Center Activities, News and Competitions

Building upon the successful validation of its Cyber Defense Program of Study, California Baptist University is pursuing designation as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense (CAE-CD) through the National Security Agency.

The CAE designation recognizes institutions that demonstrate excellence not only in cybersecurity curriculum but also in faculty expertise, institutional support, student engagement, outreach, professional development, and continuous improvement. Through the Center for Cybersecurity, CBU continues to expand partnerships with industry and government, support cybersecurity competitions and student organizations, engage with K–12 and community outreach initiatives, and promote cybersecurity awareness across the university.

Achieving the CAE-CD designation would further strengthen CBU's commitment to preparing ethical cybersecurity professionals while enhancing opportunities for students, faculty, research collaborations, and future cybersecurity initiatives across the university.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity is proud to announce that its Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program has been validated by the National Security Agency (NSA) as a Cyber Defense Program of Study (PoS) under the National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) program.

This recognition confirms that CBU's curriculum meets rigorous national standards for cybersecurity education by aligning with the knowledge units established by the NSA and its federal partners. The validated program prepares students with the technical knowledge and practical skills needed to defend modern information systems and meet the growing workforce demands of government, industry, and critical infrastructure organizations.

The Program of Study validation reflects years of curriculum development, faculty collaboration, continuous assessment, and institutional investment in cybersecurity education. It also represents an important milestone toward CBU's continued growth as a leader in cybersecurity education and workforce development.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity is proud to recognize alumnus Julian Madril for his leadership as a Systems Engineering Manager and Senior Principal Cyber Systems Engineer at Northrop Grumman.

Since earning both his Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Technology and Master of Science in Information Technology Management from CBU, Madril has built a distinguished career supporting aerospace defense, secure systems engineering, and cybersecurity for mission-critical defense programs. His work includes leading cybersecurity teams, overseeing Risk Management Framework (RMF) implementation, managing vulnerability assessments, and supporting the security of advanced aerospace and defense systems.

As a member of the Center for Cybersecurity Advisory Board, Madril continues to support CBU students through mentorship, career guidance, and collaboration with faculty to ensure graduates are prepared for careers protecting the nation's most critical systems.

During Summer 2026, Dr. Dan Grissom, Professor and Chair of Computer & Data Science in the College of Engineering, is participating in the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona Summer Faculty Research Program (SFRP), collaborating with researchers on the development of secure cloud-based technologies for the U.S. Navy.

His research focuses on designing a cloud-based system that incorporates Zero Trust cybersecurity principles to securely manage fleet data. The project emphasizes secure system architecture, identity management, access control, and modern cybersecurity practices that help protect sensitive government information systems from evolving cyber threats.

Participation in the Summer Faculty Research Program enables CBU faculty to remain engaged with current cybersecurity challenges while bringing real-world research experience and emerging technologies into the classroom. The project also strengthens CBU's ongoing partnership with NSWC Corona and supports the Center for Cybersecurity's mission of advancing cybersecurity education and applied research.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity continues to engage with industry leaders on the challenges of leading organizations through digital transformation.

Recently, adjunct faculty member Dr. Juan Piacquadio served as a guest speaker for the Inspire Leadership Network's Next Generation Leadership (NGL) program, where he discussed how successful technology initiatives require more than technical expertise. Drawing on his executive experience as a Chief Information Officer, Dr. Piacquadio emphasized that sustainable transformation depends on aligning cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, business strategy, organizational culture, and leadership around a common vision.

The discussion focused on preparing current and future leaders to navigate rapid technological change while strengthening cyber resilience and managing organizational risk. Through engagements such as these, the Center for Cybersecurity promotes leadership practices that prepare organizations to securely adopt emerging technologies while supporting innovation and long-term success.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity continues to promote lifelong learning by sharing professional development opportunities that help students, alumni, faculty, and cybersecurity professionals expand their technical knowledge and skills.

This summer, cybersecurity professional and CBU adjunct faculty Larry Watlington announced free enrollment opportunities for his "Keep it Simple" technology course series on the Udemy learning platform. The collection includes introductory courses in cybersecurity, networking, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, information systems management, and the Risk Management Framework (RMF), providing accessible learning opportunities for individuals seeking to strengthen their understanding of today's rapidly evolving technology landscape.

The Center for Cybersecurity encourages members of the CBU community to take advantage of reputable educational resources that support continuous professional development and workforce readiness. As cybersecurity technologies continue to evolve, ongoing learning plays a vital role in preparing students and professionals to address emerging threats and opportunities across government, industry, and critical infrastructure.

