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ROB MCCLENDON: HERE'S WHAT'S COMING UP ON YOUR HORIZON.
SO WHAT DO YOU WANT TO BE WHEN YOU GROW UP?
WELL THAT MAY WELL BE A QUESTION SOME OF US ARE STILL ASKING OURSELVES.
BUT A GROWING NUMBER OF STUDENTS ARE GETTING ON WHAT IS CALLED A CAREER
PATHWAY AT AN EARLIER AND EARLIER AGE.
JACK HICKS: I LOVE IT; IT'S JUST, I'VE, I'VE WANTED TO BE AN ENGINEER
FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
ROB: WE WILL MEET SOME VERY AMITIOUS YOUNG PEOPLE, ALREADY
ACCOMPLISHING SOME VERY BIG THINGS.
NICOLE BIDDINGER: I THINK RESEARCH IS AN AMAZING FIELD, THERE'S SO MANY
OPPORTUNITIES.
ROB: ALSO TODAY, DO YOU FEEL CYBER SAFE?
WELL YOU MAY NOT AFTER WE SHOW YOU JUST HOW FREQUENT AND EXPENSIVE CYBER
ATTACKS ARE.
WE WILL EXAMINE THE PROBLEM AND LOOK AT THE WORK UNDERWAY TO KEEP
SENSITIVE DATA OUT OF THE WRONG HANDS.
ROB: STAY WITH US FOR OKLAOMA HORIZON.
MALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: OKLAHOMA'S INVESTMENT IN CAREERTECH PROVIDES MORE
THAN NATIONALLY RECOGNIZED TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION AND TRAINING, IT PRODUCES
SOLID FINANCIAL RETURNS FOR THE STATE'S ECONOMIC FUTURE; OKLAHOMA
CAREERTECH, ELEVATING OUR ECONOMY.
MALE: AND, THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
AND NOW, FROM THE CAREERTECH STUDIOS IN STILLWATER, HERE'S YOUR
HOST, ROB MCCLENDON.
ROB MCCLENDON: HELLO EVERYONE, THANKS FOR JOINING US HERE ON
HORIZON.
WELL AMONG THE THIRTY-FOUR LEADING INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES, U S EDUCATIONAL
OUTCOMES ARE FALLING BEHIND.
CURRENTLY U S STUDENTS RANK FOURTEENTH IN READING LITERACY, SEVENTEENTH IN
SCIENCE, AND TWENTY-FIFTH IN MATH.
SO IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE THAT THE U S HAS FALLEN FROM NUMBER ONE IN
THE WORLD IN THE PERCENTAGE OF YOUNG ADULTS WITH COLLEGE DEGREES DOWN
ALL THE WAY TO NUMBER TEN; NOW THIS AT TIME WHEN NINETY PERCENT OF JOBS IN
THE FASTEST GROWING OCCUPATIONS REQUIRE POST SECONDARY EDUCATION AND
SKILLS TRAINING.
A PUSH IS UNDERWAY IN OKLAHOMA TO GET STUDENTS WORKING TOWARDS A FUTURE
CAREER AT AN EARLIER AGE THOUGH.
IT IS CALLED A CAREER PATHWAY, AND SOMETHING OUR ALISA HINES SAYS COULD
HELP AMERICA STAY COMPETITIVE IN A GLOBAL ECONOMY.
ALISA HINES: YOU'VE HEARD OF THE THREE R'S, READING, 'RITING', AND 'RITHMATIC,
BUT HOW ABOUT THE THREE C'S, COLLEGE, CAREER, AND CITIZEN-READY?
THAT'S WHAT A NEW INITIATIVE AT DUNCAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS STRIVING
TO DO, BY MAKING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SCHOOL AND WORK.
ALISA HINES: GIVE JACK HICKS A SCREWDRIVER AND A COMPUTER AND HE'LL FIGURE
OUT HOW TO PUT WHATEVER HE'S WORKING ON TOGETHER.
JACK HICKS: I LIKE JUST BUILDING STUFF, CREATING STUFF ON THE COMPUTER,
JUST, PRETTY MUCH EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.
ALISA: AND HIS STEM CLASS IS CONFIRMING WHAT JACK ALREADY KNOWS, THAT HE
WANTS TO BE AN ENGINEER.
HICKS: IT HELPED A LOT.
I LOVE IT.
IT'S JUST, I'VE WANTED TO BE AN ENGINEER FOR A LONG, LONG TIME.
ALISA: ACCORDING TO JACK'S TEACHER TAMMY BENNETT, THAT'S WHAT A NEW
INITIATIVE AT DUNCAN PUBLIC SCHOOLS IS ALL ABOUT, GETTING KIDS
INTERESTED IN A CAREER PATHWAY AT AN EARLY AGE.
TAMMY BENNETT: WE ARE ACTUALLY PULLING IN CAREERS INTO THE
EDUCATIONAL PROCESS OF TEACHING THESE GUYS ABOUT WHAT'S OUT THERE IN THE
NEAR FUTURE FOR THEM.
