Editor’s Note: The State of Maryland, in partnership with Montgomery County, MD and the National Institute for Standards and Technology, is a sponsor of the National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.

State hosts convention, competition and recognition during National Cyber  Security Awareness Month in October.

Baltimore, MD (PRWEB) July 31, 2012

Governor Martin O’Malley today announced that during National Cybersecurity  Awareness Month in October 2012, Maryland will host CyberMaryland  2012, a three-pronged conference, competition and celebration designed to  showcase industry innovations, recognize cyber pioneers and groom the next  generation of cyber experts. Scheduled October 16 and 17, 2012, at the Baltimore  Convention Center and Four Seasons Hotel, CyberMaryland 2012 will connect  educators, innovators, employers and students and further demonstrate the  state’s reputation as the nation’s epicenter for information security innovation  and excellence.

“Maryland is home to many companies – emerging and established – that are  working on the cutting edge of cybersecurity,” said Governor O’Malley. “In our  rapidly changing digital economy, we are pleased that CyberMaryland 2012 will  allow us to convene the best and brightest of our people so our State can move  forward with innovation and ingenuity to secure a safer, more prosperous  future.”

Organized by a public-private partnership founded in response to the  Governor’s original CyberMaryland strategic plan, and produced by the Federal  Business Council, CyberMaryland 2012 will be anchored by the CyberMaryland  Conference, the 2nd Annual Cyber Challenge & Competition, and the inaugural  National Cyber Security Hall of Fame awards. The conference and competition will  be held 8 am-5 pm October 16 and 17 at the Baltimore Convention Center and the  Hall of Fame celebration dinner at the Four Seasons in Baltimore the evening of  October 17.

First produced in 2011, the 2nd annual CyberMaryland conference will cast an  even wider net and include panels, speakers and exhibits for both established  and emerging cybersecurity professionals in academia, business, industry and  government. “This conference is geared for individuals and organizations who are – or who want to be – working in the State’s information security sector,” said  Larry Letow, President & COO of Convergence Technology and member of the  Cyber Maryland Advisory Board, adding, “It’s crucial for everyone – industry  leaders and policy makers, programmers and educators – to connect with one  another and learn what trends, challenges and opportunities are present in this  expanding space.” He added that this year’s focus on the cyber generation  recognizes that Maryland’s economy is inexorably linked to digital  technologies.

The CyberMaryland Conference includes three tracks designed for government  contractors, businesses services, technology companies, entrepreneurs, policy  makers and government agency officials: Cyber Business; Cyber Innovation; and  Cyber Generation. An industry showcase featuring three dozen exhibits and  demonstrations will run concurrent to the sessions. Respected industry thought  leaders will present workshops and panels on myriad topics. Scheduled sessions  include Ethical Hacking, Cyber Security Basics, Selling to the U.S. Intelligence  and Military Communities, and Best & Most Effective Contracting Vehicles for  Cyber Products. Registration details and a complete schedule of workshops and  speakers will be updated at http://www.FBCInc.com/CyberMDconference.

A featured activity of CyberMaryland 2012 is the Maryland Cyber Challenge & Competition (MDC3). Launched in 2011, the inaugural event attracted more  than 300 high school, college and professional ‘code breakers’ to qualifying  rounds. The event culminated with 150 finalists competing in an elimination  round style “hackathon” for bragging rights, NSA-funded student scholarships,  internships, and cash prizes for professional teams. Like the inaugural event,  the 2012 MDC3 will feature a progressing series of online competition with final  live rounds, using the fun of the competition to teach participants the skills  necessary to secure systems and defend against adversaries on an escalating  basis. Charles Beard, SAIC senior vice president and chief information officer,  predicts MDC3-2012 will be an even bigger success, “We are excited to once again  lead the charge highlighting the talent, technological prowess and opportunities  in education and career advancement uniquely found in Maryland.” Participant and  sponsor information can be accessed at http://www.fbcinc.com.

CyberMaryland 2012 culminates Wednesday, October 17, when 350 industry  leaders gather at the Four Season Hotel in Baltimore to celebrate information  security pioneers and luminaries at the inaugural Cyber Security Hall of Fame  induction ceremony. According to Mike Jacobs, Hall of Fame Chairman and retired  Director of Information Assurance at NSA, “We selected the theme ‘Respect the  Past: Protect the Future’ to not only celebrate the trailblazers and codemakers  who created the modern cyber security industry as we know it today, but also to  reflect the information and educational resources this Hall of Fame serves to  communicate the history and future of cybersecurity.” A limited number of seats  remain for the awards banquet. Tickets are $250 and organizers expect the event  to sell out.

In the almost three years since Governor O’Malley released the initial  CyberMaryland report – the State’s business blueprint for developing the  cybersecurity industry – great strides have been made in innovation, capital  investments, education and policy. “We’ve made phenomenal progress coordinating  and communicating Maryland’s cybersecurity assets since 2010,” said DBED  Secretary Christian Johansson. “CyberMaryland 2012 demonstrates yet again that  Maryland – with a robust higher education system training the next generation of  cyber warriors, creative companies and innovative institutions developing  critical cyber technologies, and a rapidly growing information assurance and  technology cluster offering the full spectrum of capabilities – is indeed the  epicenter of cybersecurity.”

For information on becoming a CyberMaryland 2012 sponsor or exhibitor,  contact Gabe Wollner at 240-841-2211 or Gabriel@fbcinc.com. CyberMaryland 2012  sponsors include BB&T, Citrix, CyberPoint, CyberCore, Economic Alliance of  Greater Baltimore, Norman Defense, Raytheon, Safenet, SAIC, State of Maryland,  Department of Business & Economic Development, Susquehanna Bank, TrustWave,  UMBC and Whiteford Taylor Preston. To reserve tickets for the Hall of Fame  dinner, contact info@cybersecurityhalloffame.com.  Follow conference updates, including announced speakers and exhibitors, on  Twitter @CyberMaryland.