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Cybersecurity Center

The Cybersecurity Center is designed to equip students with the critical thinking and technological skills needed to monitor, mitigate, and prevent online security threats.

A man points at a whiteboard while two other men observe attentively in a collaborative setting.

Fairfield’s School of Engineering and Computing offers students a hands-on learning experience using real-world applications in its state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Center — an integral teaching and research facility created in partnership with Pulse Secure, the leading provider of Zero Trust Secure Access solutions.

Comprised of a Cybersecurity Lab and a Security Operations Center, the Cybersecurity Center is designed to enhance the complexity of coursework — challenging students to collaboratively solve sophisticated problems and equipping them with the critical thinking and technological skills needed to monitor, mitigate, and prevent online security threats.

Facilities and Resources

Cybersecurity Lab

Fairfield’s fully online 30-credit Master of Science in Cybersecurity (MSCYB) program offers students a hands-on learning experience using real-world applications in its state-of-the-art Cybersecurity Lab — an integral teaching and research facility created in partnership with Pulse Secure, the leading provider of Zero Trust Secure Access solutions.

The lab allows students to solve complex security challenges using real-world applications and industry-standard tools in a fully remote setting. Through secure VPN access, students are assigned virtual machines to investigate and mitigate threats, gaining practical experience in cybersecurity. This cutting-edge facility enhances coursework and prepares students with the critical skills needed to prevent online security threats.

Security Operations Lab

Fairfield University’s Security Operations Center (SOC) offers hands-on training for students, providing real-time experience in cybersecurity. Equipped with cutting-edge technology, including 11 computers and 65” TV screens, the SOC enables students to monitor the University’s network, detect vulnerabilities, and respond to potential threats. Using industry-standard tools like Splunk and CrowdStrike, students gain practical skills essential for careers in cybersecurity while significantly enhancing the University’s security infrastructure. The SOC reflects a collaboration between the School of Engineering and the Information Technology Services Department.

Two students with a professor at the StagHack competition.

StagHack: An annual student competition where teams collaborate with mentors to tackle real-world challenges in the biomedical and healthcare industries, competing for prizes and networking with industry leaders.

A professor teaches a course in the Cybersecurity lab.

Fairfield’s Cybersecurity Lab challenges MSCYB students to solve complex threats while developing critical skills.

We wanted to offer our undergraduate students a more involved and meaningful cybersecurity experience. For this reason, the security team — led by Fairfield’s Chief Information Security Officer Henry Foss — and the School of Engineering and Computing explored the idea of opening industry-standard tools to students in a professional environment.”

– Mirco Speretta, PhD, Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Research

Recent Events On Demand

Video Poster

IBM Panelists to Share Cybersecurity Expertise, Virtual Event

A webinar presented by two IBM experts about the evolving field of Cybersecurity.

Video Poster

Phishing, Smishing and Ransomware Prevention

A discussion about Cybersecurity with Mirco Speretta, PhD.

Student Activities

  • StagHack

    Students compete for prizes while interacting with industry leaders. Teams collaborate with mentors to solve real problems in the biomedical and healthcare industry.

  • National Cyber League Competition

    The NCL competition provides students with experience in solving real-world cybersecurity challenges such as identifying hackers from forensic data, pentesting and auditing vulnerable websites, and more.

  • Mid-Atlantic Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition

    MACCDC provides a unique experience for higher education students to test their knowledge and skills in a competitive environment.

Cybersecurity Resources

Cybersecurity Reporting

If in doubt, please report the incident or the suspicious activity (i.e. a compromised account, a malware, a phishing scam) that you have encountered to the ITS Help Desk using either the email address itshelpdesk@fairfield.edu or the phone number (203) 254-4069.

Information Technology Services

Cybersecurity Training

One of the best ways to prevent incidents is cybersecurity training. Check out the following fundamental training topics:

Advisory Board

Henry Foss 
Chief Information Security Officer
Fairfield University

Conor Phoenix
Federal Bureau of Investigation

Eric Anahory 
Senior Vice President, Team Lead Cybersecurity Fraud Investigation Team
BNY Mellon

Michael Bordash 
Senior Vice President, Research and Development
Syniverse

Colleen Crane
Security Engagement Officer
PayPal

Ahmad Javaid 
Associate Chair and Undergraduate Program Director
The University of Toledo

Cybersecurity News

Image of professors sitting at a conference

Fairfield’s Commitment to Cybersecurity Education Earns NSA Designation

Faculty member pointing at white board with two students in classroom.

School of Engineering and Computing Awarded Connecticut Higher Education Tech Talent Grant

More Engineering News

Contact Us

For more information about the Cybersecurity Center or activities, contact Mirco Speretta, Associate Dean, Computer Science and Engineering and Point of Contact (POC) at msperetta@fairfield.edu.

Akshay Mathur hedshot
Akshay Mathur
Assistant Professor, Computer Science
Mirco Speretta
Mirco Speretta
Associate Dean, Graduate Studies and Research

Get In Touch

  • 1073 North Benson Road
    Fairfield, CT 06824

  • (203) 254-4000

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