Steve Lazerowich, a leader of the cybersecurity practice for Hewlett Packard Enterprise Services in the public sector, demonstrates the company’s Cybersecurity Challenge at the 2016 K-12 STEM Symposium, held in March 2016. The user is asked to select a challenge and with a budget of $25,000, is able to choose from various defensive technologies that may be employed. As the attack is taking place, the user is shown how well that technology works and how much damage is being done. The user can also see the stress level of the employees and management throughout the attack.
The system then shows the optimized technology and the difference in damage for that particular attack. Although it is a game format, the demonstration conveys an important message about cybersecurity. This is especially prominent for children in the STEM program who may not know the consequences of an attack. Lazerowich emphasizes security is an expensive but necessary tool to have. It is important to develop an appreciation for the technology, think logically about the problems and pay attention to detail.
The Annual K-12 STEM Symposium will be held March 25 2017 in Herndon, Virginia. The largest K-12 STEM Symposium in the National Capital Region is a free, all-day forum that equally engages local parents, educators and children. Sign up by visiting www.stemsymposium.com. Sponsorships are still available.