Advanced Transportation Center includes cybersecurity degree

By Nicholas Ketchum
Staff Writer

Computer hacking doesn’t usually come to mind when thinking of advanced transportation, but maybe it should.

Likely at this instant, “black hat” hackers are searching for—and exploiting—software vulnerabilities in cars and trucks; maybe even aircraft and ships, too.

Worse yet, in an extreme scenario, someone could die as a result of a hacked or compromised system. Maybe the steering wheel or brakes suddenly stop working after a black hat intrusion.

Meanwhile, “white hat” hackers and their clientele, which include multinational firms, as well as medium and small businesses, are attempting to stay one step ahead, detecting and patching security holes in advance of the black hatters.

“You have to think like a hacker to stop a hacker,” said Mitchell Mikhail, a first semester student who studies cyber defense, both via college and personal experimentation (and only using his own equipment).

In recent years, the increasing presence of legitimate white hat hackers coincides with the emergence of a maturing, formalized disciplines with names such as “cybersecurity” and “information security analysis.”

These new disciplines occupy important roles at WCC’s Advanced Transportation Center, an initiative launched in 2015, which according the center’s website is “preparing the future and existing workforce for the emerging needs of the advanced transportation industry.”

Demand for these skills are growing fast, which is projected to continue. Estimates published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics show openings for information security analysts will grow by more than 28 percent between 2016 and 2026, compared to an estimated 7.4 percent growth for all occupations.

Cybersecurity’s role in transport is imperative, according to Alan Lecz, director of the Advanced Transportation Center.

“It’s so big because the risks are so huge. In the financial area, it’s bad enough. . . but the risk in the automotive industry is that someone could get killed, because someone could hack the network systems that control vehicle. . . . they could disrupt the steering,” Lecz said.

In considering the emerging dominance of computer-controlled vehicular systems, Lecz stressed the importance of practicing good ethics while developing safe, robust systems—part of the center’s approach.

According to Lecz, the center uses an “Automotive Hacking Workbench” to teach students “ethical hacking skills for the purpose of testing the robustness of software programming in vehicles… to find vulnerabilities and help companies close those entryways.”

Michael Galea, Professional Faculty of Computer Instruction, along with Cyndi Millns, Professional Faculty of CIS Cybersecurity, is helping to develop course curricula. On Thursday, they unveiled the automotive hacking workbench to the Computer Information Systems department.

Galea said that the developing curricula looks to address concerns that “a real problem is going to occur down the road when the cars are all connected on wireless networks; because now people are going to be able to hack in real-time into vehicles. Just think of the consequences. . . You could potentially take over a car’s navigation system.”

Millns added, “It’s not just happening in automotive, but in all of your connected devices. . . all embedded technology.”

However, the Center’s focus reaches far beyond computation-centered fields; spearheading a comprehensive and multidisciplinary approach.

The overall philosophy stands on three core “pillars,” as Lecz terms it:

Intelligent Transportation Systems (which includes cybersecurity), Advanced Automotive Service and Repair and Lightweight Materials and Manufacturing.

Each pillar offers course curricula from a set of interrelated disciplines, and is intended to connect advanced concepts from both advanced manufacturing and information technology.

While enrolled, students can gain real-world work experience, including paid internships that buoys resumes and attracts future employers.

The center is funded by grants from the State of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Transportation, with additional support from the University of Michigan and the Square One Education Network.

A new building is scheduled to be constructed on campus, immediately north of the Occupational Education building, which currently houses some of the equipment that’s slated to move to the new building.

WCC’s Board of Trustees has not yet awarded construction contracts.

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