Leaders in Cybersecurity Education
UCF has been designated a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD) by the National Security Agency. Institutions with this designation have completed a rigorous review process that shows their commitment to producing cybersecurity professionals that will reduce vulnerabilities in our national infrastructure.
Launching Tomorrow’s Cyberdefense Leaders
Computer science alum Harrison Keating initially chose UCF so he could join, and later lead, the nation’s best collegiate cyberdefense competition team. UCF cybersecurity talent is consistently recruited by federal agencies and top companies, such as IBM, where Keating secured an internship.
After earning his bachelor’s degree this spring, he’s now advancing his expertise as a UCF cybersecurity and privacy graduate student.
Cybersecurity Programs
Want to develop novel solutions to safeguard our nation’s data and electronic systems? UCF offers several degree and certificate programs that can prepare you for a career in cybersecurity:
Career Opportunities in the Cybersecurity Industry
The demand for cybersecurity professionals is high and is expected to grow over the next decade, particularly in Florida, which is one of the top employers of information security analysts. Through the degree programs at UCF, you can prepare for careers in digital forensics, cyber risk management and modeling and simulation.
- Computer Forensic Examiner
- Malware Analyst
- AI Security Specialist
- Information Security Analyst
- Cloud Security Architect
- Cybersecurity Scrum Master
Where Our Alumni Work
Florida’s Premier Engineering and Technology University
For over 60 years UCF has strived to produce the science and engineering talent required to meet the technological needs of the United States – bringing bold ideas to life by leveraging creativity and technology in inventive ways to solve the world’s greatest challenges and improve the human experience for all. We’re committed to providing educational and research opportunities that promote the discovery and real-world experience our students need to contribute to the advancement of state-of-the-art Cyber Defense knowledge.
A National Hub for Cyber Defense Innovation and so Much More
Fastest-Growing Research University
UCF is ranked the No. 7 fastest-growing research spending university in the nation by The Chronicle of Higher Education.
Top 5 Most Innovative Public University in the Nation
U.S. News & World Report ranks UCF as one of the most innovative in its annual list of best colleges.
University for Producing Patents
UCF is ranked No. 21 for producing patents among public universities in the nation by the U.S. National Academy of Inventors (2023).
University for Defense Funding
UCF ranks No. 38 nationally for U.S. Department of Defense funding by the U.S. National Science Foundation.
Faculty and Research
UCF’s Cyber Security and Data Privacy Cluster includes faculty from multiple disciplines with expertise computer science, computer engineering, mathematics, business and more. Together, they work to advance existing security technologies and innovate new ideas to keep sensitive data safe.
Meet Yan Solihin
Professor and Director of Cyber Security & Privacy Cluster
“What I saw [at UCF] is a future powerhouse university in the cybersecurity field. I wanted to be a part of realizing it. What we have is a 20-year history of well-trained students going into cybersecurity careers. It’s a success that separates UCF.”
UCF’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Research Cluster
The Cluster is an interdisciplinary research group comprising 15 faculty members from five prestigious institutions, including the College of Engineering and Computer Science and the Institute of Simulation and Training. The team’s research spans a wide array of topics, such as Trustworthy Cloud, Blockchain, Secure Machine Learning, Privacy, Malware, Digital Forensics, Software Security, and IoT Security, as well as organizational and behavioral aspects of security.
The Cluster’s research has had significant real-world impact, influencing technologies such as Intel’s Cache Allocation Technology (CAT) and SGX Memory Encryption Engine. The faculty has earned prestigious awards, including IEEE Fellow and NSF CAREER Award, cementing their reputation for excellence and innovation in cybersecurity and digital trust research.
UCF’s Cybersecurity & Privacy Research Cluster is backed by leading industry partners, providing crucial funding and support for cutting-edge research. Here are some of the key partners:
Cybersecurity News
