By some estimates, cybercrimes are projected to cost businesses worldwide $6 trillion annually by 2021 — and it’s not unusual for a ransomware or malware attack to cost a single business millions.

With cybersecurity threats to our ever-expanding digital world growing by the day, industries and universities are struggling to meet the demand for skilled tech workers. In Virginia alone, state officials say there are 33,000 unfilled cybersecurity jobs.

Enter Virginia’s ambitious, $25 million-plus Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), which aims to close that gap by creating a highly skilled workforce while also encouraging the development of lucrative technologies and making Virginia a global leader in cybersecurity.

Established by the Virginia General Assembly last year, CCI is led by Virginia Tech, which is creating a CCI “hub” for cybersecurity innovation. The hub oversees the initiative and four regional cybersecurity centers — or “nodes” — in Central Virginia, Northern Virginia, Southeast Virginia and Southwest Virginia.

Expected to be approved in June, the regional nodes will usher in a wave of university-business collaborations in Virginia involving partnerships with corporations such as Amazon, Dominion Energy and Micron Technology.

To learn more, check out the whole article below.

http://www.virginiabusiness.com/news/article/cyber-moon-shot-ready-for-launch