NOT NECESSARILY HAVE TO GO TO COLLEGE FOR BUT SOME OF THE ACTUAL HIGHER PAYING
JOBS THAT CAN COME FROM, JUST CAREERS IN GENERAL.
ALISA: SUPERINTENDENT SHERRY LABYER SAYS THEY ARE HELPING STUDENTS
CONNECT THE DOTS.
SHERRY LABYER: CAREER PATHWAYS IN DUNCAN SCHOOLS IS A BRAND NEW INITIATIVE
THAT WE STARTED THIS YEAR.
AND IT IS NOT A PROGRAM, IT IS NOT A CANNED PROGRAM, IT IS AN
INITIATIVE THAT DUNCAN SCHOOLS HAS STARTED DOWN, ON A JOURNEY, SO THAT WE
HELP STUDENTS MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT THEY'RE DOING IN THE
CLASSROOM AND THE WORLD OF WORK.
COLLEGE, CAREER, AND CITIZEN READY IS WHAT WE'RE TRYING TO HELP THEM
MAKE THE CONNECTION THROUGH CAREER PATHWAYS.
ALISA: ALLYSON WILCOX SAYS KNOWING WHAT CLASSES TO TAKE IS PREPARING HER FOR
COLLEGE.
ALLYSON WILCOX: REALLY I KIND OF HAD AN IDEA OF WHAT I WANTED TO DO AS FAR
AS A DEGREE AND AFTER HIGH SCHOOL AND STUFF.
BUT IT HELPED REALLY NARROW AND SPECIFY WHAT I WAS GOING TO DO INSTEAD OF
I WANT TO GO INTO BUSINESS AND THEN GO TO LAW SCHOOL, BUT IT HELPED ME KNOW WHAT
I NEEDED TO GET INTO LAW SCHOOL AND WHAT DEGREE WOULD HELP ME GET THERE
AND WHAT SPECIFIC BUSINESS DEGREE WOULD HELP ME GET THERE.
ALISA: CAREER COUNSELOR LAUREN HACKLER SAYS USING A STATEWIDE ONLINE
DATABASE SHE CAN GIVE STUDENTS A REALITY CHECK.
LAUREN HACKLER: I TRY TO INCORPORATE THE DIFFERENT CAREER PATHWAYS USING
O-K-C-I-S MOSTLY IN OUR CLASS.
WE INVESTIGATE DIFFERENT INDUSTRIES AND WHERE THE GREATEST NEEDS ARE RIGHT
NOW AND THAT'S OBVIOUSLY IN THE STEM INDUSTRIES.
AND WE JUST TRY TO TALK ABOUT, YOU KNOW, WHAT KIND OF LIFE STYLE DO YOU WANT
TO BE ABLE TO LIVE AND WILL YOU BE ABLE TO MAINTAIN THAT LIVE STYLE
WITH THE SALARY YOU'LL BE ABLE TO EARN IN THAT INDUSTRY.
ALISA: AND SHERRY SAYS CAREER PATHWAYS HELPS STUDENTS NOT ONLY SET
GOALS BUT SHOW THEM HOW TO GET THERE.
SHERRY LABYER: OUR GOAL BY THE TIME A STUDENT GRADUATES, STARTING IN THE
EIGHTH GRADE, THAT THEY HAVE BUILT A PORTFOLIO THAT, IN TURN, HELPS THEM
CHANNEL THE CLASSES THAT THEY TAKE FOR THE TIME THAT THEY ARE WITH US.
AND WE CANNOT PIGEON-HOLE THEM, THAT'S NEVER EVER OUR INTENT.
AND SO THEY ARE SEEING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN WHAT'S HAPPENING NOW, TO WHAT I
NEED TO BE DOING NEXT YEAR, AND THE NEXT YEAR, AND THE NEXT YEAR.
AND THE STUDENTS ARE FEELING MORE SECURE IN THE DECISIONS THAT THEY'RE
MAKING.
ALISA: DECISIONS THAT FOR DAVID CARTER ARE EASY TO MAKE.
DAVID CARTER: I HAD A PRETTY GOOD IDEA GOING INTO THIS YEAR WHAT I
WANTED TO DO BUT WITH THE CAREER PATHWAYS AND EVERYTHING REALLY HELPED
ME NARROW DOWN WHAT SCHOOLS ACTUALLY OFFER THAT AND WHERE I CAN GO,
HOW MUCH IT COSTS, THINGS LIKE THAT.
WHAT I'M ACTUALLY GOING TO BE TAKING TO GET THAT DEGREE ALISA: AND THAT'S
WHAT SHERRY IS HOPING FOR, STUDENTS LOOKING AT THEIR FUTURE AND MAKING INFORMED
DECISIONS.
SHERRY LABYER: MY PASSION IS STUDENTS.
MY PASSION IS STUDENT SUCCESS.
AND WHAT WORKS HAND IN HAND WITH THAT PASSION IS THAT WHEN STUDENTS LEAVE
DUNCAN SCHOOLS AND THEY GRADUATE, THAT WE MADE A DIFFERENCE BEYOND TWELFTH
GRADE.
