For Peggy Brouse, director of George Mason University’s Cyber Security Engineering Program, the problem of protecting critical infrastructures, both physical and online, from attack is “a huge problem.”
“It’s probably a lot more far-reaching than people think,” she said.
That is why Brouse is encouraged by the announcement that Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe is partnering with the Australian state of Victoria to share resources and information about cybersecurity.
Brouse, who has a PhD in information technology and engineering from George Mason, and is a former software engineer for the U.S. Army Information Systems Engineering Command, said she knows of no other U.S. state that has reached across international borders for such a partnership.
“By collaborating with friendly forces, we’re working together to try to combat this problem, which is a world problem,” Brouse said. “I believe [McAuliffe] thinks that by working together, it can be a mutually satisfying relationship. There’s strength in numbers.”
No details of the partnership are available, but Brouse said there certainly will be sharing of technical information and methodologies.
“In a broad way, it will be an outreach to people who have the same interests as we do,” Brouse said. “By reaching out to not only those in this country, but outside it, I think they’re trying to show our state is in a position to be one of the cybersecurity leaders. I am certain that is one of Gov. McAuliffe’s objectives.”
Mason’s Cyber Security Engineering Program was ranked as one of the nation’s 10 best in a national Hewlett-Packard survey of 2,000 certified IT security professionals. The cross-disciplinary program draws on the expertise of faculty within the School of Business, Volgenau School of Engineering and the Schar School of Policy and Government.
Peggy Brouse, an associate professor in the Volgenau School of Engineering, is also a former systems engineer and director at MITRE Corporation. She can be reached at 703-993-1502 or pbrouse@gmu.edu.
For more information, contact Damian Cristodero at 703-993-9118 or dcristod@gmu.edu.
About George Mason
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 35,000 students from 150 countries and all 50 states. Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity and commitment to accessibility.