Day 9: Strengthening North Carolina’s cyber resilience with Vital Cyber
Cybersecurity remains one of the most critical challenges facing North Carolina’s education, health care, government, and community organizations. This year, MCNC continued to advance its Vital Cyber services through new offerings, new leadership, and expanded community support all designed to help organizations stay protected in an increasingly complex threat landscape.
Elevating Cybersecurity Consulting
A major focus for MCNC this year has been the growth of cybersecurity consulting. As threats evolve, organizations are seeking not just tools, but trusted advisors who can help them develop strategy, strengthen governance, and make informed security decisions.
At MCNC Community Day, a dedicated cybersecurity consulting panel brought this topic to the forefront, highlighting how MCNC’s experts are helping clients navigate risk, build solid security foundations, and prepare for the future. The strong participation and engagement underscored the growing need for this type of strategic support statewide.
Organizational Update: New Leadership and Structure
To support this expanding consulting work, MCNC announced an update to the organizational structure of its cybersecurity team. Beginning in July, Ruthy Stafford stepped into the role of Senior Director of Consulting Services.
As part of this growth, MCNC also welcomed Jesse Bowling, who brings deep experience and a strong track record of supporting customers through complex security challenges. Jesse’s addition further enhances the technical depth and advisory strength of the team, positioning MCNC to deliver even more comprehensive guidance to clients.
This new Consulting Services unit brings together key advisory and engineering teams to create a more integrated, customer-focused experience. By aligning these groups under unified leadership, MCNC will continue strengthening its ability to deliver the strategic, hands-on support clients rely on.
Supporting Schools Through Cybersecurity Bootcamp
MCNC partnered with NCDPI and the Friday Institute at North Carolina State University this year to launch the first-ever Public School Unit Cybersecurity Bootcamp, a major step forward in preparing K-12 IT staff and leaders for modern cyber threats. Participants received hands-on training, learned current best practices, and left better equipped to protect students, staff, and school networks across the state.
Attack Surface Monitoring (ASM)
This year also brought important updates to Attack Surface Monitoring (ASM) — MCNC’s newest fully managed cybersecurity service powered by Palo Alto Networks’ Cortex Xpanse platform.
ASM provides continuous discovery and analysis of an organization’s internet-facing assets, identifying unknown risks and prioritizing remediation. With automated scanning, machine-learning insights, and ongoing support from MCNC’s Security Operations team, ASM helps organizations proactively reduce exposure and strengthen their overall security posture.
Continued Success Across the Vital Cyber Service Portfolio
In addition to ASM, MCNC’s broader managed security services continue to play a vital role in protecting the community. Managed Endpoint Protection,Managed Firewall, and DDoS Protection remain foundational components of North Carolina’s cybersecurity ecosystem, blocking malicious activity, preventing service disruptions, and giving organizations peace of mind that their networks and users are protected around the clock.
These core services demonstrate the strength and reliability of the Vital Cyber portfolio, providing consistent, measurable impact for schools, healthcare providers, governments, and community organizations statewide.
Looking Ahead
Vital Cyber continues to grow as one of MCNC’s most impactful service areas. Through expanded consulting, strengthened leadership, new educational initiatives and powerful managed services, MCNC remains committed to helping North Carolina organizations build a safer and more resilient digital future.
