Students Gain Career-Connected Experiences in the New UML Cyber Security Operations Center

In the time it takes to send a text message, Michael Leahy can commute from his Computer and Network Forensics class to his internship with CyberTrust Massachusetts.

That’s thanks to the location of the recently opened UMass Lowell Cyber Security Operations Center (Cyber SOC), which provides cybersecurity services to local government, nonprofits and businesses, as well as hands-on training for the next generation of cybersecurity professionals. The Cyber SOC is next door to the UMass Lowell Cyber Range, which, in addition to serving as a classroom, provides students with a safe environment to practice identifying and defending against cyberattacks.

Leahy, a senior majoring in computer science with a concentration in cybersecurity, is one of five UMass Lowell students currently interning with CyberTrust Massachusetts. The nonprofit organization operates the UMass Lowell Cyber SOC along with three other similar facilities across Massachusetts.

“We’re excited to extend our statewide SOC to UMass Lowell,” says Peter Sherlock, CEO of CyberTrust Massachusetts. “Their students have already been incorporated into our team as analysts, playing a hands-on role in securing our local customers, while learning from industry professionals with a passion for cyber innovation.”

As SOC analyst interns, the students monitor local governments, nonprofits and businesses for cyber threats. They analyze suspicious activity, work with cybersecurity professionals to mitigate attacks and develop business reports using the programming language Python.

“There are so many people that get taken advantage of through cyberattacks like phishing emails and AI deepfakes,” says Ryan Greaney, a CyberTrust Massachusetts intern and a senior computer science major concentrating in cybersecurity. “Our work is helping to make the world a safer place.”

Greaney felt prepared to tackle the SOC analyst internship thanks to his cybersecurity courses and his involvement with the UMass Lowell Cybersecurity Club and the university’s Collegiate Cyber Defense Competition team. With those experiences, he feels ready to enter the workforce after graduating.

“UMass Lowell has a lot to offer. I took the initiative to not just go to class, but to also do all these extracurriculars, and it’s benefiting me in the long run,” Greaney says. 

CyberTrust Massachusetts provides interns with professional development, including résumé building, interview preparation and industry connections.

“They want you to get a really good job after you leave here, and they push you toward that every single day,” says Aayush Patel, a senior computer science major concentrating in cybersecurity.

The nonprofit hires interns four times a year, with cohorts starting in March, June, September and December. Each internship lasts six months, which CyberTrust Massachusetts intern Alexandra Fabian appreciates.

“It gives you more time to gain hands-on experience and develop a better understanding of the cybersecurity concepts,” says Fabian, a senior computer science major concentrating in cybersecurity.

The Cyber SOC is part of a larger cybersecurity initiative at UMass Lowell supported by a $1.3 million award from SAIC to strengthen the region’s cyber resilience and develop a skilled workforce. The Massachusetts Technology Collaborative’s MassCyberCenter and Center for Advanced Manufacturing also awarded UMass Lowell a $300,000 grant to establish the Cyber SOC.

It is located in the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC), a growing innovation ecosystem that drives research, workforce development and economic growth while creating opportunities for students, faculty, companies and the community.

The proximity of industry partners and the university opens the door for students like Leahy to gain career-connected experiences.

“It makes it so much more accessible,” he says.