MIT Event Encourages Students to 'Think Security'

A new event at the MIT Sloan School of Management will teach students about critical infrastructure cybersecurity issues such as protecting computer-controlled water or electric power facilities from cyber threats. The "Think Security" event, hosted by MIT Sloan's Interdisciplinary Consortium for Improving Critical Infrastructure Cybersecurity, or (IC)3, in association with Kaspersky Academy, is a weeklong seminar taking place on campus from Jan. 30 to Feb. 3.

Event activities include:

  • Analysis of industrial control systems (typically used in the electric, water, oil and gas industries) and the advanced persistent threats that plague organizations of all sizes and sectors;
  • Capture the Flag challenge, a competition designed to encourage out-of-box creative thinking; and
  • Kaspersky Interactive Protection Simulation training, where participants will "select suitable cybersecurity technologies for an industrial power plant and resolve specific implementation challenges," according to a press release.

"Today's critical infrastructure often runs on outdated technologies that date back nearly 30 years, meaning some of the largest cities' utilities and sensitive systems are controlled by unsupported, vulnerable software. At the same time, cybercriminals' attacks are growing in sophistication, creating a dangerous situation that students can help resolve," said Clint Bodungen, senior security researcher at Kaspersky Lab, in a statement. "While lectures are beneficial, students gain the most understanding through hands-on activities, which is why we're collaborating with MIT to bring critical infrastructure cybersecurity to the forefront."

"Think Security" is part of MIT's Independent Activities Period (IAP), a special four-week term comprised of how-to sessions, forums, athletic endeavors, lecture series, films, tours, recitals, contests and more. IAP gives students the opportunity to "set their own educational agendas, pursue independent projects, meet with faculty, or pursue many other options not possible during the semester," according to information from the school.

"IAP is an invaluable program for both students and faculty to learn from leading experts in a wide range of industries, and this year with Kaspersky Lab, we're spotlighting an important issue that affects regions around the world," said MIT Sloan professor Stuart Madnick, director of (IC)3, in a statement. "The 'Think Security' seminar will test our students to think outside of the box and apply their knowledge to better protect society, a lesson extending far beyond the classroom."

For more information, visit the IAP website.

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • two large brackets facing each other with various arrows, circles, and rectangles flowing between them

    1EdTech Partners with DXtera to Support Ed Tech Interoperability

    1EdTech Consortium and DXtera Institute have announced a partnership aimed at improving access to learning data in postsecondary and higher education.

  • Abstract geometric shapes including hexagons, circles, and triangles in blue, silver, and white

    Google Launches Its Most Advanced AI Model Yet

    Google has introduced Gemini 2.5 Pro Experimental, a new artificial intelligence model designed to reason through problems before delivering answers, a shift that marks a major leap in AI capability, according to the company.

  •  laptop on a clean desk with digital padlock icon on the screen

    Study: Data Privacy a Top Concern as Orgs Scale Up AI Agents

    As organizations race to integrate AI agents into their cloud operations and business workflows, they face a crucial reality: while enthusiasm is high, major adoption barriers remain, according to a new Cloudera report. Chief among them is the challenge of safeguarding sensitive data.

  • stylized AI code and a neural network symbol, paired with glitching code and a red warning triangle

    New Anthropic AI Models Demonstrate Coding Prowess, Behavior Risks

    Anthropic has released Claude Opus 4 and Claude Sonnet 4, its most advanced artificial intelligence models to date, boasting a significant leap in autonomous coding capabilities while simultaneously revealing troubling tendencies toward self-preservation that include attempted blackmail.