(BPT) - Cybercriminals are keeping pace with the latest technology. By harnessing AI, they are developing increasingly sophisticated techniques to commit their crimes, posing a growing threat to businesses, institutions and individuals worldwide. In a 2026 World Economic Forum survey of business executives, academics, civil society and public-sector cybersecurity leaders, 77% reported an increase in cyber-enabled fraud, with 73% saying they or someone in their network had been impacted.
The threat hit close to home earlier this year when the hacking group ShinyHunters executed a major multi-wave breach on Instructure's Canvas Learning Management System, compromising the data of up to 275 million users across nearly 9,000 institutions worldwide, including DeVry University. The attack is a reminder of just how fast the threat landscape is evolving.
AI is accelerating that evolution. Ransomware cyberattacks are predicted to occur every two seconds by 2031. And the financial toll is staggering: the global cost of cybercrime is expected to reach $13.82 trillion per year by 2028.
To fight the ongoing war against cybercrime, many more highly skilled cybersecurity experts are needed throughout the business sector, government agencies, in healthcare and educational institutions. Although approximately 1.34 million cybersecurity professionals are currently working in the U.S., the demand is very high — with over 514,000 job openings nationally in the field, according to CyberSeek.
Despite this rising demand for cybersecurity professionals, early-career talent is often shut out due to their lack of experience, making the shortage worse.
"The cyber workforce gap is real, and AI is changing what entry-level jobs look like," said Dr. Jingdi "Rebecca" Zeng, senior professor and curriculum chair, DeVry University. "That means part of the learning that used to happen on the job now needs to happen earlier, in the classroom."
Addressing the cybersecurity skills gap
To prepare the next generation of cyber leaders, DeVry University's Cybersecurity Center of Excellence is tackling the challenge head-on. By partnering with industry leaders, the university has designed a curriculum that aims to help close the skills gap by equipping early-career professionals with the knowledge and experiences they need to thrive in today's rapidly evolving cyber landscape.
DeVry's robust cybersecurity programs are built on skills-based, hands-on learning models and real-world exposure that provide students with opportunities not just to learn about cybersecurity, but to actually practice it.
"Our programs are designed around a clear learning pathway with strong focus on practical cyber skills and emerging technologies, including AI," said Zeng. "Three of our programs are NSA CAE designated for meeting a structured set of cyber education criteria established by the National Security Agency (NSA) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)."
To enhance students' hands-on experience in the field, DeVry launched its cutting-edge cyber range platform, which offers realistic, immersive simulations that mimic real-world cyber threats. It provides students the opportunity to practice and master analytics, investigation, repulsion, remediation and other cybersecurity techniques to better prepare them for careers in this much-needed field.
DeVry students can also participate in the Future Cyber Defenders Scholars Program, which offers resources and support to help students pursuing cybersecurity programs and technology careers. The program includes opportunities to join DeVry's National Chapter of Computing Technology Industry Association (COMPTIA) and their National Cyber League competition team.
Competition with a purpose
This year, DeVry's team earned the No. 12 power rank in the National Cyber League (NCL). The biannual event, powered by Cyber Skyline, is one of the country's premier cybersecurity competitions. Students test their skills through real-world challenges including digital forensics, penetration testing, cryptography, vulnerability auditing and ransomware recovery.
"Cybersecurity is interesting because it's not just one narrow area of IT. It touches every domain, and the National Cyber League competition exposed me to the full range in practical ways," said McCloskey. "DeVry pushed me in ways I didn't expect, because they gave me more hands-on exposure than I was anticipating. These experiences helped me move beyond just reading about the tools and actually using them in context."
The strong performance of DeVry students in the NCL competition highlights the school's commitment to effective, hands-on learning in cybersecurity skills that will have application in the real world.
"Results like these show that our cyber programs are keeping pace with the needs of the field. Beyond the classroom, our curriculum team organizes co-curricular activities that introduce students to additional, inspiring content that complements and expands on what they learn in class," added Zeng. "DeVry's NCL performance is a powerful indicator that these efforts are working. Our students are building the skills and confidence needed to enter today's cyber workforce."
