Brad Judy, Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Colorado (CU), discussed his role and the university’s approach to cybersecurity as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month. With nearly 26 years at CU, Judy has seen the evolution of both technology and threats facing higher education institutions.
Judy explained that much of CU’s cybersecurity work happens on individual campuses, with his main responsibility being to support campus teams and streamline their efforts. “The majority of cybersecurity work at CU is happening on the campuses, so a big part of my job is doing whatever I can to support the campus cybersecurity teams and make their jobs easier. That includes achieving efficiencies on the tools they use and aggregating licenses to lower costs. My team also develops many of the campuses’ training and educational tools,” he said.
He also emphasized keeping university leadership informed about current risks: “I’m also focused on working with university leaders at system administration to ensure they’re informed about current risks and the work we’re doing to mitigate them. And then of course, my team and I oversee the operational cybersecurity for system administration, actively working to protect various systems, including those for HR, finance and other units.”
Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a double-edged sword in this field. Judy noted that while AI brings efficiency improvements for defenders, it also helps cybercriminals craft more sophisticated attacks: “Many people are turning to AI to make their jobs easier and their work more efficient, including cybercriminals. Just as we’re seeing AI being introduced to cybersecurity tools to add efficiencies, we’re also seeing criminals use AI to create phishing messages and write code for cyberattacks. Criminals are using AI for the same reasons so many of us use AI: They’re trying to make their lives easier and spend fewer hours working.”
As staff across CU begin integrating AI into their daily tasks, Judy’s team aims to ensure safe usage practices: “As people at CU start using AI in their jobs, CU’s cybersecurity teams and I are focused on ensuring that they’re using it safely. We strive to fully understand these tools and how they work so we can help people make informed decisions about how to use them appropriately, what types of data they should share and what types of business functions should rely on them.”
Keeping up with evolving threats requires constant vigilance. Judy described how staying updated involves not just technical sources but awareness of global events: “Like any field that moves fast, it’s a challenge to stay on top of things in cybersecurity, and it requires us to be informed about many other issues as well, including the broader news. We’re affected by global politics and shifts in business. You can wake up one morning and some national or global event changes your entire workday.”
Collaboration within higher education is key: “One of the things we ask candidates when they apply for cybersecurity positions at CU is how they stay informed…We have great teams, great people with an immense amount of experience and a lot of new ideas.” He added that communication extends beyond CU: “We also talk to our peers at other institutions around the country and, in some cases, around the world about what they’re seeing or a problem we’re trying to tackle. I love the community we have in higher education and cybersecurity.”
For individuals looking for practical advice on online safety, Judy recommended trusting instincts over convenience: “The biggest thing is to listen to your gut. If something seems off, don’t be afraid to ask about it…It’s better to ask the question than to fall for something. Criminals exploit the fact that people are busy and that they want to be helpful. They’re going after human nature.” He emphasized everyone’s responsibility in protecting information: “Everyone has a role in cybersecurity at CU…But being thoughtful about the information you’re handling and how you handle it is probably the single biggest responsibility we all have.”
Outside work, Judy enjoys creative projects like restoring furniture or building lamps from vintage electronics—activities he says help him disconnect from professional demands.
More information about Cybersecurity Awareness Month activities at CU can be found at www.cu.edu/cam.