I WANT THEM TO BE ABLE TO SAY WHEN THEY WALK OUT OF DUNCAN SCHOOLS, THEY'VE
HELPED ME WITH A PLAN, THEY'VE HELPED ME DOWN THE ROAD, AND THAT MY JOURNEY
COULD BE A LITTLE BIT EASIER BECAUSE I KNOW WHAT I NEED TO DO TO FULFILL MY
CAREER PLANS AND MAKE MYSELF A BETTER CITIZEN.
WE WANT THEM TO STAY IN OKLAHOMA.
THAT'S VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
BUT MY PASSION IS THAT WE HELP STUDENTS BEYOND TWELFTH GRADE, BECAUSE
THEY HAVE A LOT MORE TIME IN THEIR CAREER THAN THEY DID WITH THE SHORT TIME
THAT WE HAVE WITH THEM.
AND I WANT THEM TO LOOK BACK AND SAY THAT WE MADE A DIFFERENCE IN THEIR
FUTURE.
ALISA: NOW THIS INITIATIVE INVOLVES LOCAL GOVERNMENT, THE CAREER TECH CENTER,
AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT GROUPS.
TEACHERS EVEN WORK WITH BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY TO FIGURE OUT WHAT JOBS ARE
AVAILABLE IN THE LOCAL AREA TO USE IN THEIR CLASSROOMS.
HELPING STUDENTS MAKE THE CONNECTION BETWEEN SCHOOL AND WORK, ON A DAILY
BASIS.
ROB: AND JUST AS ALISA SAID, THESE EFFORTS DO HAVE THE BACKING OF THE
BUSINESS COMMUNITY, WANTING TO ENSURE A STEADY PIPLELINE OF PRODUCTIVE
EMPLOYEES.
WHEN WE RETURN, SUCCESS AT AN EARLY AGE.
MALE ANNOUNCER: YOU'RE WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON, FEATURING SOME OF THE GOOD
THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING IN THE GREAT STATE OF OKLAHOMA.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL A CAREERTECH SCIENCE PROGRAM FOR GIRLS HELPED START ONE
OKLAHOMA STUDENT'S JOURNEY TO A CAREER IN FIGHTING DISEASES.
JOINING ME NOW WITH HER STORY IS OUR ANDY BARTH.
ANDY BARTH: WELL ROB, MANY STUDENTS PREPARE FOR COLLEGE BY TAKING ADVANCED
PLACEMENT COURSES WHILE STILL IN HIGH SCHOOL.
BUT WE CAUGHT UP WITH ONE OKLAHOMA STUDENT WHO HAS GONE ABOVE AND BEYOND TO
PREPARE FOR HER COLLEGE AND CAREER.
ANDY BARTH: FROM LAB RATS TO TEST TUBES, SOME OF TODAY'S GREATEST
DISCOVERIES HAPPEN IN UNIVERSITY LABORATORIES, A PLACE WHERE THEORIES ARE
TESTED AND YOUNG SCIENTISTS EMERGE.
NICOLE BIDDINGER: I LOVE LEARNING.
ANDY: NICOLE BIDDINGER IS ENDING HER SECOND SUMMER WORKING IN THE OSU LAB AND
HOPES TO STUDY SCIENCE THAT HELPS OTHERS.
NICOLE BIDDINGER: I WOULD LIKE TO PURSUE RESEARCH POSSIBLY FOR THE CENTER
FOR DISEASE CONTROL, IN ATLANTA, OR THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF HEALTH.
ANDY: WHILE BIDDINGER HAS COLLEGE LAB EXPERIENCE, SHE IS JUST NOW BEIGGINING
HER COLLEGE CAREER.
SHE STARTED WHEN SHE WAS ONLY A JUNIOR IN HIGH SCHOOL.
PUNI JEYASINGH: SHE OPERATES AT THE LEVEL WAY BEYOND HER AGE.
SHE'S VERY RESPONSIBLE IN DOING LAB WORK.
ANDY: DR PUNI JEYASINGH IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR IN OSU'S DEPARTMENT OF
ZOOLOGY AND SAYS BIDDINGER IS A NATURAL.
PUNI JEYASINGH: I OFTEN WORRY EVEN WITH UNDERGRAD ASSISTANTS.
I DON'T LET THEM GO UNSUPERVISED AS MUCH AS I'VE LET NICOLE BECAUSE I
FEEL VERY COMFORTABLE BECAUSE SHE'S REALLY MADE OUT TO BE A VERY
METICULOUS SCIENTIST I CAN TELL.
ANDY: AND FOR BIDDINGER, THE SKY IS THE LIMIT.
NICOLE BIDDINGER: I THINK RESEARCH IS AN AMAZING FIELD, THERE'S SO MANY
OPPORTUNITIES.
I WANT TO BE ABLE TO POTENTIALLY LOOK FOR CURES FOR CERTAIN DISEASES.
ANDY: A LOVE FOR SCIENCE WITH DEEP ROOTS IN CAREERTECH.
NICOLE BIDDINGER: CAREERTECH WAS AMAZING FOR ME.
IT GOT ME THINKING ON AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT LEVEL.
