UMass Lowell to Establish Security Operations Center to Fight State Cybercrime

Massachusetts is advancing its cybersecurity efforts through a new project at UMass Lowell.

Managed by CyberTrust Massachusetts, the new security operations center (SOC) will provide services including system evaluations, monitoring, risk assessments, and activity detection to its clients, thereby strengthening regional cybersecurity defenses.

The project is part of a broader initiative to develop a strong cybersecurity talent pipeline, supported by a $1.3 million investment from the Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) last year for a cyber center that will create jobs and provide training.

UMass Lowell's new SOC will enhance cybersecurity defenses for local governments, nonprofits, and small- to mid-sized defense industrial companies.

Funding for the SOC includes a $300,000 grant from the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative's MassCyberCenter and the Center for Advanced Manufacturing, with ongoing support from SAIC, situating it within the Lowell Innovation Network Corridor (LINC) on campus. 

The development of the SOC is part of the larger LINC project, which aims to create a large-scale mixed-use development around UMass Lowell to foster regional economic growth and innovation.

The new SOC at UMass Lowell will be housed at the Wannalancit Business Center, near the university's Cyber Range, to support the institution's role as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Defense Research.

“We welcome the SOC as the latest vibrant addition to LINC. Together, we are building on the synergy among the development's anchor tenants, the knowledge of UMass Lowell's faculty, the enthusiasm of our students, and the energy of the city to enhance the quality of life in the region,” said UMass Lowell's Anne Maglia, vice chancellor of research, innovation, and economic development, in a UMass Lowell news release.

The SOC is designed to help reduce Massachusetts' estimated $300 million annual cost from cybercrime by improving the protection of critical infrastructure and maintaining regional economic stability. According to the release, it is the fourth such facility at colleges and universities across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.