A Bentley student team successfully tackled complex IT security management issues and placed third at the national 2013-2014 Association for Information Systems Student Competition IT Security Track. Team members Brendan Colford ‘14 and Alina Usmanov ‘15 (Information Systems Audit and Control majors) and Mackenzie Segura-Cook ‘15 (Computer Information Systems major) faced tight competition in the finals against teams from Arizona State University, Brigham Young University and Utah State University. The competition was held in Tempe, Ariz., March 20 to 22.

“This achievement demonstrates the quality of our information systems programs and students, and is an excellent example of collaboration among students across boundaries of majors,” says CIS professor Heikki Topi, who served as the team’s advisor and is a faculty co-advisor of Bentley’s AIS student chapter with Alina Chircu, associate professor and chair of information and process management. “This allowed the team to take a broad strategic perspective that brought together security processes, policies, and technologies in a seamless way.”

To reach the finals, the team competed during the virtual qualifying round, held December through February. At the finals, the IT Security Track focused on the management of IT security in a large organization. Competing teams analyzed a case and provided recommendations about how to manage IT security in the organization to ensure that critical functions can be performed and essential compliance requirements addressed. Students acted as an external consulting team to provide advice regarding pressing information systems security and compliance issues. In their competition role, the teams were commissioned by a large U.S. soft drink manufacturer and distributor recently acquired by a European company. The case focused specifically on decisions related to complex regulatory issues that the company was required to address on a tight schedule.

Topi also credits the Bentley team’s performance to field work. “They were able to include in their analysis specific and directly applicable lessons learned during their internships. All this contributed to a highly relevant and insightful competition contribution and an excellent presentation.”