Two agencies are supporting a research effort between Rapid7 Inc. and the University of South Florida with a $1.5 million grant.
The funding comes from the Office of Naval Research and the National Science Foundation.
The program is an educational initiative with the goal of improving cyber training. Rapid7 is a Boston-based computer and network security company that opened a large office in Tampa this year after expanding to Tampa in 2021. It has been in collaboration with USF since February.
The research effort benefits from grants like this because of the financial, time and personnel requirements.
“It all requires resources, and this provides much-needed resources to focus on specific problems,” said Xinming Ou, USF professor of computer science and engineering and principal investigator of the program’s research.
Two professors are involved in the research, Ou and Daniel Lende from the USF anthropology department.
Cybersecurity is a human problem, created by humans, Ou said. Bad actors come in many, unpredictable forms, and learning to protect against these threats requires understanding the technical, the unpredictable and the psychological. Lende's background helps where Ou's needs human understanding.
The initiative puts attendees in a research-based program that shows them case study scenarios, research and real-world examples. It also gives them access to data and other resources they wouldn’t have otherwise.
“We expect the funding from ONR and NSF to help us achieve significant results through this research initiative, including the ability to implement world-class training programs that fully prepare the next generation of cyber practitioners,” said Raj Samani, senior vice president and chief scientist of Rapid7, in a release.
The NSF is an independent federal agency seeking the promotion and advancement of engineering, science, health and national defense. The Office of Naval Research supports and sponsors research that improves the Navy and national security.
Corey Thomas, the CEO of Rapid7, made Tampa a new home for the company after seeking tech talent here. Rapid7's office is in Sparkman Wharf and was previously considered one of the fastest-growing offices in Tampa, according to Thomas. In August, Rapid7 announced it planned to lay off 18% of its staff to reduce operating costs and improve operational efficiencies, according to a regulatory filing.