BEING ABLE TO READ THROUGH PAPERS OF OTHER SCIENTISTS AND THEN TAKE THOSE
PRINCIPLES AND CONCEPTS AND APPLY IT TO MY OWN RESEARCH HAS BEEN REALLY
INTERESTING.
BECAUSE THERE'S SO MUCH KNOWLEDGE OUT THERE, AND SO APPLYING THAT TO MY OWN
WORK AND LEARNING ALL OF THE DIFFERENT TECHNIQUES AND HOW TO WORK IN A LAB
HAS BEEN REALLY GREAT.
ANDY: WELL NOW NICOLE'S WORK INCLUDES WORKING WITH MARINE ORGANISMS TO TRY TO
SEE HOW THEY TOLERATE EXTREME TEMPERATURES, WITH HOPES TO SOME DAY LINK
THOSE RESULTS TO HUMANS.
AND WHEN THOSE RESULTS ARE PUBLISHED FROM HER WORK AT OSU, SHE WILL BE LISTED AS
FIRST AUTHOR IN SCIENTIFIC JOURNALS, ALL FROM WORK SHE STARTED AS A JUNIOR IN
HIGH SCHOOL WHILE ATTENDING CAREERTECH ROB: SO, WHAT IS NEXT FOR
NICOLE, ANDY?
ANDY: WELL ROB, SHE JUST MOVED TO INDIANA AND IS GOING TO ATTEND PURDUE
UNIVERSITY AND EVENTUALLY HOPES TO WORK FOR THE CENTER FOR DISEASE CONTROL
TO HELP FIND CURES FOR SOME DANGEROUS DISEASES.
ROB: ALRIGHT, SUCH AN IMPRESSIVE YOUNG LADY.
THANK YOU SO MUCH ANDY.
ANDY: YOU'RE WELCOME ROB.
ROB: WELL WHILE STUDENTS LIKE NICOLE ARE CERTAINLY EXCEPTIONAL, THEY ARE NOT
ALONE WHEN YOU TAKE THE BROADER VIEW.
SEVERAL COUNTRIES ALREADY FAST-TRACK STUDENTS TOWARD CAREERS, IN A JOBS RACE
THAT HAS GLOBAL IMPLICATIONS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO SEE JUST HOW FIERCE THE COMPETITION IS, WE HAVE AN
INTERESTING FEATURE RUNNING ON OUR WEBSITE THAT CONTRASTS STUDENTS
PREPARING IN THIS COUNTRY, WITH WORK UNDERWAY IN CHINA AND IN INDIA.
JUST GO TO OUR VALUE ADDED SECTION ON OUR WEBSITE AND CLICK ON TWO MILLION
MINUTES.
FEMALE ANNOUNCER: STILL TO COME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, HIGH PAYING JOBS IN
CYBERSECURITY; BUT FIRST, A MODERN DAY BATTLEFIELD.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL CHANCES ARE SOMEONE FROM SOMEWHERE IS ATTACKING OUR
COUNTRY RIGHT NOW.
THAT'S BECAUSE MODERN DAY BATTLE LINES ARE INCREASINGLY LINES OF
DIGITAL CODE.
A CONFIDENTIAL PENTAGON REPORT REVEALS CHINESE HACKERS HAVE ALREADY
COMPROMISED SOME OF AMERICA'S MOST SENSITIVE WEAPONS SYSTEMS.
AND THIS ISN'T A BRAND-NEW THREAT, BUT RATHER, PART OF A BIGGER TREND.
THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT SUFFERED NEARLY A SIX HUNDRED AND EIGHTY PERCENT
INCREASE IN CYBERSECURITY BREACHES IN JUST THE PAST SIX YEARS.
AND YOU ARE PAYING FOR IT, SO LET'S FACE THE FACTS.
LITTLE THINGS CAN SOMETIMES SEEM HARMLESS.
BUT SOME LITTLE THINGS CAN GROW TO BE VERY BIG PROBLEMS.
HERE'S THE FACTS: FEDERAL CYBERSECURITY BREACHES HAVE GROWN 680% IN THE
LAST 6 YEARS.
THAT'S 117 HACKS A DAY.
AND WITH HACKERS CURRENTLY ACCESSING OUR BANK RECORDS, INCLUDING ONE
INCIDENT INVOLVING CHILDREN'S HEALTH INSURANCE PLANS THAT
EXPOSE SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS, THINGS LIKE IDENTITY THEFT ARE AN
INCREASING PROBLEM.
BREACHES HAVE EVEN COME CLOSE TO COMPROMISING CONTROL OF THE
INTERNATIONAL SPACE STATION.
AND, SHUTTING DOWN OUR POWER GRID IS NOT OUT OF REACH.
SO IF THEY CAN DO ALL THAT, WHAT ELSE MIGHT THEY BE ABLE TO GAIN ACCESS TO?
HOW COULD THE $13-BILLION DOLLARS SPENT IN 2011 PROTECT US?
HOW MUCH MORE WILL IT COST TO STAY ONE STEP AHEAD?
EXPLORE MORE AT FACE THE FACTS USA DOT ORG.
