Cal Poly Pomona Celebrates 20 Years of Cybersecurity Awareness with a Focus on AI
November 07, 2024 | Ana Cerna Martinez
Cal Poly Pomona recently celebrated a significant milestone in cybersecurity education and awareness by hosting its 20th annual Cybersecurity and Awareness Fair. This year’s theme, "Unleashing the Power of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Cybersecurity," highlighted the dual role of AI as both a tool for cybercriminals and a means of defense against evolving cyber threats.
The Transformative Role of AI in Cybersecurity
Held on October 17, the event showcased the transformative impact of AI on the cybersecurity landscape. Attendees were introduced to the capabilities of AI in generating phishing prompts and even writing malicious code, illustrating the challenges that security professionals face in an increasingly digital world. However, the fair also emphasized how AI can bolster defenses, enhance awareness, and empower the cybersecurity community to combat these sophisticated risks.
Christopher Laasch, interim director for information security at Cal Poly Pomona, remarked, “The cybersecurity industry changes every year, but there is a consistent theme when you consider phishing attacks and social engineering—they target individuals every year, over and over again. That’s why we try to do awareness events like this to showcase the risks involved.” He further noted that AI is rapidly becoming a pivotal technology in this field, akin to the impact of blockchain in recent years.
Engaging Demonstrations and Expert Insights
The fair featured interactive demonstrations from various cyber clubs at Cal Poly, including sheCodes, ./Script, and MISSA. These clubs engaged attendees with phishing simulations and discussions on vulnerabilities in AI tools like ChatGPT. Industry leaders from renowned companies such as IBM, Splunk, Cisco, and Trellix contributed their expertise on pressing topics, including AI threats and quantum computing, providing a real-world perspective that enriched the academic environment.
In addition to the demonstrations, students and professors showcased their research, leveraging the fair as a platform for networking and knowledge sharing. This collaborative atmosphere fostered connections between students and industry professionals, paving the way for future opportunities in the cybersecurity field.
Career Opportunities and Empowering Women in Cybersecurity
The day concluded with a Cybersecurity Job Fair, where companies like CrowdStrike, Southern California Edison (SCE), and the CIA connected with aspiring talent. This segment of the event offered valuable insights into career paths and opportunities within the rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape.
A notable highlight of the fair was its commitment to promoting opportunities for women in cybersecurity. Organizations such as sheCodes, Women in Technology, and the Women’s Society of Cyber Jutsu showcased their initiatives aimed at empowering women and underrepresented groups in STEM fields. Erika Ledesma, a senior computer science student and president of sheCodes, emphasized the inclusive nature of their community, stating, “We are open to all kinds of majors; you don’t have to be a computer science major. If you have an interest in coding or want to expand your skills, then we have opportunities for you to do so.”
Innovative Research and Student Projects
During the fair, sheCodes presented AWS Comprehend, a natural language processing (NLP) tool that utilizes machine learning to detect phishing emails. The team trained the model on a dataset of emails, enabling it to classify whether a given email was a phishing attempt.
Cal Poly Pomona students and faculty also shared their innovative research. Electrical engineering seniors Shakira Guzman and Joshua Castilla, under the guidance of Professor Tamer Omar, presented their project on drone detection using radio frequency technology. Guzman explained, “We can detect enemy drones with a pre-made database using transceiver radio frequency. The code has changed from previous semesters, but machine learning helps determine the type of drone using different equations to compare the data we compiled to our database.”
In a computer science course taught by Professor Abdelfattah Amamra, students are exploring the integration of AI into cybersecurity. Senior student Gerardo Solis shared, “We are trying to simplify logs with large language models (LLM) or AI, so the user can easily understand it. Ideally, if we can simplify things as much as possible, that means employees can have a more productive work environment.”
A Platform for Collaboration and Learning
The fair also included a poster contest featuring entries from various institutions, including CSULB, CSULA, Chaffey College, and local high schools. This competition encouraged students to showcase their understanding of cybersecurity concepts and fostered a spirit of collaboration among participants.
For those interested in revisiting the event, presentations and poster entries can be viewed on the CSAF YouTube Page and the Cyber Fair website.
As Cal Poly Pomona continues to lead the way in cybersecurity education and awareness, the 20th annual Cybersecurity and Awareness Fair served as a testament to the institution’s commitment to preparing students for the challenges of the digital age. By focusing on the intersection of AI and cybersecurity, the fair not only educated attendees about current threats but also inspired the next generation of cybersecurity professionals to innovate and defend against them.