By highlighting educational resources from experienced cybersecurity practitioners, the Center reinforces its commitment to fostering a culture of continuous learning and supporting the development of tomorrow's cybersecurity workforce.

Adjunct faculty member Dr. Juan Piacquadio was recently featured by CIO Mastermind, sharing perspectives on the evolving role of Chief Information Officers in leading enterprise transformation. During the interview, he discussed how modern CIOs increasingly serve as strategic business leaders responsible for integrating cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, digital operations, and enterprise technology to create long-term organizational value.

The conversation explored the importance of aligning technology investments with business objectives, developing high-performing teams, and managing organizational change in an era of accelerating innovation. Dr. Piacquadio also emphasized that cybersecurity and digital resilience are now essential components of executive leadership and organizational strategy.

The Center for Cybersecurity values opportunities for faculty to contribute to national discussions on technology leadership and to bring current industry perspectives into the classroom.

The Center for Cybersecurity continues to strengthen collaboration between academia and industry through partnerships with cybersecurity professionals developing innovative educational technologies.

During Spring 2026, Steven Perumean, Director of Card Services at California Baptist University, piloted Scholar Secure, an emerging cybersecurity education platform designed to provide students with practical, hands-on cybersecurity learning experiences. The platform was introduced in CBU's cybersecurity curriculum and will continue to be integrated into future coursework as development progresses.

In addition to leading development of Scholar Secure, Mr. Perumean serves as an adjunct instructor in the cybersecurity program and provides leadership for the CBU Cybersecurity Club. His dual roles help bridge classroom instruction, emerging cybersecurity technologies, and student engagement while connecting academic learning with real-world cybersecurity practice.

Through collaborations such as these, the Center for Cybersecurity continues to foster innovation, strengthen industry partnerships, and prepare students for careers in the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity.

Through the CBU Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning Lab (CAiMLL), computer science faculty are partnering with the Naval Surface Warfare Center (NSWC) Corona Division on the Defense Innovation Navigation Assistant (DINA) project. The initiative combines AI with secure software engineering and zero-trust principles. Working with Google and NSWC Corona, the team is pursuing an Interim Authority to Test (IATT) and ultimately an Authority to Operate (ATO) for systems handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). The DINA team has also presented its work at Fort Huachuca to support integration into the U.S. Army Intelligence Center of Excellence educational curriculum.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity continues its annual partnership with Arlington High School, introducing students to educational opportunities and careers in cybersecurity through a series of outreach activities designed to inspire the next generation of technology professionals.

Each year, Dr. Brian Bovee, Associate Professor of Information Systems and Director of the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program, visits Arlington High School to speak with students about the rapidly evolving field of cybersecurity. During these presentations, students learn about current cyber threats, the importance of protecting digital information, and the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals across government, healthcare, education, finance, and private industry. The sessions also introduce students to academic pathways that can prepare them for careers in cybersecurity, information technology, and artificial intelligence.

As part of this ongoing partnership, Arlington High School students are also invited to visit the California Baptist University campus for an immersive experience hosted by the Center for Cybersecurity. During their visit, students tour the campus, explore CBU's cybersecurity and computing programs, meet with faculty, and learn about student organizations, internships, and career opportunities in the technology field. These visits provide students with a firsthand look at university life while helping them understand how a cybersecurity education can prepare them to protect organizations, critical infrastructure, and national security interests.

This annual collaboration reflects the Center for Cybersecurity's commitment to serving the local community through sustained outreach and workforce development. By building long-term relationships with regional high schools, the Center helps students discover meaningful career pathways while strengthening the pipeline of future cybersecurity professionals for Southern California and beyond.

California Baptist University continues to strengthen its collaboration with the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School (NPS) through its Educational Partnership Agreement (EPA). During Summer 2026, Dr. Dan Grissom, Professor and Chair of Computing, Software and Data Sciences, and Dr. Mark Kim attended the unveiling of NPS's NVIDIA DGX GB300 supercomputer. Through this partnership, CBU researchers are expected to gain access to the DGX GB300 system along with the Hamming Supercomputer and Omniverse environment to support cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and data science research. This collaboration reflects CBU's commitment to strategic government partnerships that advance cybersecurity education and research.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity, in collaboration with the School of Business and the School of Engineering, has launched the CBU Cybersecurity Club to provide students with hands-on learning opportunities beyond the classroom. The club serves as a hub for students interested in cybersecurity, offering technical workshops, networking opportunities, guest speakers, and collaborative learning experiences that complement CBU's cybersecurity curriculum.

