As technology and computer programming industries continue to boom, students in cybersecurity at BYU keep up. They stand out by creating new ways to develop skills together outside of class, creating a culture of hard work and love for learning.
Some students participate in clubs or national competitions and conferences. Some share research at student symposiums or teach their fellow classmates new skills.
For Ava Petersen, a rising senior studying cybersecurity, a drive for learning looks like participating in cybersecurity competitions almost every other week. She recently won a Capture the Flag competition, or “CTF,” at an annual Women in Cybersecurity conference, where she used problem-solving and hacking techniques to find a line of code in a system.
When people ask Petersen how she got so good at winning, she tells them that it all comes down to practice. Katherine Rackliffe, a recent BYU graduate in cybersecurity, said that Petersen backs that statement up with action.
“She does a CTF every other week,” Rackliffe said. “She's really passionate about it. That's also been really good because she's also worked in club leadership to pass that passion down to the other people in the major.”
Petersen said she knew going into the competition that she would spend all of her hours on the trip working hard on the competition.
“I just knew I was going to dedicate everything I had,” Petersen said.
Justin Applegate, a master’s student in cybersecurity, started teaching a new class because of a need he saw in the curriculum. His class took the penetration testing—a relatively new strategy to uncover ways systems are vulnerable to outside threats or attackers—and exploitation that happens in competitions to a deeper level.
Evan Cook, another cybersecurity major, built a briefcase mimicking the access system that would be found spread throughout doors in an entire building, compressing it into a portable practice tool. The briefcase allows students to practice testing access systems while avoiding the safety risks that would come with hacking into the security systems of a building that is in use.
These are a few examples of many students who have applied extra efforts to develop their skills in new areas of cybersecurity as it grows. Cook said this is because of the student culture in the major.
“I've been really impressed at the student body of the cybersecurity program, just at the initiative that a lot of the students take to learn about what they’re interested in, to compete at a high level, and mostly how well they support each other,” Cook said. “I think we have a great community in the cybersecurity major of people that are hungry to learn and also eager to help.”
That hunger to learn and curious mindset has been a part of Cook’s life from a young age.
“Ever since I was a kid, I always loved taking things apart,” Cook said. “I guess I became famous for that when I was like 2 years old, and I put baby formula in my family's DVD player and then closed it, effectively running it.”
Petersen learned that cybersecurity was what she wanted to do after she attended a youth cybersecurity camp at BYU.
I like the idea of not only just being a programmer, like making software, but doing things that are going to help the world, for the greater good,
Now, Petersen and Cook join their fellow cybersecurity students to break down and take apart code and software to find the best way to defend against harmful hacking techniques in technology.
BYU cybersecurity students have been able to represent the major in national competitive teams like the National Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition (CCDC) and present accomplishments in national conferences.
The cybersecurity major grew from a modest group of students in 2018 into a group of about 300 passionate and dedicated students. Dr. Derek Hansen, a BYU electrical and computer engineering professor, said it has been inspiring.
“It's been really rewarding seeing something come from a brand-new program to this kind of well recognized national program, largely because of the great job our students do at these national competitions,” Hansen said. “It reflects really positively on BYU.”
These student efforts represent a common theme in the major: confronting completely unfamiliar and new problems to solve. Macen Bird, previous president of the Cybersecurity Student Association (CSA) at BYU, said that the unknown is the appeal that brought many cybersecurity students into the major.
There's just so much knowledge that you can gain, and the rabbit hole could just be endless,
This mindset is widespread throughout the major. Cook said the resilience and persistence students have towards learning is one of the reasons why cybersecurity at BYU is almost at a “golden age.”
Faculty in the major seek to build on students’ curiosity and search for knowledge because it is crucial for them to be flexible as they enter a field that changes with each advance in the cyber world, Hansen said.
Jake Mullins, a recent BYU graduate in cybersecurity, said the change is what makes cybersecurity unique.
“There’s no research papers,” Mullins said. “We basically move at the speed of blog posts and Twitter threads.”
Two main clubs within the cybersecurity major, CSA and Cyber Kickstart, introduce students to that pace of learning. They aim to teach students skills that they will need in real-life job opportunities and expose them to issues cybersecurity professionals confront on the regular.
Brendan Moncur, incoming CSA president, encouraged students to come to club activities.
“A lot of students do things outside of class and want to share with people, right? That's the point of CSA,” Moncur said.
Students meet in CSA every week and take turns teaching each other about specific topics, practicing hacking or defending against hacking attempts.
Cyber Kickstart teaches students skills they will use in CTF competitions.
“Some people have addictions to a lot of other things. Mine is CTF’s, and you can ask any other cyber major, and they will agree with that,” Applegate said. “When someone does their first CTF and it's a good CTF, you're hooked.”
All of these activities are made possible by the culture of the major to work together and continue to learn and grow from each other.
“Everyone's very enthusiastic about what they're learning, and that lends itself well to extracurriculars,” Rackliffe said.
As new technologies continue to develop everyday, students apply their ethical and moral perspectives alongside their technical skills to issues in the cyber world.
“With all the new exciting technologies come new and sometimes unseen dangers, and so, while it is really exciting, you also feel a sense of responsibility to be a part of implementing those technologies responsibly,” Cook said.
Cook understands that some people see cybersecurity learning strategies as untrustworthy but argues that it is necessary for companies and individuals to be able to learn how to defend themselves.
“Wouldn't you much rather have someone that's on your side doing it first, before someone else does it later that is not on your side and that, you know, wants to harm you?” Cook said, speaking of hacking and penetration testing.
Hansen sees students learning and appreciates the examples they set when it comes to problem solving for the right reasons.
“I see them as future leaders who are trying to solve challenging problems, both technically and societally,” Hansen said. “I hope that they'll do that always in ethical ways.”
In order to invite even more students to try cybersecurity and learn about the growing field, a new cybersecurity minor will be available at BYU, starting in Fall 2025. All are welcome, and anyone can and should try it if they’re interested, Moncur said.
It's the blend of people, practices and technologies that can foster a better, safer environment,” Moncur said. “People in our major want everyone else to learn because we put in the time to do it.
Applegate agreed that it takes effort and a desire to learn to achieve your goals.
“That will push you to find the right resources to learn the stuff,” Applegate said. “So, put in the time, keep stoking the passion, and things will work out.”
