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Hickenlooper: Colorado has large role in cybersecurity

Technology experts assembled at the University of Denver to address cybersecurity and the role Colorado plays in it.

 
<p>US President Barack Obama signs an executive order promoting private sector cybersecurity information sharing after speaking at the White House Summit on Cybersecurity and Consumer Protection (Photo credit should read NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP/Getty Images)</p>

Technology experts assembled at the University of Denver to address cybersecurity and the role Colorado plays in it.

Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper and local entrepreneurs joined them for a summit, prompted by the White House’s new $19 billion cybersecurity initiative.

“We’re one of the national leaders in the whole cybersecurity issue,” Hickenlooper told 9NEWS. “Space Com [Air Force Space Command], which is part of northern defense down in Colorado Springs, has been delegated the responsibility from the military to be the No. 1 – the chief responsibility for cyber in the military. Because of that, we have now 80 different private companies down in Colorado Springs around cybersecurity.”

Cybersecurity is defined as the protection against unauthorized of criminal use of data on both business and individual levels. Organizers of Tuesday’s event aimed to address cybersecurity policy and the industry.

Chancellors from DU and the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs attended, as well, because of their education programs in the field. DU offers a Master’s degree in cybersecurity and UCCS offers a certificate program. Hickenlooper says they’re two of the best schools for information security.

“[Cybersecurity] is going to be a big deal for a lot of years, so when I talk to young kids, I say, ‘If you’re going to pick one thing to focus on, cybersecurity is a good place to bet. It’s not going to go away.”

The governor wants to add a training center in Colorado Springs, and add more funding for cybersecurity programs.

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