On Friday, October 8, Capitol welcomed Lockheed Martin to campus as they announced a donation of $20,000 to the college to support the Center for Space Science and Education and Public Outreach’s (SSEPO) Emerging STEM Leaders Workshop Series and the Cyber Battle Lab (CBL) Outreach Program.
During their visit, Lockheed Martin representatives participated in a demonstration by the students working at the Cyber Battle Lab as they simulated wireless cracking to gain unauthorized access to a private wireless network, which opens the door to the network for hackers to enter the network and do as they please. Students also presented a “man in the middle” attack, infiltrating the email server and retrieving confidential information like usernames and passwords as well as any pictures or files that were sent over the network as email attachments.
“Both of these demonstrations are real-world scenarios,” said Marc Fruchtbaum, sophomore management of information technology major and CBL manager. “Many organizations use the same wireless password encryption that we cracked so swiftly, so it’s important that we reiterate the security risks involved and practice possible methods to mitigate them.”
In presenting the check, Haden Land, chief technology officer for Lockheed Martin’s Information System and Global Technology-Civil Product Line, said, “Lockheed Martin is a proud supporter of Capitol College. We have particular interest in helping increase the number of students who pursue majors and careers in the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, the disciplines collectively known as STEM, something that Capitol College is highly focused on.”
The CBL Outreach Program consists of some of the same kind cybersecurity demonstrations and career awareness outreach, primarily encouraging middle and high school students to consider college studies and careers in information assurance (IA) and other STEM fields. The workshop series will be delivered for college and community college students through structured high-impact workshops that include faculty lectures and presentations, hands-on exercises that demonstrate the application of theory, and discussions on the practical use of technology related to business and science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) fields.
“We thank the Lockheed Martin Foundation for their continued support of our Center, its programs and our students” said Dr. Michael G. Gibbs, vice president for advancement and Space Science Education and Public Outreach director. “We look forward to expanding upon our partnership to educate students and encourage them to develop the skills needed to achieve leadership careers in business and STEM fields.”
Lockheed Martin's philanthropic program strives to improve the quality of life in communities where employees live and work. The company has a tradition of involvement that includes philanthropy, leadership and volunteer support of educational, civic and cultural initiatives throughout the Nation.