ROB: NOW THIS IS A WAR BEING WAGED IN BOTH DIRECTIONS, THE AUGUST
ISSUE OF WIRED MAGAZINE DETAILS WORK BY U S OPERATIVES TO STIMEY IRANS
NUCLEAR WEAPON'S DEVELOPMENT.
IT'S ESTIMATED THAT AS MANY AS FOURTEEN THOUSAND U S TROOPS AND SECURITY
PERSONNEL ARE INVOLVED IN CYBER WARFARE.
ROB MCCLENDON: YOU CAN KEEP UP WITH US THROUGHOUT THE WEEK JUST HEAD TO
OK HORIZON DOT COM
WHERE YOU CAN SEE MORE OF ANY OF OUR STORIES, READ OUR REPORTERS'
BEHIND THE SCENES BLOGS, SEE WHAT OTHERS ARE SAYING ABOUT US
ON TWITTER AND FACE THE FACTS WITH OUR REGULAR UPDATES.
SO REACH OUT AND TOUCH US ANYWHERE, AND ANYTIME.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WHILE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS MAY BE INTERESTED IN CYBER
ESPIONAGE, OTHERS ARE JUST WANTING INTO OUR POCKET BOOKS.
ESTIMATES ARE CYBER CRIME COULD COST AMERICANS BETWEEN TWENTY-FIVE AND
ONE HUNDRED BILLION DOLLARS EACH AND EVERY YEAR.
WHEN YOU ADD UP EVERYTHING FROM DRAINING PEOPLE'S BANK ACCOUNTS TO THE THEFT
OF INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY, NOW NO ONE IS SAFE, ESPECIALLY AN ENTITY AS
BIG AS STATE GOVERNMENT.
AS OETA'S STEVE BENNETT SHOWS US, PROTECTING OKLAHOMA'S DIGITAL
SECURITY IS ONE LARGE UNDER-TAKING.
STEVE BENNETT: PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA MADE CYBER SECURITY A TOP PRIORITY IN
HIS STATE OF THE UNION ADDRESS, NOTING THAT CRIMINALS ARE HACKING INTO
INFORMATION SYSTEMS TO STEAL PEOPLE'S IDENTITIES, WHILE FOREIGN GOVERNMENTS
AND COMPANIES ARE STEALING CORPORATE AND GOVERNMENT SECRETS.
PRESIDENT OBAMA: NOW OUR ENEMIES ARE ALSO SEEKING THE ABILITY TO SABOTAGE
OUR POWER GRID, OUR FINANCIAL INSTITUTIONS, AND OUR AIR TRAFFIC
CONTROL SYSTEMS.
WE CANNOT LOOK BACK YEARS FROM NOW AND WONDER WHY WE DID NOTHING IN THE FACE OF
REAL THREATS TO OUR SECURITY AND OUR ECONOMY.
STEVE BENNETT: MARK GOWER IS THE HEAD OF INFORMATION SECURITY FOR THE STATE OF
OKLAHOMA.
GOWER SAYS HACKERS ARE CONSTANTLY TRYING TO EXPLOIT HOLES IN COMPUTER
INFORMATION SYSTEMS.
MARK GOWER: THE STATE NETWORK IS ALWAYS UNDER ATTACK.
WE CAN PRETTY MUCH ASSUME THAT SOMEONE IS ALWAYS TESTING THE LIMITS,
SOMEONE IS ALWAYS TESTING THE BOUNDARIES AND TESTING OUR SYSTEMS.
STEVE BENNETT: HACKERS ARE ALSO SHARPENING THEIR SKILLS, MAKING IT MORE
DIFFICULT TO UNCOVER ATTACKS.
MARK GOWER: WHEN THEY TRY TO DISGUISE THEIR ACTIVITY, IT LOOKS MORE
LEGITIMATE IN TODAY'S ENVIRONMENT.
SO WE HAVE TO STAY WELL TRAINED, WE HAVE TO HAVE OUR TECHNOLOGY UP TO THE
TOPMOST LEVEL WE CAN DO, AND THEN BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY THESE THROUGH ALL
OF OUR PROACTIVE MEASURES AS POSSIBLE RATHER THAN REACTIVE.
STEVE BENNETT: TO COMBAT THE THREAT, OKLAHOMA HAS CREATED THE STATE SECURITY
OPERATIONS CENTER.
EXPERTS HERE WATCH OVER OKLAHOMA'S INFORMATION NETWORK, LOOKING FOR
EVIDENCE OF HACKING AND INFORMATION THEFT.
GOWER SAYS THE CENTER PROVIDES PROTECTION TO MORE THAN 80 PERCENT OF
STATE COMPUTERS.
MARK GOWER: SO THAT WE'VE BROUGHT EVERYBODY UP TO A BASIC LEVEL OF SECURITY,
WHERE THOSE ENDPOINTS HAVE ANTI-VIRUS, ANTI-MALWARE, ANTI-SPAM, AND WHAT IS
CALLED INTRUSION DETECTION, INTRUSION PREVENTION ON THE ACTUAL
SYSTEM ITSELF, AND THEN THOSE SYSTEMS REPORT THEIR ACTIVITY BACK TO THE STATE
SECURITY OPERATIONS CENTER, SO WE CAN IDENTIFY BEHAVIORS, AND ATTACK
VECTORS AND SIGNATURES.
