News & Events

Stop Making Yourself Vulnerable Online

5 Simple Steps to Protect Yourself from Cybercrime

It’s one thing to hear that global cybercrime is increasing every year, but it hits home when I learned that there’s been a dramatic increase in cyberattacks in agribusiness, food production and farming in the past few years. While I wrote this story for Farm News, I’m sharing it here, too. Even if you’re not a farmer, it’s time to take cybersecurity seriously, according to Iowa State University (ISU) Extension.

“Cybersecurity is a team sport, and everyone has a role to play,” said Doug Jacobson, an Iowa State University (ISU) professor of electrical and computer engineering and director of the Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach at ISU. “It’s vital to control the things you can to protect your data. Don’t be an easy target.” Read more here.

Cybersecurity in Agriculture Project with ISU Extension and Outreach

Agriculture is one of 16 critical infrastructure sectors for the U.S. economy and national security (www.cisa.gov.) In
addition, the digitization of agriculture and the exponential rise in the number of internet connected devices on Iowa’s farms raises
concerns. Read more here.

Experts suggest beefing up farm security

James Hoflen and Doug Jacobsen advise farmers to take steps to secure their farm including: changing default passwords, backing up data, updating software, and considering multi-factor authentication. Read more here.

Iowa State University’s Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity Engineering ranks 18 in 2023 in Cybersecurity Guide

Avoiding Identity Theft & Fraud: Ask the Experts

With our internet-orientated culture, many organizations store our personal information digitally, and it is at risk of exposure daily. We may not have control over how organizations handle our data. However, we can control how and where we share this information. WalletHub consulted a panel of experts for advice on safeguarding our data against cybercriminals. Click on the experts’ profiles to read their bios and thoughts on the following key questions: https://wallethub.com/edu/states-where-identity-theft-and-fraud-are-worst/17549#expert=Doug_Jacobson

Podcast: Cybersecurity & Education

Tune in to a podcast with Steve Bowcut as he interviews Doug Jacobson about cybersecurity educational opportunities at Iowa State University: https://cybersecurityguide.org/expert-interviews/doug-jacobson/

To Steal Today’s Computerized Cars, Thieves Go High-tech

These days, cars are computer centers on wheels. Today’s vehicles can contain over 100 computers and millions of lines of software code. These computers are all networked together and can operate all aspects of your vehicle. It’s not surprising, then, that car theft has also become high tech: https://theconversation.com/to-steal-todays-computerized-cars-thieves-go-high-tech-210358

Should Governments Ban TikTok? Can They?

TikTok, the video social media app that’s wildly popular with young people, is banned from work phones by the federal government, as well as numerous state governments and corporations. A cybersecurity expert weighs in: https://tinyurl.com/5favp8k

Fortune Education names Iowa State University one of the Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity 2023

Check out the rankings to the best online master’s in cybersecurity 2023 from Fortune Education: https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-cybersecurity/

Fortune Education names Iowa State University one of the Best Online Master’s in Cybersecurity 2022

Check out the rankings to the best online master’s in cybersecurity 2022 from Fortune Education: https://fortune.com/education/information-technology/masters/rankings/best-online-masters-in-cybersecurity/

Two ABE associate professors named Cybersecurity Fellows

Two associate professors in the Department of Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering (ABE), Adina Howe and Kurt Rosentrater have been named Cybersecurity faculty fellows. Cybersecurity fellows will work with ISU Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach specialists to integrate cybersecurity content into courses. Read more here: https://news.engineering.iastate.edu/2022/06/27/two-abe-associate-professors-named-cybersecurity-fellows

First international cyber-defense competition links Iowa, Kosovo Iowa State University hosts cybersecurity competition with Iowa National Guard

AMES, Iowa — Cybersecurity threats are everywhere, and not having proper protections can lead to losing money, your data, or worse. Fortunately, the next generation of cybersecurity specialists are honing their skills right here in Iowa.


First international cyber-defense competition links Iowa, Kosovo campuses

Waterloo (Iowa) Career Center high school students Beau Smith of Hudson and Schmitz of Cedar Falls brief Iowa National Guard commander Maj. Gen. Ben Corell and Kosovo Security Force commander Lt. Gen. Bashkim Jashari during the first International Cyberspace Security Exercise, conducted simultaneously on May 18, 2022, at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa) and the University of Pristina, Kosovo. Photo by Randy Brown

More than 150 hackers and operators participated in a first-ever International Cybersecurity Exercise on Wednesday, competing simultaneously on the campuses of the University of Pristina, Kosovo and Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Waterloo (Iowa) Career Center high school students Beau Smith of Hudson and Schmitz of Cedar Falls brief Iowa National Guard commander Maj. Gen. Ben Corell and Kosovo Security Force commander Lt. Gen. Bashkim Jashari during the first International Cyberspace Security Exercise, conducted simultaneously on May 18, 2022, at Iowa State University (Ames, Iowa) and the University of Pristina, Kosovo. Photo by Randy Brown


Writing the Script for Cyber Security Research and Education

Doug Jacobson’s leadership in cyber security research and education began before high-speed internet, smartphones and Google. It even predates the term “cyber security” itself. Jacobson, Stanley Chair in Interdisciplinary Engineering, University Professor of electrical and computer engineering, and director of the Center for Cybersecurity Innovation and Outreach, was one of the few who saw “information assurance” threats looming in the early 1990s.


Student Event: “Left of Boom: Preparing the Next Generations of Defenders”

We must prepare the next generation of cyber defenders to identify threats, detect intrusions, and protect & defend cyber assets.

Join the Iowa Secretary of State for hands-on demos on election security, pen testing and internship/job opportunities!


Give your DOB for a free T-shirt? Be skeptical

The days of a king or queen from a faraway land sending tremendous riches for responding to an email with your bank account number are not as numerous. It’s not because scammers have gone away. They are just more sophisticated.

Read more on passwords, phishing, password sniffing and what to do: https://www.inside.iastate.edu/article/2021/10/14/cybersecurity


Research Opportunities

See what some of our CyIO faculty and graduate students are researching: https://iastate.box.com/s/tqpdukg43h9wldrdy4g6jgti7xdtc4ky


Manimaran Govindarasu announced as CyIO Associate Director of Research

Dr. Govindarasu is an Anson Marston Distinguished Professor in Engineering & Murray J. and Ruth M. Harpole Professor in Electrical and Computer Engineering at Iowa State University. He has been a part of several successful research opportunities and will continue to bring these opportunities to CyIO. He is also the principal investigator for the Power Infrastructure Cybersecurity Laboratory at Iowa State.


CyIO Week October 6th-9th

Each day of CyIO Week, a different focus area of the Center is highlighted through events for faculty and students. Check out the schedule below and download the flyer.