University of Mary Cybersecurity

CyberConnect 2026 was a huge success! We had 100 students from all over ND come and compete in a capture the flag event. They worked on cybersecurity related puzzles and challenges throughout the day and we awarded over $3500 in cash and prizes.

Help us congratulate our Senior Cybersecurity Student of the Year…Henry Cash!

Henry is an amazing student and has already received a full-time job offer at Basin Electric upon graduation. We hang our hat on the success of our students and Henry is an excellent example of that.

Pictured is Henry with faculty member Matt Frohlich at the awards banquet last night.

Come join us!

Do you have what it takes to crack the code and capture the flag? 🔐🚩

Join us for our inaugural CyberConnect CTF on April 14 for a fast-paced, gaming-style cybersecurity competition open to high school students (grades 9–12).

Enter the arena and climb a live scoreboard for a chance to win cash prizes:
🏆 $2,000 – 1st place
🥈 $1,000 – 2nd place
🥉 $500 – 3rd place
✔ Free to attend
✔ Lunch provided
✔ No team? We’ll place you on one

This event is hosted by the Gary Tharaldson School of Business and highlights our Cybersecurity Center, designated by the National Security Agency as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense, recognizing the University of Mary as a leader in cybersecurity education.

📅 Register by March 27: UMary.edu/CyberConnect

Tag a student who should compete 👇

Check out this new cert…We’ll be offering classes in it starting in March online and on-campus this Fall.

Skills you'll learn
✔️Apply AI concepts to strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture.
✔️Secure AI systems using advanced controls and protections to safeguard data, models, and infrastructure.
✔️Leverage AI technologies to automate workflows, accelerate incident response, and scale security operations.
✔️Navigate global GRC frameworks to ensure ethical and compliant AI adoption across industries.
✔️Defend against AI-driven threats like adversarial attacks, automated malware, and malicious use of generative AI.

SecAI+ Certification V1 | CompTIA CompTIA SecAI+ validates your skills to secure AI systems, automate defenses, and manage risk while advancing your cybersecurity career.

According to the University of Melbourne, TikTok’s newest privacy policy update allows the collection of biometric data, including facial and voice information -- data that is permanent and uniquely personal.

At the same time, new advertising tools like TikTok’s 'Focused View' raise concerns about how user data may be analyzed to track attention, behavior, and even emotional responses for targeted advertising.

⚠️ Why is this important?
When biometric data and advanced advertising intersect, it raises serious questions about privacy, consent, and how deeply users — especially students — are being profiled online.

These are real-world issues shaping careers in digital privacy and security. Online safety today includes understanding how apps collect and use sensitive data.

So the question is, how much do you let these apps know about you? Do you freely give this information away?

For more information on this, check out these articles.
https://www.cpomagazine.com/data-privacy/tiktok-focused-view-promises-emotion-tracking-to-advertisers/

https://pursuit.unimelb.edu.au/articles/tiktok-captures-your-face

TikTok captures your face University of Melbourne experts say that TikTok's decision to capture unique digital copies of your face and voice is a cybersecurity threat to your identity.

Apple’s Senior VP of Software Engineering, Craig Federighi, explains the new security features coming to iPhones in this short video. 🔐

Kids use their phones for everything — and these updates are designed to protect personal information from cyber threats. Understanding digital safety is more important than ever.

This also highlights a fast-growing career path: cybersecurity. If your kid enjoys technology and problem-solving, this is a field worth exploring. Check out the Cybersecurity program at the University of Mary to see if it could be a path to explore.

Apple’s Craig Federighi Explains New iPhone Security Features | WSJ Apple is finally bringing end-to-end encryption to most of iCloud, including backups, photos and more. In an exclusive interview, Apple software chief Craig ...

In the umary cybersecurity program, you not only get a great degree, but exposure to Matt Frohlich's dad jokes!

Here are some fun facts about cyber and attacks that have happened. The impact that cyber attacks have on the world is absolutely crazy, so it’s important to take the initiative to protect yourself before it’s too late.

Looking for certifications that can bulk up your resume? Try some of these certifications. Special thanks to Coursera.org for this list! Check them out! https://www.coursera.org/articles/popular-cybersecurity-certifications