Whatcom Community College plays critical role in nation’s cyber defense

FBI Director James Comey recently stated on the television program “60 Minutes” that it is impossible to estimate the economic impact of cyberattacks on the U.S. economy, but it is in the “billions.” Who are the perpetrators of these attacks? According to Comey, it is nation-state actors, terrorists, organized cyber syndicates, hacktivists, criminals and pedophiles. This interview, along with other reports of cyberattacks on businesses, exposes the vulnerabilities of our cyber world and the need for trained professionals to protect organizations of all kinds against cyber threats. Whatcom Community College has stepped up to the challenge. A National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance/Cyber Defense, WCC is a significant player in cybersecurity education and a critical partner in the development of the local tech workforce. In many ways, Whatcom is defining the field.