Jyväskylä launches multidisciplinary training to tackle cyber threats
Wednesday 11th November 2026 on 20:01 in
Finland
The University of Jyväskylä has started a security technology training programme to help identify weaknesses in connected systems before they can be exploited, Yle reports.
The programme brings together natural sciences, psychology and social sciences. Its launch comes as cyber threats grow and connected devices become more common.
Check Point has estimated that attacks targeting Finnish organisations rose by slightly more than a third in the first half of this year. Traficom’s September cyber weather report warned that serious vulnerabilities on the internet are increasingly being exploited quickly by criminal or state actors.
Last week, freezer goods melted in Europe after cyberattacks affected remote monitoring of supermarket freezer cabinets. Assessments suggested that the systems could be used to cause damage through a network connection.
Professor Tuomas Grahn, who leads the programme, said a narrow knowledge of technology was no longer enough to ensure security. The aim is to train specialists who can assess systems as a whole and identify vulnerabilities before an incident occurs.
Students will work with companies from the early stages of their studies. Grahn said businesses could benefit from skilled workers and research carried out through student projects.
One potential partner is Wesecure, a Jyväskylä company that works on digital and physical security for buildings and the protection and management of connected systems. Its owner, Teemu Ollilainen, said building systems such as heating, ventilation and water distribution had been automated and connected to networks, but their cybersecurity and ongoing monitoring were not always given enough attention.
Ollilainen said the programme’s interdisciplinary approach was particularly valuable, including its consideration of the people and practices involved in using technology. He said organisations also needed to plan in advance how they would respond to an incident and who would be responsible.