On April 24, 2025, the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics held the Spring 2025 “Clinic of Clinics” event, bringing together over 140 students from more than 40 Cybersecurity Clinics across the world. This is a biannual event held each semester and gives students who are working in their school’s  cybersecurity clinic a chance to connect with peers and learn from top experts in the field.

The Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics is a collaborative network of higher education-based cybersecurity clinics focused on serving community organizations. The Consortium plays a key role in connecting these clinics, sharing resources, and assessing the impact of clinics on students and the communities they serve.

General (Ret.) Paul M. Nakasone

The highlight of the event was a keynote by General (Ret.) Paul M. Nakasone, who led as the former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander at U.S. Cyber Command. He is now the founding director of Vanderbilt University’s Institute for National Security.

Inside the NSA and U.S. Cyber Command

General Nakasone started the keynote with a powerful and inspiring statement for the students in attendance, “The future is about talent, and you represent that talent.” He then shared his experiences in the former roles at the National Security Agency (NSA) and U.S. Cyber Command, two organizations that play a very crucial role in securing the nation’s digital infrastructure. He explained the simple yet powerful mission of the NSA: “We make code, and we break code.” The NSA develops cryptographic keys, codes, and encryption technologies in order to protect the country’s most sensitive communications and defense platforms. NSA also plays a critical role in national intelligence by monitoring adversarial activity.

As for U.S. Cyber Command, General Nakasone outlined three core missions:

1. Defending Department of Defense networks, data, and weapon systems: Supporting over 4.5 million users and maintaining constant mobility, this infrastructure serves as the foundation for global military operations.
2. Providing cyber support to U.S. forces deployed worldwide: From Korea to Iraq and Afghanistan, Cyber Command maintains cyber readiness and protection in active military environments.
3. Protecting the nation in cyberspace: Cyber Command works with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the FBI, and the private sector to protect US elections and other critical democratic functions from foreign interference.

Disruptive Technologies and the Importance of Adaptation

The keynote was structured with three core themes: disruptive technologies, the current state of cybersecurity, and the skill sets needed for tomorrow’s leaders. To demonstrate the impact of disruptive technologies, General Nakasone talked about Steve Jobs’ 2007 announcement of the iPhone, which he described as “the most disruptive technology of the 21st century.” He compared the companies that embraced the adoption of and adaptation to mobile innovation, like Amazon and Google, with those that ignored the shift, such as Blockbuster, Blackberry, and Nokia. Through this comparison, he explained how early action can shape long-term relevance and success for companies in a world with rapidly evolving technologies, “You can adopt, adapt, or avoid. Choose wisely.”

Artificial Intelligence: Promise and Risk

General Nakasone explained how today’s biggest disruptive technology, Artificial Intelligence, presents both huge opportunities and serious concerns. He then reflected on the launch of ChatGPT, noting its quick growth: over 1 million users in just five days, and 100 million within two months—a pace that significantly exceeded the internet’s initial expansion, which took seven years to reach 50 million users. He called the capabilities of current AI models as “truly outstanding,” citing their quick developments in areas like coding, reasoning, deep research, and even image generation. While he found the new technology to be exciting, he highlighted the need for responsible advancement and called for national investment in talent, energy, compute, chips, and data that would ensure the safe development and application of AI. With regard to cybersecurity, he mentioned several concerns, including the emergence of deepfakes. Fortunately, defense against malicious deepfakes outperformed offense in the 2024 U.S. presidential election.  Additionally, he expressed worries about the possibility of backdoors in open-source AI models, a recent example would be DeepSeek, and the danger of data poisoning during AI model training, vulnerabilities that may be used to infiltrate critical systems. Despite these risks, he maintained his optimism that AI would advance industries like national defense, education, and medicine, stating that the technology has him “riveted on the future.”

