MN Cyber Clinic

The National Security Agency (NSA) has awarded Metro State University $1.45 million to launch a cybersecurity clinic that will help Minnesota organizations respond to cyberattacks.

Small businesses, nonprofits, schools and government organizations in the state will be able to access the clinic for free cybersecurity vulnerability assessments from students at Metro State starting in early 2024.

For decades, schools of law and medicine have operated “clinics,” where students work with real-world clients with limited resources and gain valuable hands-on experience.

The Metro State Cybersecurity Clinic adapts this model for the field of cybersecurity. The clinic seeks to train students from diverse backgrounds and academic expertise to strengthen the digital defenses of nonprofits, hospitals, municipalities, small businesses, and other under-resourced organizations in our communities, while also developing a talent pipeline for cyber civil defense.

Our approach is to work directly with organizations to assess their vulnerabilities and suggest low-cost improvements they can make. We believe that having a review of the status-quo is the first step in figuring out a plan of action that will prevent unwanted incidents. Teams from the clinic typically work with clients for two months to gather and analyze relevant information. Other services may be provided based upon initial findings.

Our community outreach includes:

• Free Risk Assessments: Helping small businesses, nonprofits, and K-12 schools identify cybersecurity gaps and prioritize solutions
• Free Policy Development: Helping small businesses, nonprofits, and K-12 schools in developing and strengthening their cybersecurity policies and procedures
• Cyber Awareness Training: Free workshops for employees, small business owners, and community members on phishing, password security, and safe online habits
• High School Visits and Mentorship: Inspiring the next generation of cybersecurity professionals through talks, hands-on labs, and career exploration
• Cyber Hygiene Poster: Metro State Cyber Clinic, in partnership with Lead For America, is providing free cyber hygiene awareness posters for elementary, middle, and high schools. These posters are designed to promote safe online behavior and cybersecurity awareness among students. Please complete this form if your school is interested in receiving posters. A Cyber Clinic student worker may help deliver and place the posters at your school after approval. Thank you for supporting cybersecurity awareness in K–12 education.
• K-12 School cybersecurity training/CyberPatriot competition preparation: Deliver no-cost, age-appropriate cybersecurity training, interactive classroom activities, CyberPatriot competition preparation, and cyber hygiene education. Our goal is to inspire students, support educators, and strengthen cyber safety by providing engaging, hands-on learning experiences that develop cybersecurity awareness, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Partnership: Lead For America and AmeriCorps

Metro State University’s Cyber Clinic is proud to partner with Lead For America (LFA) through the American Connection Corps (ACC), an AmeriCorps service fellowship program, to strengthen community cybersecurity capacity and expand hands-on learning opportunities. Through this partnership, the Cyber Clinic serves as a host site for four ACC AmeriCorps members, who work alongside Cyber Clinic students, faculty, and community partners to advance cybersecurity resilience, outreach, education, and workforce development. The partnership expands the Clinic’s capacity to serve Minnesota communities while creating meaningful opportunities for members and students to develop practical cybersecurity, leadership, communication, and community-engagement skills. Together, Metro State University and Lead For America are connecting national service with cybersecurity education to build stronger community capacity and prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals.

Is your organization interested in a free Cybersecurity Risk Review? Please contact cyber.clinic@metrostate.edu!

Explore cybersecurity: High school visits to Metro State University—inspire the next generation of cyber professionals!

Bring your students for an unforgettable hands-on cybersecurity experience. Don't miss the chance to spark their interest in one of today's most exciting and in-demand fields!

Metro State University Cyber Clinic high school engagement sessions offer a 2–3 hour hands-on cybersecurity experience for grades 10 through 12 at no cost. Accommodating 20 to 60 students per session, each visiting group will get:

• TryHackMe demos
• OSINT challenges
• Lockpicking station
• Cyber Center campus tour
• Student Q and A panel
• Exposure to real tools, real skills, and real inspiration!

Want to bring your students? Reach out today!

The clinic is a group of faculty and students helping under-resourced organizations defend themselves against cyber-attacks by using an approach called Defensive Social Engineering (DSE). Cyber defenders can use DSE along with other technical tools to defeat or compromise attackers. The clinic works with the management, IT staff and cybersecurity specialists in these organizations to help assess their vulnerabilities. All student participants are upper division cybersecurity majors, have completed industry recognized certifications, and have completed a training program on Cybersecurity for Critical Urban Infrastructure including role-playing simulation exercises.