As one of its first major initiatives, the club established a team to compete in the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC), one of the nation's premier cybersecurity competitions. Through faculty mentoring and interdisciplinary collaboration, students gain practical experience defending enterprise networks, responding to real-world cyber threats, and developing the technical and professional skills sought by employers in government, industry, and critical infrastructure sectors.

The Cybersecurity Club reflects the Center for Cybersecurity's commitment to experiential learning, workforce development, and preparing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through partnerships that span multiple academic disciplines.

The California Baptist University Center for Cybersecurity is proud to recognize alumnus and Advisory Board member Julian Madril for his continued commitment to developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

As the San Diego Lead for Northrop Grumman's High School Involvement Partnership (HIP) mentoring program, Madril works with high school students on STEM projects while helping identify and recruit talented students—including CyberPatriot participants—for summer internship opportunities. His efforts help introduce students to careers in cybersecurity, systems engineering, and national defense while strengthening the pipeline of future technology professionals.

Madril's ongoing mentorship reflects the Center for Cybersecurity's mission of preparing students for meaningful careers while encouraging alumni to invest in future generations of cybersecurity leaders.

As part of California Baptist University's commitment to developing the next generation of cybersecurity professionals, Dr. Brian Bovee, Director of the Bachelor of Science in Cybersecurity program, presented at the annual Counselor STEPCon Conference in October 2025. The conference brought together high school counselors, educators, and STEM professionals from across the Inland Empire to discuss emerging career opportunities and educational pathways in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).

During the presentation, Dr. Bovee highlighted the growing demand for cybersecurity professionals, discussed career opportunities in cyber defense and information technology, and introduced attendees to CBU's undergraduate cybersecurity program and the Center for Cybersecurity. The presentation also emphasized the importance of preparing students for careers that protect critical infrastructure, government agencies, and private industry.

The event strengthened relationships between CBU and regional school districts while increasing awareness of cybersecurity education opportunities available to prospective students. Through outreach efforts such as STEPCon, the Center for Cybersecurity continues to support workforce development by connecting educators, counselors, and future students with cybersecurity career pathways.

Starting spring 2025! Protect an imaginary company’s network while facing real-world cyber threats. Gain practical experience and develop technical and teamwork skills that will set you apart in the cybersecurity field. Participate in practice competitions and strategy sessions throughout the year. Open to Undergraduate & Graduate Students.

Competition Flyer

The NCL Competition provides students with hands-on experience solving real-world cybersecurity challenges. Students perform exciting tasks such as auditing vulnerable websites, identifying breaches from forensic data, and more. Come join other CBU students and compete this fall! Registration open through 10/6!

Contact information: https://cyberskyline.com/events/ncl

Faculty contact: Dr. Bovee

Competition Flyer

National cybersecurity competition where you are given a system for a company that's recently been breached. Your role is to secure the system while defending it from live attacks and attending to other employees' requests. Competition starts in the Spring, with some practice rounds later in the fall. Meetings for the competition every Monday from 5:00-6:00 in TEGR 203.

Contact: nahum.pina@calbaptist.edu

Cyber Quests are a series of fun but challenging on-line competitions allowing participants to demonstrate their knowledge in a variety of information security realms. Each quest features an artifact for analysis, along with a series of quiz questions. Some quests focus on a potentially vulnerable sample web server as the artifact, challenging participants to identify its flaws using vulnerability analysis skills. Other quests are focused around forensic analysis, packet capture analysis, and more. The quests have varying levels of difficulty and complexity, with some quests geared toward beginners, while others include more intermediate and ultimately advanced material.

Organizer(s): Counter Hack Challenges LLC.

Frequency: Every Spring

Website/contact information: https://uscc.cyberquests.org/

DEF CON (also written as DEFCON, Defcon or DC) is one of the world's largest and most notable hacker conventions, held annually in Las Vegas, Nevada. The first DEF CON took place in June 1993 and today many attendees at DEF CON include computer security professionals, journalists, lawyers, federal government employees, security researchers, students, and hackers with a general interest in software, computer architecture, hardware modification, conference badges, and anything else that can be "hacked". The event consists of several tracks of speakers about computer- and hacking-related subjects, as well as cyber-security challenges and competitions (known as hacking wargames). Contests held during the event are extremely varied.

