Department of Cybersecurity
Overview
The Department of Cybersecurity (CSEC) advances the state of the art in cybersecurity and provides students with the education they need to launch their careers as world-class cybersecurity professionals. CSEC students get a hands-on education in how to protect computers, networks, and data, and they take that into the world through co-op opportunities with industry leaders and security competitions. Students also work alongside expert faculty to investigate protecting connected cars, defending wireless communications in the Internet of Things, improving online privacy, and many other ways to secure our world.
18th
Ranked Cybersecurity program by US News & World Report
$92k
Median salary, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics
0%
Unemployment rate in cybersecurity field (Rasmussen)
RIT is designated as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and Cyber Research by the National Security Agency.
Latest News
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June 16, 2026
Rochester Regional Health data breach: Letters sent to 18,600 patients after third-party vendor Xsolis hack
WHEC-TV reports on a data breach involving a former Rochester Regional Health vendor and includes cybersecurity guidance from Jonathan Weissman, principal lecturer of cybersecurity. -
June 9, 2026
Anthropic called for a pause in the development of the most advanced models and Trump established greater federal control over their launch
The Chilean newspaper, El Mercurio, interviewed Christopher Schwartz, research scientist in the Department of Cybersecurity, about Anthropic’s recent call to slow or halt AI development if serious risks emerge, alongside the Trump administration’s executive order highlighting AI-related national security concerns. (This content is in Spanish and will require a subscription to read.)
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June 1, 2026
Masked men, gun threats, and a Cash App: What Rochester should know about a video text extortion scam
WHEC-TV speaks to Jonathan Weissman, principal lecturer of cybersecurity, about a fear-based extortion scam involving threatening videos sent via text message and steps people can take to protect themselves from cybercriminals.
Featured Work and Profiles
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How pro bono services from cybersecurity students are helping secure community organizations
With RIT’s Cybersecurity Clinic, students are gaining real-world pentesting and vulnerability assessment experience, while also helping the community.
Read More about How pro bono services from cybersecurity students are helping secure community organizations -
Researchers develop cybersecurity test for AI being used by Google
The tool, called CTIBench, is a suite of benchmarking tasks and datasets used to assess large language models (LLMs) in Cyber Threat Intelligence (CTI). CTI is a crucial security process that enables...
Read More about Researchers develop cybersecurity test for AI being used by Google -
RIT's AI Tools Help Journalists Identify Deepfakes
RIT experts are helping journalists and intelligence analysts detect digital deception
Read More about RIT's AI Tools Help Journalists Identify Deepfakes -
Making Self-Driving Vehicles Safer From Hacking
RIT cybersecurity researchers are preparing connected vehicle networks for the next stage of cybersecurity—the post-quantum era.
Read More about Making Self-Driving Vehicles Safer From Hacking -
CyberCorps Scholar Leads Cyber Safety Outreach
Jaime Campanelli educates students and senior citizens about online safety and cybersecurity careers as a NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service (SFS) recipient.
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Meet Nishi Prasad
Last summer, Nishi Prasad completed a co-op with RIT and Eaton Corporation, testing embedded devices. The co-op opened doors for her at RIT as a student leader and connected her to the university and...
Read More about Meet Nishi Prasad
Industrial Advisory Board
The Cybersecurity Department at RIT's Industry Advisory Board (IAB) comprises cybersecurity executives who provide invaluable advice and guidance to the academic department. These board members help ensure that the department's programs are aligned with the current demands of the cybersecurity landscape, enhancing both the educational and research aspects of the curriculum. To learn more about our current IAB members, click here.
Undergraduate Programs
The Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity produces professionals who understand people and processes that impact information security. In addition to possessing state-of-the-art knowledge in the preservation of information assets, students become experts in the identification of cybersecurity vulnerabilities, proving an attack occurred, identifying its origin, assessing the damage, and designing strategies that ensure data can be recovered.
Graduate Programs
The Master of Science in cybersecurity gives students an understanding of the technological and ethical roles of cybersecurity in today’s society and its importance across the breadth of computing disciplines. The program enables students to develop a strong theoretical and practical foundation in secure computing, preparing them for leadership positions in both the private and public sectors.
Research
Learn more on the ESL Global Cybersecurity Institute website or in the videos below.
Scholarships
Both the National Science Foundation and Department of Defense offer scholarships for service, designed to increase and strengthen the cadre of federal information assurance professionals that protect the government's critical information infrastructure.
Department of Defense Cyber Service Academy
NSF CyberCorps Scholarship for Service
