Baylor Cyber Day Advocates for Cybersecurity, Protection of Health Data
Events Oct. 23-24 include HackFest featuring Baylor’s top Collegiate Cyber Defense Team, panel discussion with national cybersecurity leaders about protecting health data
Media Contact: Lori W. Fogleman, Baylor University Media Communications, 254-710-6275
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WACO, Texas (Oct. 18, 2018) – With the federally mandated shift to electronic medical records and the rapid proliferation of wearable devices with health monitoring capabilities, information security professionals are increasingly concerned about managing and protecting health data.
This is the focus of Baylor University’s participation in National Cyber Security Awareness Month, which includes Cyber Day events Oct. 23-24, including the second annual HackFest and a panel discussion featuring top cybersecurity leaders from organizations charged with health data security.
Baylor Cyber Day begins with the HackFest at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 23, in the Cashion Academic Center, 1401 S. Fourth St. The HackFest includes an interactive cybersecurity exhibition on the first floor and an eight-team cyber team competition on the fifth floor. Student teams, including Baylor’s nationally ranked Collegiate Cyber Defense Team, will test their mettle as a hacker by competing in a “King of the Mountain” game, where they must work together to vanquish servers and conquer technological terrain in a quest to rule the network.
On Wednesday, Oct. 24, principal cybersecurity leaders from HCA Healthcare, PwC, Allergan, Walmart and Splunk will engage with Baylor deans and faculty as part of the Data Sciences initiative of Baylor's Illuminate strategic plan. These leaders then will participate in a public conversation on security issues surrounding personal health data at 2 p.m. in the McClinton Family Auditorium (Foster 240) in the Paul L. Foster Campus for Business and Innovation. Panelists include Jason Morrow from Walmart, Jason Barnett from HCA Healthcare, Richard M. Seidner from Splunk Corp., A. Michael Smith from PwC and Shawn McGuill from Allergan Inc.
The HackFest and panel conversation events are free and open to the public.
“CyberSecurity is quickly becoming one of the tough issues facing society,” said Jon Allen, interim chief information officer and chief information security officer at Baylor. “Starting ongoing dialogues to foster a new generation of ideas is crucial to tackling the ominous future of the cyber world.”
Baylor Cyber Day is designed to foster these conversations at Baylor and in the wider community, Allen added.
Cyber Day is part of Baylor's ongoing cybersecurity education program, which is aptly named BearAware. BearAware began in October 2007 and aims to inform the Baylor community year-round about the importance of following best practices online to curtail cybercrime.
Each year during National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Baylor Information Technology Services launches a new education campaign designed to both engage and entertain. This year’s campaign features popular internet memes that are recast to highlight cybersecurity best practices.
“Research shows that educating people about cybersecurity is very difficult until they are a victim,” said Will Telfer, information security analyst at Baylor. “We hope that creating something visually engaging and entertaining will enable us to get a helpful message across that will make our community more cybersecure.”
Baylor Cyber Day is sponsored by Baylor Information Technology Services, the Baylor School of Engineering and Computer Science and the Office of Corporate and Foundation Relations.
More information about Baylor Cyber Day and Baylor's BearAware program are available at www.baylor.edu/bearaware.
ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 17,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.