Cyber Mountain branding aims to showcase Colorado Springs as leader in space cybersecurity

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) — A new city-wide branding initiative called Cyber Mountain hopes to prove that Colorado Springs is the nation’s home to cybersecurity businesses actively protecting U.S. space operations.

“It’s focused on protecting our space enterprise,” said Vincent Persichetti, cybersecurity programs director for the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC. “It’s meant to position this region as the epicenter as cybersecurity for space operations in the United States.”

Persichetti says the branding is related to city leaders’ goal of keeping U.S. Space Command in Colorado Springs.

“Certainly U.S. Space Command is a piece of this and is already supported by this infrastructure that already exists in Colorado Springs,” he said.

Erin Miller is the executive director for the Space Information Sharing and Analysis Center or Space ISAC. Headquartered in Colorado Springs, Miller says it’s the only information-sharing center of its kind.

“There are flying computers out there called satellites and we’re all connected to them through our devices,” said Miller. “What we’re doing in the Space ISAC is just acknowledging that space systems are critical infrastructure and that our livelihood does depend on them as well.”

The chamber says Colorado Springs, or Cyber Mountain, is home to more than 125 companies in the cybersecurity industry. Many are focused on the cybersecurity of the space industry.

Also, five accredited colleges and universities offer National Security Agency and Department of Homeland Security certified cybersecurity programs. Local school districts are offering cybersecurity education for high school students, and the United States Air Force Academy is educating and training cadets for the U.S. Space Force.