U.S. Cyber Command Hosts Second CyberRECon Symposium at U.S. Naval Academy’s Alumni Hall

U.S. Cyber Command Hosts CyberRECon Symposium to Tackle Nation’s Toughest Cyber Challenges

ANNAPOLIS, Md. — U.S. Cyber Command recently hosted the second CyberRECon Symposium at the U.S. Naval Academy’s Alumni Hall, bringing together academic minds from across the country to address groundbreaking developments in cybersecurity and intelligence analysis. The event, held on April 17-18, aimed to tackle some of the nation’s toughest cyber challenges.

The Cyber Research and Education Conference, known as “CyberRECon,” is the flagship program for USCYBERCOM’s office of academic engagements. Teams from 17 schools participated in this year’s symposium, working on projects that focused on offensive and defensive Cyberspace Operations, threat actors, intelligence analysis methodologies, and cyber policy and strategy.

Rear Admiral Dennis Valdez, director of Plans and Policy at USCYBERCOM, highlighted the strategic significance of CyberRECon, stating, “The goal is that as we engage the broad spectrum of academia in our country, we will get real solutions that are able to be implemented in the command at large.”

One of the standout projects at the symposium was the “NAZAR Project,” developed by a team from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Security and Forensics Engineering (SAFE) Lab. The project, which won the coveted Commander’s Cup, is a comprehensive monitoring system designed to detect malicious activity on control logic, particularly in industrial control systems.

As the symposium concluded, there was a clear commitment to expanding the dialogue on cybersecurity and national defense strategies. The program aims to inspire service in the DOD cyber cadre, both military and civilian, and to engage students and faculty in critical mission problems.

With plans to involve all 126 partner institutions in future gatherings, CyberRECon is poised to continue fostering innovation and research in cybersecurity to ensure the nation’s cyber defenses remain strong in the face of emerging threats. For more information on USCYBERCOM and CyberRECon, visit: https://www.cybercom.mil.