STEVE BENNETT: COMBATTING THOSE ATTACKS HAS BECOME A GROWTH INDUSTRY IN
OKLAHOMA.
COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES ARE OFFERING COURSES IN CYBER SECURITY.
DR SHERYL HALE IS CO-FOUNDER OF THE CYBER SECURITY EDUCATION
CONSORTIUM, OR C-SEC.
SHERYL HALE: AND THE PRIMARY GOAL OF THAT CONSORTIUM IS REALLY TO
CREATE A CADRE OF HIGHLY SKILLED CYBER SECURITY SPECIALISTS.
STEVE BENNETT: STUDENTS DON'T NECESSARILY HAVE TO HAVE A BACKGROUND IN
COMPUTERS.
FRANCIS TUTTLE TECHNOLOGY CENTER IN OKLAHOMA CITY OFFERS COURSES IN CYBER
SECURITY AND CONTINUING EDUCATION FOR INSTRUCTORS.
GREG PORTER IS AN INSTRUCTOR THERE.
GREG PORTER: YOU NEED TO HAVE AN ANALYTICAL MIND.
YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO SOLVE PROBLEMS.
IF YOU LIKE SOLVING PROBLEMS, THIS IS THE RIGHT FIELD FOR YOU.
I LOVE SOLVING PROBLEMS, AND FIGURING OUT HOW THINGS WORK, BUT AS FAR AS
A STRONG BACKGROUND, NOT NECESSARILY.
STEVE BENNETT: KEEPING AHEAD OF THE BAD GUYS IS ALWAYS A CHALLENGE.
THAT'S WHY PORTER AND OTHER INSTRUCTORS TAKE CLASSES THEMSELVES, TO
STAY UP ON NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN CYBER SECURITY.
GREG PORTER: FOR EVERY PERSON THAT'S TRYING TO SECURE SYSTEMS, THERE'S
PROBABLY A THOUSAND PEOPLE TRYING TO GET IN.
SO, IT'S KINDA LIKE KEEPING OUT THE BARBARIAN HORDES.
YOU'RE MANNING THE WALLS, SO YEAH, IT IS A CHALLENGE.
STEVE BENNETT: DON LAWRENCE IS AN INSTRUCTOR AT TULSA TECHNOLOGY
CENTER.
HE SAYS CONTINUING EDUCATION IS VITAL.
DON LAWRENCE: BECAUSE AS CYBERSECURITY GETS GOOD, SO DO THE HACKERS.
AND ESSENTIALLY, AS THEY GET ONE STEP ON US, WE HAVE TO COME BACK AND
INCREASE THE GAME AS WELL, SO IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO BE MOVING BACK AND FORTH.
STEVE BENNETT: CYBER ATTACKS CAN BE VERY SOPHISTICATED, BUT SYSTEMS
CAN ALSO BE COMPROMISED BY A SIMPLE MEANS.
ORGANIZATIONS HAVE BEEN HACKED BY DROPPING A CD OR A THUMBDRIVE WHERE SOMEONE
WILL FIND IT, AND PLUG IT IN TO SEE WHAT'S ON IT.
DON LAWRENCE: THAT WAS THE WAY THAT THE IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITY WAS
PENETRATED WAS THAT ESSENTIALLY A FLASH DRIVE WAS LEFT THAT THE
ENGINEERS PLUGGED INTO THEIR SYSTEMS AND COMPROMISED THE ENTIRE
IRANIAN NUCLEAR FACILITY BASED ON THE FACT THAT SOMEBODY LEFT THAT STUXNET
VIRUS, THAT STUXNET WORM, ON A FLASH DRIVE.
STEVE BENNETT: THE CONCERN FOR MOST OKLAHOMANS ISN'T TERRORISTS, OR FOREIGN
GOVERNMENTS.
IT'S CRIMINALS WHO ARE AFTER PERSONAL INFORMATION OR HACKERS WHO TAKE OVER
HOME COMPUTERS TO CREATE AN ARMY OF "ZOMBIE" MACHINES.
GREG PORTER: A LOT OF THESE CRIMINAL ORGANIZATIONS ARE ACTUALLY
RUNNING BOTNETS OF HOME CONSUMERS' COMPUTERS TO ATTACK BUSINESSES AND
GOVERNMENT ENTITIES, SO YOU ACTUALLY PLAY A PART IN OUR NATIONAL SECURITY
JUST BY KEEPING UP YOUR COMPUTER AT HOME.
STEVE BENNETT: WHILE THERE'S NO WAY TO GUARANTEE YOU WON'T BE
HACKED, THERE ARE STEPS YOU CAN TAKE TO LESSEN THE CHANCES.
SECURITY EXPERTS SAY USING A FIREWALL, AND INSTALLING AND UPDATING ANTI-VIRUS
SOFTWARE, IS THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT YOUR PERSONAL COMPUTER FROM BECOMING A
TARGET FOR HACKERS.
