forefront of this new venture. The clinic’s inception draws inspiration from the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics, a 2021-launched nationwide initiative. This consortium aims to make it easier for universities and other institutions to extend their cybersecurity expertise to public and private partners who otherwise lack the means for comprehensive cybersecurity analyses.
“The Citizen Cybersecurity Clinic is a win-win proposition. It provides a much-needed service to companies and organizations that are most vulnerable to cyberattacks on the one hand and provides practical experiences for UNC Charlotte students,” Chu said. “We are grateful for the strong support we received from our friends in the cybersecurity community who are dedicated to giving back to our community.”
Currently, the clinic is on the lookout for its first partner, ideally located within a 50-mile radius of the University. This inaugural partner should be a private, public, or nonprofit entity that currently lacks the facilities to conduct its own cybersecurity threat modeling and risk assessment. Interested organizations are encouraged to participate in the clinic’s application survey for this semester.
Da Costa, a former graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, brings his experience from Berkeley’s cybersecurity clinic to the project.
“I witnessed firsthand the value provided by the clinic to not-for-profit organizations that lack the resources for critical tasks and are common targets for cyberattacks,” said Da Costa. “Such a clinic also gives students an end-to-end practical knowledge of the entire space of cybersecurity that will be foundational for their successful careers.”
This program is a shining example of how academic institutions can leverage their expertise to safeguard local communities while providing real-world experience to the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. UNC Charlotte’s Citizen Cybersecurity Clinic is poised to make significant contributions to both the academic and local community by fostering a safer cyber environment.