CAE Community of Practice
Cyber Defense

The National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) Community of Practice in Cyber Defense (CoP-CD) is committed to upholding the highest standards of professional and academic integrity among its CAE-CD academic institutions.

The current CAE Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, updated in early 2026, includes comprehensive guidelines on the ethical use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). The current version below provides a standardized framework for CAE students, focusing on the responsible application of AI tools and proper attribution in academic and professional work.

• Download the Current Code (Revised 2026): HERE

• Download the Previous Version (Sep 2023): HERE

During the 2024 and 2025 CAE Symposiums, the committee presented strategies for integrating the code into cybersecurity courses and programs. The committee continues to promote these standards and invites feedback from CAE institutions on how they are implementing the framework.

We encourage you to reach out to the committee co-chairs to share success stories or insights regarding the integration of the Code of Ethics into your curriculum or program.

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Additional information about implementations of the Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct in various CAEs around the nation will be shared during upcoming CoP-CD and CAE Community events.  ​

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Announcing the new Ethics Requirement for CAE-CD - Program of Study Validation

"Provide three (3) pieces of evidence of PoS student engagement in ethical education (see examples in Appendix 4 - e.g., an ethics course, module, assignment, independent study, introduction and attestation to the NCAE-C Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, Montreat Professionalism and Ethics Toolkit, competitions to enhance baseline knowledge in ethics) (in a PDF file)." (2025 CAE-CD Requirements Document, p. 14, Section 2d4)

Suggestions to PoS Validation Applicants:
Three of the following satisfies the 2d4 requirement:

- Having students Acknowledge the Community Ethics Statement
- A course with a significant Ethics component
- Montreat Professionalism Ethics ToolKit
- Have students make ethics posters
- Put Ethics posters in bathroom stalls
- Guest speaker on ethics
- Speaker or assignment that addresses how ethics can impact your ability to get your ability to get a security clearance
- Ethics competition

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What Does Not Satisfy the 2d4 Requirement:

- Three of the same Assignment given at different times
 

Repository of Cyber Ethics News:

- Montreat Professionalism Ethics ToolKit
- NCCDC Rules and Requirements
- NCAE Cyber Games Rules
- National Cyber League (NCL) - Rules of Conduct
- Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) - Ethics Insights Video
- ASEE has a new division on Cybersecurity (Call for Papers (CFPs) is out and abstract are due Oct 15, 2026)  and might be a good place get the word out and show good examples. ASEE Cybersecurity CFP. The categories for submissions include: Ethics, law, and policy in cybersecurity education.

- How an AI math breakthrough ignited a controversy