FVCC holds free community lecture series

Flathead Valley Community College’s Continuing Education Center is hosting community lectures this fall in the Arts & Technology Building, room 139, on campus in Kalispell.

Each lecture is free to attend and registration is not required.

On Oct. 5, the lecture is Subconscious Seduction: Russian Cyber Meddling in Eastern Europe. It goes from 6-7:30 p.m. Russia's effort to menace Eastern Europe extends well beyond Ukraine as Putin's regime continues its cyber campaign to influence public opinion (and political leadership) in countries such as Hungary, Serbia and the Baltic States. Winning the hearts and minds of this geostrategic region means securing voters and political party leaders who are sympathetic to Russia and, thus, uncooperative NATO and EU partners. This lecture discusses the nature of the threat and what it means for the U.S. and its allies.

Next in the series is The Rise of China: Unrestricted Warfare and Cyber Aggression on Oct. 19 from 6:30-8 p.m. China’s rise was built substantially on economic empowerment through engagement with the United States. This process has also included aggressive cyber operations against the U.S. homeland. The discussion will be on China’s rise through the lens of China’s “three strategies” (Belt & Road Initiative, Military Modernization, and “Made in China 2025”) and the counter-strategies employed by the U.S. and its allies to deter this threat of a revised world order with Chinese economic and military power at its center.

Then on Oct. 26, the lecture is Cybersecurity for Small Business from 6-8 p.m. Explore small business cybersecurity fundamentals and practical strategies to protect businesses from cyber threats. Topics include risk assessment, employee awareness and training, secure network infrastructure, data protection and backup, incident response planning, vendor and third-party risk management, and regulatory compliance. Learn about the unique challenges small businesses face and leave with actionable insights to implement effective security measures and mitigate potential risks necessary to safeguard your business and customer data.

For more information about FVCC’s Continuing Education fall class offerings, visit fvcc.edu/ContinuingEducation.