It was reported in October 2019 that Mississippi’s state government agencies were showing a flagrant disregard for cyber and information security. Following an audit of government institutions in the state, it was found that the majority of employees were not complying with standard cybersecurity practices, nor with the state’s own cybersecurity enterprise security program. The Office of the State Auditor conducted an audit of 125 state agencies, and found only 53 had a cybersecurity policy in place. Eleven agencies had no disaster recovery plan or cybersecurity policy in place.
The law requires all state institutions to have a third party perform a security risk assessment at least once every 36 months in Mississippi. A whopping 22 of the government agencies had not conducted a security risk assessment in the past three years, however, it was reported. Moreover, 38 percent of state agencies did not protect sensitive data with encryption. Over 50 percent of state agencies were also not compliant with the Mississippi Enterprise Security Program.
It is hoped that Mississippi’s state government agencies have rectified these problems and oversights but no further reporting has yet been done on this matter. If you would like to work in cybersecurity in Mississippi and potentially help the state government agencies ramp up their cybersecurity measures, getting a degree or certificate in cybersecurity should be your first step. Keep reading to discover how you can obtain an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in Mississippi.
Cybersecurity News in Mississippi
In November 2020, it was announced that Mississippi’s Department of Information Technology Services (ITS) had appointed a new executive director. David Johnson, who has 25 years of experience in working for the state, was appointed to replace interim director Michele Blocker who had served since the retirement of the former CIO, Craig Orgeron. Johnson’s background includes working with the Mississippi Department of Employment Security as well as Director of Procurement Services for Mississippi’s ITS. He has an expertise in finance and budgeting to bring to this new position, which he thinks will serve him well.
Earning a Degree/Certificate in Cybersecurity in Mississippi
Associate degrees and certificates in cybersecurity are the perfect entry-level credentials to obtain jobs in cybersecurity in Mississippi such as:
- Cyber Security Consultant – CapB InfoteK, Jackson
- Cyber Security Consultant – Infobahn Softworld, Jackson
- Security Compliance Analyst – Perspecta Careers, John C. Stennis Space Center
- Cybersecurity Consultant – Key Business Solutions, Jackson
- Cyber Security Specialist/SOC Analyst – Compech, LLC, John C. Stennis Space Center
- Security Specialist – US Air Force, Biloxi
- Information Security Engineer- Renasant Bank, Tupelo
- Cybersecurity Operations Center Engineer- Humana, Ridgeland
- Cybersecurity Lead – Trident Technologies, LLC, Vicksburg
- Cybersecurity Project Analyst – UIC Government Services, Vicksburg
Titles of Associate Degrees in Cybersecurity in Mississippi
There is a variety of programs resulting in an associate degree in cybersecurity in Mississippi, such as:
- Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity Technology
- Associate of Applied Science in Network & Cyber Security Technology
- Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology – Cyber Defense
Mississippi’s Associate Degree or Certificate in Cybersecurity Programs
Accreditation of institutions is important. Make sure that the college or university in which you plan to study cybersecurity is accredited by a regional or national accreditation agency recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Centers of Academic Excellence (CAE)
The National Security Agency (NSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 1999 created the program entitled the National Centers of Academic Excellence. This program highlights the best cybersecurity degree and certificate programs across the country.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Mississippi
One school in Mississippi that houses cybersecurity programs has been called a Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD):
- Mississippi State University –
—Information Assurance Professional Certificate
—Graduate Certificate in Cyber Operations
Bagley College of Engineering
479-2 Hardy Road
250 McCain Hall
Mississippi State, MS 39762
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Wendy Dandass, Contact
More Cybersecurity Associate Degree and Certificate Programs in Mississippi
There are other cybersecurity associate degree and certificate programs in Mississippi:
- East Mississippi Community College – Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity Technology
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Golden Triangle Campus
8731 South Frontage Road
Mayhew, MS 39753
Brandon Sesser, Contact
(662) 243-1946; bsesser@eastms.edu
- Meridian Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Network & Cyber Security Technology
—Certificate in Network & Cyber Security Technology
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
910 Highway 19 North
Meridian, MS 39307
Curtis Beckman, Coordinator
(601) 484-8811, cbeckman@meridiancc.edu
- Mississippi College – Cybersecurity and Information Assurance Certificate (Graduate)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Department of Computer Science
200 S. Capitol St.
Clinton, MS 39056
(601) 925-3000
- Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Cybersecurity Technology
—Cybersecurity Technology Certificate (Undergraduate)
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
Harrison County Campus
2226 Switzer Rd.
Gulfport, MS 39507
(228) 896-2536
- Northeast Mississippi Community College – Associate of Applied Science in Information Systems Technology-Cyber Defense
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC)
101 Cunningham Blvd.
Booneville, MS 38829
Natasha Lewis, Instructor
(662) 720-7303; nmlewis@nemcc.edu
Courses in an Associate in Cybersecurity Degree Program in Mississippi
Courses common to most associate degree cybersecurity programs in Mississippi have titles such as:
- Web & Programming Concepts
- Network Components
- Network Security
- Script Programming Languages
- Network Administration
- Intro to Cybersecurity
- Intro to Computer Science
Cybersecurity Salaries in Mississippi
The U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) notes that as of May 2019, information security analysts working in the state of Mississippi earned an annual mean wage of $75,980. Those employed in various parts of the state earned wages higher or lower than this average, as you can see from the figures below:
- Biloxi: $68,740
- Gulfport: $68,740
- Jackson: $82,880
- Northeast nonmetropolitan area: $83,710
- Pascagoula: $68,740
- Southeast nonmetropolitan area: $54,590