The Geopolitical Landscape: Three Arcs of Global Security

Shifting to a broader strategic view, General Nakasone defined today’s global security environment through what he described as three arcs of geopolitics. In the first arc, he explained the rise of China, showing how it went from a $114 billion economy in 1972 to a $17 trillion global power with expanding diplomatic, informational, and military influence today. The second arc focused on active conflicts, such as the Russia-Ukraine War, and ongoing instability in the Middle East. He explained how digital capabilities, like laptops connected through satellite internet, have made it possible for unprecedented disruption, pointing out that Ukraine has disabled more than half of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet despite having no navy. “This is the future of conflict,” he said, where non-kinetic cyber operations increasingly shape kinetic outcomes. The third arc addressed the threats that cross borders, such as pandemics, climate change, and cybersecurity itself, reminding us all that geographic boundaries no longer protect countries from cyberattacks. When combined, these three arcs show how intricately cyberspace has woven itself into both national security and international relations.

A Closer Look at Today’s Cybersecurity Threats

General Nakasone also talked about the current cybersecurity threats. Last year, there were over 5,000 recorded ransomware attacks in the United States, which is a 15% increase from the prior year. He shared that when companies like Microsoft release updates, the attackers are able to exploit vulnerabilities within just five days, putting intense pressure on organizations to patch systems quickly. What’s even more concerning is that it takes an average of 194 days to detect an intrusion and 58 days to remove it. These three elements present a very challenging picture as we think about cybersecurity today and into the future.

The Four Basics That Defeat 96% of Threats

To tackle these challenges, General Nakasone stressed the importance of renewed commitment to “defense in depth,” urging cybersecurity experts to actively look for threats, conduct penetration tests, and prioritize patching. He also shared the four simple practices that can provide protection against 96% of known adversaries. Those four practices are:

1. Keeping the systems updated.
2. Using strong passwords
3. Recognizing phishing attempts
4. Enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA)

What Makes a Great Cybersecurity Leader?

General Nakasone concluded his presentation by outlining the three traits a cybersecurity professional must have: 

1. Critical thinking
2. Communication skills
3. Character

He shared about this experience about how no one asked him what he majored in after college. Instead, they wanted to see if he could break down a complex problem, communicate clearly, and hold strong values. “Character,” he said, “is what you are in the dark. It’s what you stand for when no one’s watching.”

Q&A Session

After the keynote, students from clinics across the world got the chance to ask questions directly to General Nakasone. The Q&A session turned out to be one of the most captivating parts of the event, with questions ranging from privacy and national security to AI regulation, policy and career advice.

Key Takeaways from the Q&A Session:

1. Collaboration is key: Effective cybersecurity requires coordination between the government, the private sector, and academia. Each brings together strengths to solve complex challenges.
2. Technical leaders are in demand: “We need leaders who code, and coders who can lead.”
3. Strategic government investment in education, talent, and infrastructure can drive innovation, just as it did with the interstate highway system and GPS.

Breakout Sessions: Peer Connections and Takeaways

After the conclusion of the keynote and Q&A, the students were moved to breakout rooms, where they discussed engaging prompts. These sessions allowed everyone to make personal connections, share stories, and think about their clinic work from a new perspective.

Final Reflections

The Spring 2025 “Clinic of Clinics” was an insightful event where students connected with each other and learned how cybersecurity relies on people driven by shared values, teamwork, and a desire to learn. General Nakasone’s keynote shed light on today’s most critical challenges and sparked inspiration about the future we’re creating together. In his closing remarks, he quoted Steve Jobs, “Everyone here has a sense that right now is one of the moments that we are influencing the future.” 

Listening to his keynote certainly made us all feel we were in one.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) recently hosted a webinar on university-based cybersecurity clinics and their role in strengthening small businesses’ cybersecurity resilience while training the future workforce. The event featured two Consortium members, Louisiana State University (LSU) Cybersecurity Clinic and University of Nevada, Las Vegas (UNLV) Cyber Clinic, highlighting not only how cybersecurity clinics operate but also the experiences of the small businesses and students who participate in them. While this webinar focused on clinics working with small businesses, cybersecurity clinics serve a wide range of clients, including nonprofits, municipalities, rural school districts, and other under-resourced organizations. 

The full video for this webinar can be found on NIST’s website here.

Why Cybersecurity Clinics Matter

Cybersecurity clinics help address two key challenges:

1. Providing cybersecurity support to under-resourced organizations that have limited access to cybersecurity services and expertise.
2. Training students through real-world client work, preparing them for careers in cybersecurity with on-demand skills and practical experience, while reinforcing commitment to public service.

