State of Indiana receives praise from Intel Security for its collaboration with Purdue University

INDIANAPOLIS) Intel Security Group General Manager Chris Young lauded the State of Indiana’s work with Purdue University to help create the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through its Security Operations Center (SOC). The remarks came at the RSA Conference, which is the world’s largest cybersecurity conference.

“I’m truly inspired by the work that the State of Indiana and Purdue University are doing,” Young said. “In the United States alone, there are over 200,000 unfilled cybersecurity positions.”

In October, the State announced the creation of the Indiana Information Sharing and Analysis Center (IN-ISAC) and opened a SOC in Purdue Technology Park staffed with a mixture of state employees and Purdue students. The SOC, operated by the IN-ISAC, provides real-time network monitoring, vulnerability identification and threat warnings of state government computer systems.

The students are employed as part of the Purdue Pathmaker Internship Program, which provides career-relevant internships to students on or near campus.

Indiana Chief Information Officer Dewand Neely said students are providing a valuable service to the state while learning advanced skills that will prepare them for careers in the industry.

Purdue University Chief Information Officer Gerry McCartney added, “There is a severe shortage of trained, computing security professionals. What we offer here through Pathmaker is an opportunity for the State to provide a real service, under its own direct supervision.”

Purdue University President Mitch Daniels expressed enthusiasm about the arrangement.

“The State of Indiana is now a direct beneficiary. Our students are working in an operations center, sited at Purdue, which is working on the state’s own cybersecurity issues,” Daniels said.

The partnership is part of a forward-looking strategy, Young said.

“I’m really happy to see government investing and really trying to build out that next generation of cybersecurity talent. Intel is doing its part by partnering with Indiana and Purdue at the SOC. This is not just a mission of the government, we have to act now as an industry to solve the problem,” he said.

The entire speech can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=7gvdGZnvEA4. Young’s comments about the cybersecurity professionals shortage begin at the 11:02 mark, and discussion of the partnership between the State of Indiana and Purdue University begin at 15:03 and runs until the conclusion.