About CCD
The Center for Cyber Defenders (CCD) gives computer science interns practical experience with computer systems, network operations, and information protection. The year-round program combines research with education and provides a venue for interns to perform experiments on attacking and defending computer systems with proper guidance and protective measures in place. CCD interns receive on-site training, attend weekly information technology seminars, and participate in activities aimed at securing Sandia's information system.
One of the goals of the program is to train cyber defenders who can move into computer security jobs at Sandia. Computer security is of critical importance not only to Sandia but to industry in general. Interns with expertise in this area are in high demand.
CCD interns are part of a Sandia program, Technical Internships to Advance National Security (TITANS), which offers students valuable cross-exposure to projects in three other TITANS tracks sponsored by the Center for Analysis Systems and Applications; Interns for Security, Arms Control, and Force Protection Engineering; and the Monitoring Systems and Technology Intern Center.
Interns are expected to gain skills in the following areas:
- Basic information security
- Operating system analysis
- Network configuration and management
- Network programming
- Firewall design and implementation
- Protection testing and red teaming
- Virus and other malicious-code defense
- People skills in the work environment
- Familiarity with current network operations
- Business operations and work experience
- Incident investigation and response
By the end of the program, interns will be able to perform the following tasks:
- Configure a complex of computers into a fully operational and reasonably efficient computer network from the ground up.
- Secure that network to a reasonable extent from external threats and to a lesser extent from internal threats.
- Implement off-the-shelf protections, including cryptographic systems, normal operating systems controls, and backups.
- Understand the implications of protection decisions and failures to an organization and be able to explain these things at a reasonable level.
Visit the CCD website for more information.