ROB MCCLENDON: WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING YOU'VE SEEN HERE TODAY?
WELL, ALL OF OUR EPISODES ARE STREAMING ON OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL AT
OKLAHOMA HORIZON TV; OR, YOU CAN SUBSCRIBE TO OUR WEEKLY FREE PODCAST ON
I-TUNES.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL AS WE SAID AT THE TOP OF TODAYS' SHOW, IF THERE IS A SILVER
LINING IN THE DARK CLOUD OF CYBER CRIME, IT'S CYBERSECURITY JOBS.
THE DEMAND FOR SUCH PROFESSIONALS JUST CONTINUES TO GROW.
OUR KELA KELLN VISITED A CLASSROOM WHERE LAW ENFORCEMENT HAS GONE
DIGITAL.
KELA KELLN: IT'S INCREDIBLE JUST HOW FAR TECHNOLOGY HAS COME CELL
PHONES THAT WERE ONCE JUST USED FOR TALKING ARE NOW LITTLE HANDHELD COMPUTERS
THAT ALSO HOLD ALL OF YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION; WHICH IS WHY THEIVES ARE
CONSTANTLY TRYING TO CRACK INTO THEM.
I VISITED A CLASS WHERE STUDENTS ARE WORKING TO STAY A STEP AHEAD OF THE
BAD GUYS.
KELA KELLN: LEARNING TO TAKE APART COMPUTERS AND UNDERSTANDING HOW THEY
WORK IS WHAT STUDENTS ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE IN A CLASS DESIGNED TO TEACH CYBER
SECURTIY.
LES LITTLE: I'M AN INSTRUCTOR AT MERIDIAN TECHNOLOGY CENTER.
WE TEACH CYBER SECURITY BASICALLY WITH PC ESSENTIALS, COMPUTER
REPAIR, NETWORKING AND SOME COMPUTER FORENSICS.
KELA: WHILE HE IS NEW TO THE TEACHING ENVIRONMENT, CYBER SECURITY AND
COMPUTER FORENSICS IS SOMETHING LES LITTLE KNOWS QUITE WELL.
LES LITTLE: I WAS A STILLWATER POLICE OFFICER FOR 23 YEARS.
THE LAST 16 YEARS I WAS IN DETECTIVES AND CID.
6
WAS A PART OF THE ICAC TASK FORCE WHICH IS INTERNET CRIMES AGAINST
CHILDREN AND SO THAT GOT ME INTO COMPUTER FORENSICS AND WE ALWAYS HAD A
WORKING PARTNERSHIP WITH MERIDIAN.
WHENEVER THEY PURCHASED A FORENSIC EVIDENCE RECOVERY DEVICE WHICH IS CALLED A
FRED, WE CAME OUT TO LOOK AT IT AND WE KIND OF WORKED WITH THEM A LITTLE
BIT ON THAT AND WE WERE ABLE TO SHARE SOME IDEAS AND SOME EQUIPMENT AND HAD
IDEAS WITH THEM AND THAT'S HOW WE GOT STARTED.
KELA: KNOWING HOW TO FIGHT CRIMES WHILE TEACHING STUDENTS HOW TO DO THE
SAME.
LES LITTLE: THE STUDENTS HERE, THEY COME IN AT ALL DIFFERENT LEVELS.
SO, WE HAVE FIRST YEAR STUDENTS, SECOND YEAR STUDENTS AND THIRD YEAR
STUDENTS.
IT'S REALLY A THREE YEAR PROGRAM.
THE FIRST YEAR IS PC REPAIR, THE PC ESSENTIALS.
THE SECOND YEAR IS NETWORKING.
THE THIRD YEAR IS MORE THE CYBER SECURITY WHICH IS THE COMPUTER FORENSICS
BUILT INTO THAT.
AND CYBER SECURITY IS MORE LIKE WHENEVER YOU USE THAT, IT'S FROM THE VERY
BEGINNING YOU SECURE YOUR PASSWORD.
THEN YOU SECURE YOUR HOME NETWORK.
THEN YOU SECURE YOUR PC AT HOME AND IT BUILDS ALL THE WAY UP TO WHERE YOU ARE
NETWORKING AND YOU ARE DOING A NETWORK COMPUTER AND THEN YOU'RE ALL THE
WAY TO A SERVER THAT YOU WOULD BE USING AT A BUSINESS.
KELA: LEARNING A VALUABLE TRADE THAT WILL SURELY PAY OFF IN TODAY'S TECHNOLOGY
DRIVEN WORLD.
LES LITTLE: THE PROGRAM IS A GREAT PROGRAM FROM JUST SOMEBODY THAT DOESN'T KNOW
A THING.
WE'VE HAD STUDENTS COME IN THAT HAVE NO COMPUTER KNOWLEDGE AT ALL.
THEY BARELY KNOW HOW TO TYPE.
AND WHENEVER THEY START HERE, THEY LEARN THE BASICS OF THE COMPUTER
THEMSELVES.
