The University of South Carolina Aiken (USCA) and the Aiken County Public School District entered into a formal agreement, providing cybersecurity services, including network monitoring, incident investigation and response, and remediation and recovery assistance, through the university’s student-run Regional Security Operations Center (RSOC).
In 2020, almost 50 percent of all cyberattacks targeted government and municipal systems. The impact resulted in almost $19 billion in recovery costs and impacted 71 million people.
The student-operated RSOC, staffed by cybersecurity professionals and highly trained cyber and information technology students, will augment the district’s cybersecurity and infrastructure protection procedures, giving the school system’s technology department a third-party team, constantly looking for indications of threats. RSOC clients, like the school district, receive real-time system monitoring, alerts, incident response and recovery assistance.
“With this agreement, the district gains frequent monitoring of its network, allowing for the early detection and mitigation of cyber threats. This external monitoring is key to improving the district's security posture, allowing it to better defend against threat actors and ensure that its data and network remain safe, secure, and reliable,” said Nic Carroll, Executive Director of Technology for Aiken County Public Schools. “The overall improved security posture provides assurance to stakeholders that the district's sensitive data and critical network services are protected.”
“Most entry-level cybersecurity careers require three things: a degree, industry certifications, and practical work experience,” District Superintendent Dr. Corey Murphy commented. “Too often, students can earn the first two but struggle to gain the third. The RSOC changes that.”
Undergraduate and graduate students will be at the helm in the RSOC, vigilantly monitoring the school district’s systems. In addition to computer science and cybersecurity, the College of Sciences and Engineering offers degrees and concentrations in cryptography, game and simulation and software engineering. The college offers a master’s program in computer and information sciences, with a concentration in cybersecurity. Undergraduate students can also earn workforce development certificates in cybersecurity, cloud computing and security and network security and information technology.
“This agreement with Aiken County Public Schools is illustrative not only of USCA’s commitment to serving our region but of USCA’s role as a leader in cybersecurity and STEM education and innovation in the CSRA,” said Dr. Daniel Heimmermann, chancellor. “As an NSA-Designated Center of Excellence in Cyber Defense, USCA offers our students hands-on, real-world learning opportunities making our graduates workforce ready on day one.”
“This is what strong community partnership looks like. It strengthens our district. It strengthens our university, and it strengthens South Carolina’s workforce,” Murphy stated.
USCA’s strategic plan seeks to create a pipeline for experienced professionals, all while supporting regional cybersecurity needs of the U.S. Government, private industries and non-profits. The university actively seeks innovative strategic partnerships, develops relative curricula, conducts timely research and offers engaging internships and experiential learning opportunities that not only benefit students but the region and state. Partnerships with the Savannah River National Laboratory (SRNL), South Carolina National Guard (SCNG), the Naval Information Warfare Center and now the Aiken County Public School District allow for collaboration and access to experts in the field. On campus, students, scientists and cyber experts work closely through SRNL's Advanced Manufacturing Collaborative, the SCNG Cyber Integration and Readiness Centers, Ruth Patrick Science Education Center, USCA's Workforce Development Center and College of Science and Engineering and USCA's Center for Cyber Initiatives, Awareness, and Artificial Intelligence. Additionally, internships prove mutually beneficial for students and their employers. A recent partnership between USCA and the South Carolina Small Business Development Center, allows students to assist local small businesses working toward required cyber certifications that qualify them to become Department of War contractors.
USCA’s student-led and operated RSOC is the first one in South Carolina and one of only three in the country. In addition to providing cyber protection for the university and school district, the RSOC has agreements with the town of Wagener and the Center for Nuclear Technology Awareness (CNTA), a local non-profit.
Having experienced professionals who are ready to hit the ground running right after graduation is key for employers, like the school district.
“The RSOC serves as a live-fire, professional-grade laboratory where students can apply theoretical knowledge in a real, yet controlled, operational environment, monitoring for threats, and auditing systems to reduce vulnerabilities and thwart cyber threats and attacks.” Carroll said.
Senator Tom Young and other members of the Aiken County Legislative Delegation recently sent a letter to Gov. Henry McMaster, requesting he designate USCA’s Regional Security Operations Center as a formal state cybersecurity asset and a model for regional workforce development in cybersecurity. Young was joined by several members of the House of Representatives at today’s MOU celebration.
“We are proud that the state’s only Regional Security Operations Center is located at USCA, in the heart of Aiken County, and that it leverages significant existing computing infrastructure and a student workforce which help fill cybersecurity workforce gaps with a scalable and cost-effective approach to protecting network assets,” said Sen. Tom Young (SC-District 24). “This designation will strengthen interagency collaboration, amplify the state's cyber defense capabilities, and reinforce South Carolina's commitment to safeguarding its digital infrastructure.”
The RSOC, launched in 2022, will ultimately be housed in the South Carolina National Guard’s Cyber Integration Center, once it’s completed on campus. When co-located, students will work side-by-side with the SCNG’s cyber battalion, resulting in a "Student-Led, Soldier-Supported" model, which gives students even more access and experience, directly supporting national and state security priorities.
Several local news outlets covered this memorandum event.
Read the full Aiken Standard story online at postandcourier.com.
Watch the news segment online from WRDW News 12.
Watch the news segment online from FOX 54.
Watch the news segment online from WJBF News Channel 6.