Cybersecurity Center in Central Virginia

Research Focus & Mission

The VCU Cybersecurity Center (CSeC) advances foundational and applied security across networked, cyber-physical, and AI-enabled systems. Its research covers system and network security; cryptography and secure protocols; malware analysis and digital forensics; AI for cybersecurity and security for AI; privacy-preserving and trustworthy machine learning; quantum computing; IoT and social-network resilience; wireless and mobile networks; edge and cloud platforms; and emerging 5G/6G infrastructures. The center also explores dependable industrial control systems, critical-infrastructure security, medical-device safety, intelligent transportation, and distributed-ledger technologies such as blockchain and Bitcoin.

Policy, Governance & Societal Impact

Beyond the technical side, CSeC addresses cybersecurity policy, compliance, and governance strategies for emerging technologies like AI and blockchain. This includes examining ethical, legal, and societal issues tied to cybersecurity—such as data privacy, digital rights, public trust, and technology regulation. The center plays a regional leadership role in Central Virginia and is recognized nationally as an NSA/DHS-designated Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense and Cyber Research.

Collaboration, Faculty Expertise & Community Engagement

CSeC unites faculty from four VCU colleges—the College of Engineering, School of Business, Wilder School of Government and Public Affairs, and the College of Humanities and Sciences. Experts from computer science, electrical engineering, information systems, humanities, and public affairs collaborate to fuse technical innovation with policy, governance, and ethics. The center meets regularly to share ongoing work, build interdisciplinary partnerships, and drive high-impact research initiatives across the university, often resulting in new course offerings, research collaborations, and co-authored publications.