WE ALSO GO THROUGH AND WE TEACH THEM LIFE SKILLS AND WE BUILD ON THAT ALSO.
YOU KNOW HOW TO FILL OUT A RESUME AND HOW TO COMMUNICATE WITH OTHER
PEOPLE.
SOME PEOPLE COME IN AND CAN'T TALK, SO PART OF THE CURRICULUM TOO IS WE BUILD
THAT UP IN THOSE PEOPLE.
WE GET THEM READY FOR THE WORK FORCE, AND WE'RE GETTING THEM READY FOR THE
REAL WORD.
SO, THIS CLASS BASICALLY IT'S WHAT YOU PUT INTO IT IS WHAT YOU ARE GOING TO
GET OUT.
SO, IF YOU PUT A LOT OF WORK INTO IT, YOU ARE GOING TO COME OUT ON TOP.
KELA: WITH THE I-T FIELD CHANGING SO DRAMATICALLY, THE NEED FOR CYBER
PROTECTION ON THE LEGAL AND CORPORATE SIDE IS GROWING.
IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS, THE LISTINGS FOR CYBER SECURITY POSITIONS HAS
RISEN SEVENTY-THREE PERCENT, MAKING IT ONE OF THE MOST IN DEMAND CAREERS
WHICH IS PROVIDING GOOD JOB OPPORTUNITIES FOR GRADUATES OF THE PROGRAM.
ROB: NEXT TIME ON OKLAHOMA HORIZON, THINGS ARE HEATING UP IN THE DEBATE
OVER CLIMATE CHANGE, AND OKLAHOMA FARMERS ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF IT.
MICHAEL MANN: WE CAN'T PICK AND CHOOSE THE SCIENCE WE WANT.
IF SCIENCE TELLS US THAT WE'VE GOT A CHALLENGE THEN WE'VE GOT TO RECOGNIZE
THAT.
AND WE'VE ALSO GOT TO REALIZE THAT STICKING OUR HEAD IN THE SAND IS NOT OF
A BENEFIT TO OUR INDUSTRY; THAT IT'S SO TIED TO THE LAND JUST BY THE FACT OF
WHAT WE DO.
WE NEED TO BE THINKING ABOUT HOW DO YOU ADAPT TO THAT?
ROB: GLOBAL WARMING, FACT OR FICTION?
ON OKLAHOMA'S SHOW FOR THE HEARTLAND, OKLAHOMA HORIZON.
ROB MCCLENDON: WELL WHEN IT COMES TO CYBERSECURITY AND OUR NATIONAL SECURITY,
NO ONE IN RECENT MEMORY HAS BROUGHT THE ISSUE MORE TO THE FOREFRONT THAN A
LOW-LEVEL ANALYST AT THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY NAMED EDWARD SNOWDEN.
SNOWDEN THRUST HIMSELF INTO THE LIMELIGHT WHEN HE LEAKED N-S-A SURVELIENCE
SECRETS; A MOVE CHARACTERIZED AS TREASONESS BY SOME, AND
PATRIOTIC BY OTHERS.
YET DESPITE WHAT YOU THINK OF HIS ACTIONS, I WAS STRUCK BY A SINGLE FACT
TYPICALLY GLOSSED OVER IN MOST REPORTS.
BY ALL ACCOUNTS, EDWARD SNOWDEN WAS A HOMEGROWN COMPUTER GEEK WHO NEVER
FINISHED HIGH SCHOOL; YET HAD THE SKILLS TO LAND A JOB WITH A TOP SECURITY
CLEARANCE THAT PAID ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-TWO THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR,
NOT BAD MONEY FOR A TWENTY SOMETHING WITHOUT A DEGREE.
I RECENTLY VISITED WITH A SUPERVISOR AT ONE OF THE STATE'S LARGEST COMPUTER
COMPANIES AND ACCCORDING TO HIM, HE'S CONSTANTLY INTERVIEWING THE TECH
SAAVY TRYING TO FIND EMPLOYEES, NOT JUST FOR CYBERSECURITY JOBS, BUT A
MYRIAD OF OTHER COMPUTER JOBS.
NOW THE JOBS OF THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY ARE BECOMING MORE SPECIALIZED
AND MORE TECHNICAL.
IN FACT, THERE ARE THREE MILLION JOBS GOING UNFILLED IN THIS COUNTRY
TODAY, BECAUSE THERE AREN'T ENOUGH QUALIFIED CANDIDATES.
AND IF THE LAWS OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND HOLD TRUE, THOSE WITH THE RIGHT
SKILLS SHOULD REAP THE REWARDS IN AN EVER GROWING DIGITAL ECONOMY.
I'M ROB MCCLENDON.
THANKS FOR WATCHING.
SEE YOU BACK HERE NEXT WEEK.
MALE ANNOUNCER: HORIZON IS MADE POSSIBLE BY
THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION;
AND THE OKLAHOMA DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE, FOOD AND FORESTRY,
HELPING GOOD PEOPLE GROW GOOD THINGS.
THANK YOU FOR WATCHING OKLAHOMA HORIZON.