Welcome to Cybears.
We are a group of faculty who teach security law and policy and we’re working on a project to organize cybersecurity resources on the Berkeley campus for students and alumni who are interested in this fascinating field.
Our FAQ entries below are part of our first steps in our cybersecurity endeavor.
We’re delighted to announce our new textbook: Cybersecurity in Context introduces cybersecurity to undergraduate students and for self-study.
Cyber is a technical field. You can learn technical skills and have a rewarding career in cybersecurity.
Forthcoming (Wiley September 2024).
Cybersecurity @ Berkeley FAQ
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What is cybersecurity?
Everyone now has a stake in the healthy functioning of communications and control networks, in the devices and services dependent on these networks, and by implication, in all the complicated infrastructure required to keep networks, devices, and services operating. There is no simple answer to the question of what cybersecurity is. This is because both…
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So you’re interested in studying or pursuing a career in cybersecurity and privacy?
That’s great. Berkeley has fantastic resources for your intellectual journey and career. This FAQ offers three pieces of high-level advice, and links to many resources and ideas. First, keep in mind that “cybersecurity” is a relatively ill-defined and quickly changing field. This means that you’ll have to think creatively in order to best develop your…
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I’m new to cybersecurity. What should I read and listen to?
Peter W. Singer and Allan Friedman’s Cybersecurity and Cyberwar: What Everyone Needs to Know, is a great place to start. Although already a bit dated, the National Academies’ report At the Nexus of Cybersecurity and Public Policy explains why cybersecurity is important, why it is a wicked problem, and the public policy issues in cybersecurity.…
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How can I find externships and internships?
In addition to the standard tools provided by your career services department, we recommend a direct-approach strategy. That is, if you find a cybersecurity company that deeply interests you, directly approach them and ask about opportunities. Many startups and smaller companies are too busy to run formal externship programs. They’ll be delighted to hear from…
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What is Cybersecurity in Context and should I take it?
Cybersecurity in Context is a three-credit course housed in the School of Law and Information. As such, it is open to law and graduate students, and undergraduates by permission. Based on a course in the I School’s online Masters of Information and Cybersecurity (MICS) program, Cybersecurity in Context is a podium lecture course (with discussion)…
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What Berkeley courses and labs are focused on cybersecurity?
Many faculty members at Berkeley teach privacy and cybersecurity related courses. Because there is no one single source for course information, you may have to do some digging to find the right match for you. We recommend that you focus on faculty members and investigate their webpages. Keep in mind that in addition to their…
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What websites should I check out?
There are so many. Here are just a few of our favorites that have a focus on policy: Lawfare, Just Security, Krebs on Security, CSO Online, and Schneier on Security.
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What resources for improving my skills are available to me as a Berkeley student?
Luckily for you, dear Berkeley student, the campus has several fantastic resources for learning many of the skills we recommend that you develop. LinkedIn Learning (formerly Lynda.com) is available to the entire Berkeley community and it has good quality online, go-at-your-own-pace courses in the Bash command line, in cybersecurity management, the technical domains of cybersecurity…
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How can I get involved with a public-private cybersecurity partnership?
If you work in a security role in the private sector, particularly if you work in one of the 17 areas designated as critical infrastructure, you can join one of the many public-private cybersecurity partnerships. These partnerships are a key place where knowledge transfer happens in cybersecurity. Many of these groups are coordinated by law…
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What is the FCRG and why should I take it?
The Future of Cybersecurity Reading Group (FCRG) is a discussion seminar that examines contemporary scholarship and policy entrepreneurship in cybersecurity. Hosted by the Law and Information Schools, FCRG is open to enrollment for all law, graduate, and undergraduate students. In our weekly discussions, students explore cybersecurity from different disciplinary perspectives, and with different depths of…
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Are there non-Berkeley skills tools available to me?
There are many options available for technical training. Here are a few suggestions. TryHackMe has excellent labs to build skills. Jetbrains offers free access to its coding and other teaching modules to those who have a university email account. The Federal Virtual Training Environment (FedVTE) provides free online cybersecurity training to U.S. government employees, Federal…
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Is there a place for me in the cybersecurity field?
We hear this question regularly and we are certain that many other students don’t even ask because they do not see cybersecurity as a field with a place for them. The answer is yes! There is a place for you. At the same time, a number of barriers can make the cybersecurity field unwelcoming to…
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How can I network in cybersecurity in the Bay Area?
WISP: Women in Security & Privacy has many Berkeley alumna and provides meaningful mentoring opportunities and interesting programming The Mozilla Foundation has a major commitment to privacy and security of its users, and sponsors a mailing list of privacy events. The Bay Area chapter of the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) organizes meetups. SF…
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What Bay Area events are relevant to cybersecurity?
San Francisco is home to one of the biggest industry conferences on cybersecurity: RSA. This is a massive event that is great for networking, and it has a student event known as College Day. We regularly receive free RSA passes for enrolled students, so check in with us about it. CLTC also maintains a RSA…
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What podcasts focus on cybersecurity?
Many podcasts cover cybersecurity. Some of our favorites are Darknet Diaries, Steptoe’s Cyberlaw podcast, Cyber from the Start by CSIS:, CSIS Cybersecurity and Technology, Beers with Talos, Rational Security, Privacy, Security & OSINT Show, and Berkeley Technology Law Journal (student podcast).