WARWICK, R.I. – Under the direction of Assistant Professor Michael Kelly, the Community College of Rhode Island’s Cybersecurity Program has grown into an NSA- and DHS-designated Center of Academic Excellence. By utilizing a state-of-the-art cyber range, Kelly ensures his students get hands-on experience defending against the latest AI-assisted threats and ransomware attacks.

The program's impact extends far beyond the campus labs. Along with guiding CCRI students to success at national cybersecurity competitions, Kelly actively champions community engagement. This includes hosting industry networking events like Cybersecurity Night and running free summer Cybersecurity and Robotics Camps at the Newport County Campus to introduce local youth to ethical hacking and digital forensics.

In this edition of Thinkers, Doers & Achievers, Knight Knowledge spoke with Kelly to learn more about the evolution of CCRI's Cybersecurity Program, the challenges of combating AI-driven threats, and why the human element remains the most critical factor in digital defense.

Knight Knowledge: How did the Cybersecurity Program begin, and how has it developed over time?

Kelly: Our cybersecurity program began with the goal of providing students with access to the knowledge and skills needed to enter one of the fastest-growing and most critical fields in technology. What started as a small academic offering has evolved into a comprehensive program that combines classroom instruction with hands-on experiences, industry certifications, student competitions, workforce training, and community engagement initiatives.

Over the years, the program has grown into an NSA- and DHS-designated Center of Academic Excellence, developed strong partnerships with industry and government organizations, expanded opportunities through grant-funded initiatives, and created innovative experiences such as Cyber Saturdays, Cybersecurity Exploration Day, and our Cybersecurity Night networking event. Today, the program extends well beyond traditional coursework, providing students with opportunities to participate in national competitions, engage with industry professionals, and develop the practical skills needed to succeed in a rapidly evolving cybersecurity workforce.

Knight Knowledge: What are some of the skills and techniques students developed during the Cyber Camps?

Kelly: Our Cyber Camps are designed to provide students with hands-on experiences that go beyond simply using technology. They develop foundational skills in areas such as password security, digital forensics, ethical hacking, cryptography, and cyber defense techniques. Equally important, students build critical thinking, teamwork, problem-solving, and communication skills as they work through real-world cybersecurity challenges and simulations.

Knight Knowledge: What would you say is the biggest cybersecurity threat that society faces today?

Kelly: The biggest cybersecurity threat today is not a single piece of malware or one specific attack technique—it's the growing sophistication and scale of cybercrime. Cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence, automation, and social engineering to create more convincing scams, launch faster attacks, and target individuals and organizations more effectively. Our increasing dependence on connected technologies means that a successful cyberattack can have far-reaching impacts on businesses, healthcare, education, and critical infrastructure. This makes cybersecurity awareness, digital literacy, and workforce development more important than ever.

Knight Knowledge: What are some of the challenges in keeping curriculum current given how quickly the field is evolving, especially with the increase in AI threats?

Kelly: One of the greatest challenges in cybersecurity education is that the threat landscape changes constantly. New vulnerabilities, attack methods, and technologies are constantly emerging, and attackers are now using AI to automate reconnaissance, create more convincing phishing campaigns, develop sophisticated social engineering tactics, and rapidly adapt their techniques, which means educational programs must be equally agile.

One of our greatest advantages in addressing this challenge is our cyber range. The cyber range provides us with a unique environment where we can quickly develop and deploy new exercises and scenarios that reflect current and emerging threats. Rather than waiting for textbooks or curriculum updates, we can build realistic simulations around ransomware attacks, cloud security incidents, AI-assisted attacks, and other real-world events as they occur. This allows students to gain hands-on experience in responding to the kinds of cybersecurity challenges they are likely to encounter in the workforce.

Knight Knowledge: What is one thing about cybersecurity that you wish people knew more about?

Kelly: I wish more people understood that cybersecurity is ultimately about people, not just technology. While the field certainly involves advanced tools and technical expertise, many of the most significant cyber incidents begin with a human action—clicking a malicious link, using a weak password, or falling victim to a sophisticated social engineering attack.

I also wish people recognized that cybersecurity is a shared responsibility. Protecting our digital world isn't solely the job of IT departments or cybersecurity professionals; it requires awareness and participation from everyone, whether at home, in school, or in the workplace. Small actions, such as enabling multi-factor authentication, keeping software updated, and being cautious with emails and online requests, can dramatically reduce risk.