According to a report by the Insurance Information Institute (III), in 2019, the state of Washington logged 94 identity theft complaints per 100,000 population, or a total of 7110 complaints. Washington state ranks 35th among all states in terms of the number of identity theft complaints logged that year. However, that same year, the III reported, Washington ranked fifth among all states in the number of cybercrime victims, for a total of 13,095.
In 2019, Washington also amended its data breach notification law. Under these amendments, the definition of personal information was expanded to include full name plus any of the following information:
- Date of birth (full)
- A private authentication key
- Student, passport or military identification number
- Health insurance policy or identification number
- Any medical history information (physical or mental health) including diagnosis and treatment
- Biometric data like voiceprint, fingerprint, eye retinas, irises or other unique biological patterns or characteristics that can be used to identify an individual
Furthermore, this information by itself without the consumer’s name attached is considered private information if it is not encrypted or redacted or if it would enable another to commit identity theft. Method and timing of notification in case of a data breach was also amended. Notification may be done by email, and must be done within 30 days. The state Attorney General must also be notified in case of a data breach affecting Washingtonians.
If protecting personal information like this is of interest to you, you might want to consider a career in cybersecurity. In Washington, there are many college and university programs that offer associate degrees and certificates in cybersecurity. Keep reading to discover how you can earn an associate degree or certificate in cybersecurity in Washington.
Washington Cybersecurity in the News
In September 2020, a news report noted that Washington’s state government had fallen victim to a cyberattack. Governor Jay Inslee noted that state services were not compromised as a result of the attack. However, the cyber attackers did gain access to multiple state agencies. They were able to spread malware throughout the network and get a foothold to deepen the attack. State officials denied that Washington’s elections system was hacked during the attack.
Cybersecurity Job Positions for Associate Degree and Certificate Holders in Washington
Cybersecurity jobs in Washington that may be attainable with an associate degree or certificate include:
- Cyber Security Technical Support (Entry-Level)- Volt, Richland
- Cyber Security Specialist, Junior Level – Leidos, Bremerton and Gorst
- Information Security Analyst – Infoblox, Tacoma
- Security Analyst – Cyber Security Education, Seattle
- Security Analyst – Kalles Group, Seattle
- Network Implementation Technician, Entry-Level – AITEA, Seattle
- Associate Security Analyst – Expedia, Bellevue
- Cybersecurity Analyst – nLIGHT, Camas
- Cyber Security Analyst – Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland
- Cyber Security Government Compliance Analyst – Blue Origin, Kent
Cybersecurity Programs in Washington
Any associate degree or certificate program in cybersecurity in Washington that you choose should be at an institution that has been accredited by an agency listed with the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Names of Associate Degree Cybersecurity Programs in Washington
Titles of some of the associate degree cybersecurity programs in Washington are:
- Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security
- Associate of Technical Arts in Cyber Defense and Digital Forensics
- Associate of Applied Science, Technical in Information Technology-Systems and Security
- Associate of Applied Science in Digital Forensics & Investigations
- Associate of Applied Science in Network Security Engineer
- Associate of Applied Science – Information Technology with a Cybersecurity Emphasis
The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and National Security Agency (NSA) established the National Centers of Academic Excellence program to signify the best cybersecurity programs in the nation.
Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education in Washington
Washington houses the following Centers of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Education (CAE-CD):
- City University of Seattle – Undergraduate Certificate in Advancement of Computing-Cybersecurity (online, on-campus and hybrid)
521 Wall St., Suite 100
Seattle, WA 98121
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
(888) 422-4898
- Columbia Basin College – Associate in Applied Science in Cyber Security (on campus, online)
2600 N. 20th Ave
Pasco, WA 99301
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
(509) 544-2262; [email protected]
- Edmonds College –
—Associate of Technical Arts in Cyber Defense and Digital Forensics
—Certificate in Cyber Security Specialist
—Certificate in Digital Forensics
—Certificate of Completion in Computer Forensics
—Certificate of Completion in Cyber Defense Fundamentals
—Certificate of Completion in Electronic Discovery Analyst
—Certificate of Completion in Pen Testing & Ethical Hacking
20000 68th Ave W
Lynnwood, WA 98036
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2022
Mike Andrew, Department Contact
(425) 640-1099; [email protected]
- Green River College– Associate of Applied Science, Technical in Information Technology-Systems and Security (on campus and online)
12401 SE 320th St.
Auburn, WA 98092
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2023
- Highline College –
—Associate of Applied Science in Digital Forensics & Investigations
—Associate of Applied Science in Network Security Engineer
2400 S. 240th St.
Des Moines, WA 98198
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2020
Dr. Amelia Phillips, Contact
(206) 592-3497; [email protected]
- Spokane Falls Community College – Associate of Applied Science – Information Technology with a Cybersecurity Emphasis
3410 W. Fort George Wright Dr.
Spokane, WA 99224-5288
CAE- Cyber Defense Education- Accredited through 2024
(509) 533-3522; [email protected]
Washington Cybersecurity Associate Degree Program Courses
Although courses will vary in curricula among Washington colleges, the typical cybersecurity associate degree program in Washington will carry courses such as:
- Information Technology Fundamentals
- Networking Fundamentals
- Linux and Python Fundamentals
- Computer Forensics
- Network Management
- Programming
- Cyber Defense
- Network Security
- Computer Ethics and Law
- Malware Analysis and Exploitation
Washington Cybersecurity Certificates
In addition to the cybersecurity certificates listed above, the following cybersecurity certificates are also available in Washington state:
- Certificate in Applied Cybersecurity – University of Washington
- Certificate in Cybersecurity Risk Management- University of Washington
- Certificate in Ethical Hacking – University of Washington
- Certificate in Cybersecurity – Central Washington University
- Certificate of Proficiency – Information Security Professional – Whatcom Community College
Cybersecurity Salaries in Washington
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2019, the annual mean wage for information security analysts working in the state of Washington was $112,540. Those working in various part of the state earned wages higher or lower than the state average, as evident from the figures below:
- Bellevue: $111,390
- Bellingham: $105,780
- Kennewick: $113,780
- Richland: $113,780
- Seattle: $111,390
- Spokane Valley: $103,230
- Spokane: $103,230
- Tacoma: $111,390
- Western nonmetro area: $91,390