Other contests, past and present, include lockpicking, robotics-related contests, art, slogan, coffee wars, scavenger hunt and Capture the Flag. Capture the Flag (CTF) is perhaps the best known of these contests and is a hacking competition where teams of hackers attempt to attack and defend computers and networks using software and network structures. CTF has been emulated at other hacking conferences as well as in academic and military contexts (as red team exercises).

Federal law enforcement agents from the FBI, DoD, United States Postal Inspection Service, DHS, us-cert.gov, and other agencies regularly attend DEF CON.

Organizer(s): DEF CON Communications, Inc.

Frequency: Annual

Website/contact information: https://www.defcon.org/

Designed as an entry-level CTF, this competition requires players to integrate concepts, develop skills, and learn to hack as they go. Challenges mimic real-world scenarios modeling various computer security problems. To succeed, teams must demonstrate a profound understanding of the roles and ramifications of cyber security in these situations. Topics include Pwnable, RE, Web, Crypto, and Forensics.

The top teams to emerge from Quals will compete on-site at one of CSAW's global regions, vying for the coveted top three places.

Organizer(s): NYU Tandon School of Engineering OSIRIS Lab (https://www.osiris.cyber.nyu.edu/)

Frequency: Annual (April – November)

Website/contact information: https://csaw.engineering.nyu.edu/ctf

The Collegiate Penetration Testing Competition (CPTC), has grown from one region (ten teams) to five regions (fifty teams) including an international region as well. The CPTC provides a vehicle for up and coming cybersecurity student teams to build and hone the skills required to effectively discover, triage and mitigate critical security vulnerabilities. This competition is unique in offering a simulated environment that mimics real world networks. The competition focuses on improving the security posture of a fictitious organization and reporting on risks in a manner that is similar to a real professional environment.

Organizer(s): Rochester Institute of Technology

Frequency: Every Fall

Website/contact information: https://nationalcptc.org/

Next event date/location: October - TBD

The National Cyber League (NCL) is a biannual cybersecurity competition for high school and college students. The competition consists of a series of challenges that allows students to demonstrate their ability to identify hackers from forensic data, break into vulnerable websites, recover from ransomware attacks, and more. Students compete in the NCL to build their skills, obtain scouting reports of their performance for hiring purposes, and to represent their school.

The NCL challenges are based on the CompTIA Security+™ and EC-Council Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH)™ performance-based exam objectives and include the following content: Open Source Intelligence, Scanning, Enumeration and Exploitation, Password Cracking, Traffic Analysis, Log Analysis, Wireless Security, Cryptography, and Web Application Security.

Organizer(s): National Cyber League

Frequency: Biannual

Website/contact information: https://www.nationalcyberleague.org/

A Capture the Flag (CTF) event is a computer security competition that encourages players to solve security puzzles in a safe and controlled environment. The goal of these events is to further the education of security professionals and to promote Facebook's security culture. CTFs typically consist of challenge "levels" that represent real security issues found in networks and systems. The players will compete with each other, often in teams, to see who can solve these levels first and thereby win valuable points to progress up a leader-board. At the end of the game the team with the most points is declared the winner.

The Facebook CTF builds on years of experience and combines classic attack techniques of penetration testing with defensive levels that require teams to patch the security flaws that they find to prevent other teams from exploiting them. In doing this they learn both offensive and defensive security skills while gaining points in a fast-paced real-time game. It provides levels that include challenges in reverse-engineering, web application security, network sniffing and basic system administration. The goal is to expose players to the most common methods hackers use to break into systems, and then to think about how they would defend against these attacks.

Facebook CTFs are played in an isolated network that ensures that all of the players are on a level playing field. Facebook builds the game and the levels and welcomes players from all backgrounds and abilities to play!

Organizer(s): Facebook

Frequency: N/A

Website/contact information: https://www.facebook.com/officialctf and https://github.com/facebook/fbctf

The Department of Energy (DOE), capitalizing on the expertise of current national laboratory staff that previously hosted four successful cyber defense competitions to exercise interactive, scenario-based events, where teams engage in cybersecurity activities includes methods, practices, strategy, policy, and ethics. Through the CyberForce Competition™, DOE has worked to increase 1) hands-on cyber education to college students and professionals, 2) awareness into the critical infrastructure and cyber security nexus, and 3) basic understanding of cyber security within a real world scenario.

Organizer(s): US Department of Energy (DOE)

Frequency: At least once a year

Website/contact information: https://cyberforcecompetition.com

Next event date/location: November at one of the DOE national laboratories