Cyber attacks continue to be a real and consistent threat to personal and professional data exposure. As companies continue to beef up their security to protect valuable digital assets against breaches, ransomware, phishing, and more, the need for advanced cybersecurity technology and trained cyber analysts remains strong.
What Is Pen Testing?
One important tool used by cyber experts is penetration testing, also known as “pen testing” or “ethical hacking.” Pen testing is an authorized simulated cyber attack on a computer system that is performed to evaluate the security of the system and to expose exploitable vulnerabilities. Pen testing is done not just to check for system weaknesses, but also to evaluate the people and processes in place to thwart real cyber attacks before they occur.
Expertise in pen testing can be found in a variety of places. Many companies use outside agencies to test their data security system; others use in-house security teams. One company, Uneo Health, took a unique approach, leveraging their relationship with University of Maryland Global Campus (UMGC) to help them with this critical evaluation.
Uneo Health is a Maryland-based provider of innovative solutions that support the behavioral health needs of teens and young adults. Their Prosper platform is a no-cost self-care app offering a personalized, AI-enabled experience that allows users to access tools, resources, and support and receive care messages and “nudges” from their healthcare provider to their smartphone.
Uneo Health’s Collaboration with UMGC
Uneo Health contracted with UMGC and its award-winning Cybersecurity Competition Team to perform a pen test on one of their products. UMGC has long been a leading institution for students interested in the cybersecurity field, and the competition team, composed of UMGC students, alumni, and faculty, consistently ranks among the top cyber warriors in the world. It was a win-win solution for both groups.
Led by James Robertson, UMGC portfolio director for Computer Science and Software Development, along with Jesse Varsalone, faculty coordinator of the cybersecurity competition team and associate professor of Cybersecurity Technology at UMGC, members of the cyber team conducted the pen test, which included a cloud-based security review. Robertson and the team ran several diagnostic tools to identify potential vulnerabilities and privacy concerns.
“This pilot project provided a valuable learning experience for the team,” said Varsalone. “It demonstrated a pathway to integrate real-world cybersecurity scenarios into our university setting.”
The team reviewed the results and corresponding vulnerability report and provided comments, feedback, and recommendations.
“Universities are always looking to incorporate real-world and relevant projects into their curriculum,” said Helen Barker, department chair of the cybersecurity program at UMGC. “These experiences help students become career-ready so they can hit the ground running when they enter the workforce.”
Barker aims to create additional real-life learning opportunities for UMGC students and provide them with hands-on experiences beyond the classroom that can prepare them for a career in cybersecurity.
For Uneo Health, the pen test provided insights that are critical to organizations working with sensitive healthcare data.
“We were excited to partner with UMGC on this cyber review,” said Alden Sullivan, CTO and co-founder of Uneo Health. “Their findings were clearly presented and provided our team additional insights which enabled us to further strengthen our security posture.”
Earn a Cyber Degree at UMGC
If you’re considering a career in cybersecurity, UMGC is an excellent option. We offer three online bachelor's programs and seven online master’s programs in cybersecurity, each designed to give you the training and credentials you need to advance and excel in your cyber career.
In addition, UMGC offers three undergraduate certificates and six graduate certificates in cybersecurity, to give you a convenient way to gain concentrated, career-relevant cyber skills and a valuable credential.
Nearly all UMGC programs can be completed entirely online, and we’ve replaced those bulky, expensive textbooks with no-cost digital course materials in nearly every course. Hybrid courses are also available.
UMGC’s virtual learning lab, the Multi-Dimensional Applied Relevant System (MARS), is a state-of-the-art, AI-driven cybersecurity environment where students learn by doing. Students using the MARS environment will have access to the latest industry tools with which companies want their employees to have experience. Some of the tools used in UMGC’s cybersecurity classes include Wireshark, Nessus, and OpenVas.
The university is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education and is a constituent institution of the University System of Maryland. UMGC has been designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance and Cyber Defense Education by the National Security Agency and the Department of Homeland Security.
If your organization is interested in bringing a real-world cybersecurity project into UMGC to support the continuous development of the next generation of cyber warriors, contact Dr. Helen Barker at helen.barker@umgc.edu.
Reference on this webpage to any third-party entity or product does not constitute or imply endorsement by UMGC nor does it constitute or imply endorsement of UMGC by the third party.
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