Rodney Petersen, Director of NICE (National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education), emphasized how clinics bridge the cybersecurity skills gap while expanding access to security services for small businesses that often cannot afford them.

Clinic Spotlights: LSU and UNLV

LSU Cybersecurity Clinic: Leveraging Community Partnerships to Reach Local Businesses

Dr. Aisha Ali-Gombe, Director of the LSU Cybersecurity Clinic, shared how LSU’s model provides students with structured, hands-on experience while offering small businesses three core services:

• Training & Seminars – Broad educational sessions on cybersecurity best practices.
• One-on-One Counseling – Advisory sessions tailored to each business’s needs.
• Comprehensive Cybersecurity Assessments – Detailed evaluations of security posture, led by students under faculty supervision.

By partnering with the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC), LSU ensures its clinic reaches businesses that need cybersecurity support but lack the resources to hire professionals. Many business owners are unaware of how vulnerable they are, an issue LSU’s clinic helps address.

One of LSU’s clients, Gary Anderson of Cardinal Capital, LLC, shared how his company was unsure of its cybersecurity risks until engaging with the LSU Cybersecurity Clinic. Anderson described how working with LSU students helped his company identify key security gaps, strengthen internal security policies, and implement real-world solutions that made a tangible impact. Anderson also provided a glowing recommendation for LSU’s clinic and its students, mentioning their professionalism, competence, and ability to deliver on their promises.

UNLV Cyber Clinic: A Student-Led Business Model

Mehdi Abid, Cyber Program Coordinator at UNLV, described their clinic’s student-driven approach, where students recruit their own clients, manage services, and conduct assessments. The clinic operates like a small cybersecurity consulting firm, giving students hands-on experience in client relations, project management, and technical security work.

UNLV emphasizes that cybersecurity isn’t just technical—it requires strong communication and problem-solving skills. Students learn to:

• Engage small business clients and tailor security solutions to their needs.
• Develop leadership and teamwork skills while managing client projects.
• Apply classroom knowledge in a real-world setting to better prepare for cybersecurity careers.

UNLV student Keith Daniel Tan spoke about his experience working with small businesses through the clinic, highlighting how real client interactions strengthened his cybersecurity skills. He emphasized that while technical knowledge is critical, learning to communicate cybersecurity risks effectively was one of the most valuable takeaways. His experience working directly with business owners provided him with a stronger professional skill set and helped solidify his career goals in cybersecurity consulting.

Key Takeaways

Small Businesses Need More Than Just Technical Support

• Many small businesses do not recognize their cybersecurity risks until they experience a breach or incident. Clinics play a key role in bridging this awareness gap.
• Effective outreach—through partnerships like LSU’s collaboration with LSBDC or UNLV’s student-led client engagement model—ensures that small businesses know help is available.

No Single Model for Assessments

• Clinics design their own assessment frameworks based on student skills, client types and needs, and available resources.
• Some clinics conduct penetration testing and in-depth risk assessments, while others focus more on security policy, governance, and fundamental cyber hygiene.

Hands-On Learning with Real-World Impact

• Students gain practical experience that strengthens their employability, while businesses receive security services they couldn’t otherwise afford.
• Hearing directly from students and clients in this webinar underscored the value clinics provide—not just as a training ground for students, but also as a meaningful cybersecurity resource for communities.

Legal and Ethical Considerations
Cybersecurity clinics work closely with their institutions and clients to align on expectations and to develop safe and ethical structures for students to work with real-world organizations. These relationships are often supported by:

• Legal and operational frameworks such as NDAs, MOUs, and Student Codes of Conduct to ensure confidentiality, shared expectations, and ethical practices.
• Creative engagement models such as:
  • Students being hired by clients as interns, ensuring proper oversight and structured learning.
  • Clinics partnering with local Small Business Development Centers (SBDCs), which manage the client relationship and legal liability while providing cybersecurity services via the clinic as part of their broader support offerings.

Conclusion

This webinar reinforced the critical role cybersecurity clinics play in both workforce development and providing cybersecurity services to local small businesses. As more universities launch clinics, LSU and UNLV’s models offer valuable lessons on structuring programs, engaging students, and delivering meaningful security support to small businesses.

For more information about cybersecurity clinics and how to connect with one, visit the Consortium’s website.

Watch a replay of the webinar below.