Knowledge for Peace

The most critical component of a degree-granting institution is the mission statement. The heart of the SANS Technology Institute mission is "to help strengthen the world by improving the security of cyberspace".

Cyber violence in its multiple forms at all levels of the Internet is a major problem. One large ISP averages 1,000 DDOS attacks per day. Although arrests and prosecutions for worm writers and malicious employees who harm their current or former employers' IT systems have increased, the threat level has also increased. Organized crime has been rapidly moving into phishing, the fastest growing crime segment. The path we are on does not lead to peace or security in cyberspace.

The Latin word scientia, the root of our word for science, means knowledge, which is the only defense to the growing threat. If we do not know how to harden systems, manage change, design networks and ensure that software is developed securely, we remain vulnerable to Internet predators. Hence, Pax Scienta or Knowledge for Peace. While this motto reflects the goal of the SANS Technology Institute, it is also part of the larger work carried out by the SANS Technology Institute.

The managers of information security groups and the technical leaders who form the larger SANS community work together in the public interest, serving in the role of defenders. The need for managers and leaders increases daily. The mission of the SANS Technology Institute is to transform the exceptional technology students of today into the technical leaders of tomorrow, and to ensure that the number and capability of these leaders create a formidable defense against cyber-crime.

Stephen Northcutt, President, The SANS Technology Institute