Office of the National Cyber Director, The White House’s Post

Just came across an interesting piece in the Wall Street Journal about how colleges are helping small businesses with cyber security, and this idea is partially funded by a Google grant. At Eastern Washington University, we have an NSA certified cyber security program, and it would be amazing if we could set up clinics similar to Gonzaga's legal clinics. These clinics could provide small businesses and nonprofits with the skills and technical assistance needed to protect their data. Let's work together to make this a reality! #CyberSecurity #SmallBusiness #DataProtection #HigherEducation Meanwhile, my colleagues at KaizenCX can analyze and your systems assess your cyber security for free!

Registration for the #CyberSecurity #Competition is now open! Sign-up for the Cyber Security competition for #schools and #colleges must be made before 8pm on Thursday 10th of October. The registration form is available upon request. Please message me. What are the competition dates:                      14 – 18 October 2024 Who can enter:                                                        Students (who attend schools or college) aged 14 – 18 years. (Years 10,11,12,13). Teams of 4 mixed ages and genders allowed. Schools / Colleges must be based in the #southwest region (including Glos, Wilts, Dorset, Somerset, Devon, Cornwall, West of England.) or #Wales. Who is the guardian: Someone who works at the school. Doesn't have to be a teacher. They are simply the point of contact. You can have one guardian for multiple teams. Where is it taking place:                                       Online What’s the competition format: The first round of the competition (14 – 18 October) consists of problem-solving questions and brain teasers. Is there a final: Yes! Successful teams will be invited along to their regional university i.e. University of the West of England or Cardiff University / Prifysgol Caerdydd, or University of South Wales (Newport) on Wednesday 12 March 2025. What’s the format for the final                                                        CTF style format. There will be some practice labs. Finalists can use their practice CTF for up to a week before the actual final. How can I practice There are only practice labs for the finalists Who is organising it:                                              University of the West of England (UWE) plus Universities of Cardiff and South Wales (USW)

This is an idea that may not only help smaller businesses without a cybersecurity team or similar resources, but also help train the next generation of cybersecurity pros as they move from college into the workforce. The "clinic" model may be a road map for federal agencies to help strengthen the nation's overall cybersecurity posture by incorporating small businesses and local agencies, such as school districts, into the mix. From the article: "I't isn’t easy to be a David against Goliath hackers. Small organizations—nonprofits, local public services, mom-and-pop businesses—don’t have the cybersecurity resources to put up much of a defense. But thanks to a new initiative, help for such groups is increasingly available—from college students. Similar to clinics in which law and medical students perform pro bono services, university-based clinics around the country staffed by students now give cybersecurity assessments, training and other help to groups with little in the way of such resources.'" #cybersecurity #cybersecurityawareness #cybersecurityprofessionals #smallbusiness #smallbusinessowners #nonprofit #nonprofitorganization #veteranowned #veteranownedbusiness

Over my career in the private sector (started in '97), there are some intractable lessons that I learned early, and valued/took advantage of again and again over the years. A few are: 1. Never rely solely on commercial tools. 2. DFIR skillsets are shallow/devalued in other sectors within "cyber".

This is an excellent opportunity for college students and small businesses alike! With a shortage of cybersecurity talent, small businesses can now have access to cybersecurity services at an affordable cost. And for college students, this is a chance to learn in real-world situations. Check out the full article from WSJ to learn more about this win-win situation. #cybersecurity #smallbusiness #collegestudents #leveltheplayingfield

Are there any Diversity Cyber Council scholars out there that can relate to feeling like Kendell on Week 1? How was your experience leading to graduation and becoming a certified technology professional? Share your story in the comments

I don't get this at all. There is a whole industry of IT providers that are (mostly) focused on small businesses called MSPs. There is already a big blind spot with insurance ignoring MSPs and trying to "solve" and now this. I was just talking to a buddy yesterday who will cover cybersecurity only for an SMB for as little as $500/mo., so the solutions are out there, let's stop trying to reinvent the wheel please. I appreciate the intent (and am a big fan of getting students involved in the real world, I do a lot with Austin Community College) but this is cutting out the key cybersecurity link for the majority of SMBs. If it is a budget problem, then use the grant to get local MSPs involved with the process too. https://lnkd.in/d38v2b75

Over the weekend, the Hack Pack at The University of Georgia participated in the CSAW (Cyber Security Awareness Week) Competition hosted by New York University where we placed 173/1600 (top 11%). The competition was challenging, partially because of the difficulty of the course material and partially because there were issues with leaks and multiple problems breaking down. Yet despite the challenges, I applaud the CSAW team for maintaining the integrity of the competition throughout the CTF. I recommend CSAW to intermediate hackers that can form a team. It is a great introduction to CTFs that do not give you many hints at the start. Unlike NCL and Pico, there is no room to breath with easy challenges. You have to put down your feet down and grit through the problems with what you know. You don't have to be in college to participate, with the competition also having a high school and professional department. Check out my write-up for the 'Trapdoor' Problem: https://lnkd.in/gn3YfEVe 💻 🕵♂️ #CSAW #CTF #EthicalHacking

A drop in the ocean of the 'cybersecurity skills gap', I feel. We need more apprenticeships, more true junior roles with no prior experience needed, more help and engagement from the established cybersecurity community. #pleasehelp #doingtherightthing #doitnow #cyberfirst National Cyber Security Centre