Saddleback's cybersecurity/cyber defense program starts students on a pathway to becoming a United States Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) in the form of a Computer Science Associate in Science degree that is built for transfer along with the preparation needed to take the Certified Ethical Hacker exam which meets the minimum certificate requirements for the CSSP Analyst, Infrastructure Support, Incident Responder, and Auditor Levels.
The United States Department of Defense Cyber Security Service Provider (CSSP) workforce consists of 5 different levels of employment (e.g. Analyst, Infrastructure Support, Incident Responder, Auditor, and Manager), with each requiring one or more industry certificates along with a four-year degree. The CSSP is a highly sought-after certification issued by the Department of Defense that indicates a candidate's fitness for the DOD CSSP workforce.
Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) Program Goal
The goal of the CAE Cyber Defense program is to reduce vulnerability in our national information infrastructure by promoting higher education and research in cyber defense and producing professionals with cyber defense expertise.
The program helps students to proactively increase their understanding of robust cyber defense technology, policy, and practices to work collaboratively as professionals to enable our Nation to effectively prevent and respond to a catastrophic cyber event. This program will contribute significantly to the advancement of state-of-the-art cybersecurity knowledge and practices.
CAE-CD Program Vision
The vision for Saddleback College's CAE-CD program is to:
- Provide a program that is committed to excellence in the field of Cyber Defense education.
- Strengthen the cybersecurity workforce by providing Cyber Defense education through certifications and an Associate of Science degree program.
- Build an effective education pathway model with K-12 schools to encourage students at an early age to enter cybersecurity fields of study.
- Provide the Nation with a pipeline of qualified students poised to become the future skilled technical workforce.
- Continuously improve the quality of its Cyber Defense education program, curriculum, faculty, students, and other institutions.
Resources
Professional Journals
Cybersecurity journals and articles are available through the Saddleback Digital Library at no charge. Just follow the login instructions on the Online Library link on the saddleback.edu home page. Lists of Professional Journals may be obtained at either the online Cybersecurity Center or the Cybersecurity Center. Professional Journals available at the Online Library include:
- National CyberWatch(link is external)
- Stop Think Connect(link is external)
- Computer Security Digest(link is external)
- Security Today(link is external)
CAE and CAE-CDE Institutions
Four Year National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense education:
- California State University, Pomona(link is external)
- California State University, Sacramento(link is external)
- California State University, San Bernardino(link is external)
- National University, San Diego(link is external)
Cybersecurity Community Resources
- NICE Cybersecurity Workforce Framework(link is external)
- CAE Community(link is external)
- California Cybersecurity Apprenticeship Program (CCAP)(link is external)
- Southern California Community College Consortium on Cybersecurity (SoCalCCCC)(link is external)
- CyberWatch West(link is external)
- CyberSeek (Career Pathways and Interactive Maps)(link is external)
- Cybersecurity Guide(link is external)
- Department of Defense (DOD) Cyber Exchange(link is external)
- National Cybersecurity Training and Education Center (NCyTE)(link is external)
- Zoom Quick Tips Infographic(link is external)
- Zoom Tips (Accessible)(link is external)
Cyber Competitions
In addition to mentoring for CyberPatriot competitions, Saddleback College students participate in a variety of cyber competitions to sharpen their hands-on skills in cybersecurity. Competitions include the Western Regional Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (WRCCDC) and National Cyber League (NCL).