University of Hawaiʻi Maui College Offers Free Cybersecurity Clinics for Small Businesses

The University of Hawaiʻi Maui College is conducting a series of free online cybersecurity clinics aimed at supporting sole proprietors and small business owners in Hawaiʻi. The initiative is designed to address current security challenges and provide practical knowledge for participants.

The second session in the series, titled “Security using GenAI,” is scheduled for February 18, 2026, and will be held via Zoom. This session will cover security and privacy topics related to artificial intelligence and outline approaches for using AI tools to address advanced cyber threats.

Participants in the upcoming session will be introduced to methods for using generative AI to detect patterns and anomalies that may not be identified by traditional systems. The program will also include instruction on prompt engineering, managing data privacy issues, understanding “shadow AI,” and automating threat detection and incident response.

Debasis Bhattacharya, who serves as professor and program coordinator for the Applied Business and Information Technology Program at UH Maui College, will moderate the clinic. Presenters for the session include Jodi Ito, Chief Information Security Officer at the University of Hawaiʻi, and David Stevens, assistant professor at Kapiʻolani Community College.

What the numbers show

• The University of Hawaiʻi Cybersecurity Clinics began in January 2025
• The program offers free online courses to 500 UH students over five years
• The initiative received $1 million in grant funding and support from Google

The cybersecurity clinics are part of a broader initiative supported by Google’s Cybersecurity Clinics Fund and the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. This collaboration has enabled the University of Hawaiʻi to establish its program at UH Maui College and coordinate efforts across multiple campuses.

The first clinic session, “Introduction to Cybersecurity: Cyber Hygiene,” was held on January 21, 2026. That session addressed essential practices such as password management, multi-factor authentication, software updates, data backups, employee training, access controls, and incident response planning.

The University of Hawaiʻi Cybersecurity Clinics initiative is one of 15 new programs launched at higher education institutions nationwide through a partnership between Google and the Consortium of Cybersecurity Clinics. The clinics are provided at no cost to participants as a result of this collaboration.

The third session in the series, “Cybersecurity Risk Management and Vulnerability Assessments for Small Businesses,” is planned for March 18, 2026, and will also be conducted online. This session will continue the focus on practical cybersecurity strategies for small businesses in Hawaiʻi.

* This article is based on publicly available information at the time of writing.