Wichita could soon emerge as a hub for the ongoing battle against cybercrimes, officials say.
“We could create a place that’s attractive for IT companies — maybe not the extent of Seattle or Silicon Valley, but a regional magnet,” said Col. Joe Jabara, vice wing commander for the 184th Intelligence Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard at McConnell Air Force Base.
The momentum is being driven by the development of cybersecurity programs at a number of colleges and universities in the Wichita metropolitan area. There’s a voracious demand for employees trained in how to protect computer networks.
That, in turn, could bring firms specializing in information technologies to the area because of the availability of a freshly trained workforce, Jabara said. Wichita is well-positioned to become a cybersecurity hub for a number of reasons, Jabara said. It’s far from the coasts, where competition for cybersecurity specialists is intense.
That means companies would be more likely to hold on to their prized employees.
The terrain is flat, “so it’s easy to get bandwidth in and out of here,” he said. Ample bandwidth would be a must for IT companies.
Having the 184th Intelligence Wing at McConnell is a strength for Wichita-area colleges, school officials say.
The wing handles network operations for the entire National Guard, detects and assesses cyber-intrusions on Department of Defense computer networks and has a “red team” that tests the strength of security systems by “replicating the adversary,” Jabara said.
“I think there’s a lot of room for collaboration,” said Scott McIntosh, assistant professor of strategic intelligence at Newman University.
Lincoln Schroeder, who has been hired to expand Wichita State’s cybersecurity program, said he’s working to build partnerships with the 184th Intelligence Wing.
“We want to be able to provide a really good ready-to-work workforce,” Schroeder said.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)