/news-archive/tag/cybersecurity-awareness-month/ 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:53:10 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.4 /news-archive/2021/10/29/zachary-long/ Fri, 29 Oct 2021 12:53:10 +0000 /news/?p=80139 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Zachary Long]]> What made you decide to pursue cybersecurity? I had a fascination with computers growing up and computer security is something that was always fun and interesting to learn about, from finding hidden information with forensics to learning about how hacking works and how to stop it. Why do you think cybersecurity is more important now than ever before? In the past decade we’ve seen technologies like smart home appliances and even vehicles being connected with and using more personal data. Data like the smart home locks on a home, the cameras used for babysitting, or just monitoring the door can and have been hijacked due to unsecure practices. Being aware of all this data and trying to become more secure is necessary with just how much interconnected technology we use on a daily basis. What do you plan to do after graduation? I am hoping to continue my cybersecurity work in a government organization, ideally the FBI or NSA. What opportunities have you gotten through 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise? I’ve actually gotten the opportunity to meet multiple people from both of these groups. Additionally, between the Cybersecurity Club on campus, the various security classes, and now the program here at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, I had many opportunities to learn new skills and practice them in the Cyber Arena and at competitions with the Cybersecurity Club. What advice would you give the average person on how to keep their information secure? Just be aware of the information you put out. That may be what you post on your social media or it may be giving out account information to a less than reputable company.    ]]> /news-archive/2021/10/28/cameron-johnson/ Thu, 28 Oct 2021 13:03:21 +0000 /news/?p=80142 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Cameron Johnson]]> Tell us a little bit about yourself. I love to go fishing and ride ATVs when I鈥檓 not studying. I was born on February 19, 1996, to Elvis and Tamela Johnson in Pine Bluff, Arkansas. My father, a United States Marine veteran, passed away in January of 2001 from a rare disease caused by a mutation in a bone marrow stem cell referred to as Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria (PNH). I was only four years old at the time. What made you decide to pursue cybersecurity?听 I decided to pursue cybersecurity because of my interest in the field and the high demand in the cybersecurity profession. It also lets you use your entire skillset. Why do you think cybersecurity is more important now than ever before?听 I think cybersecurity is important because it protects all categories of data from theft and damage. I also think the next big attack against the United States will involve a cyber attack. What do you plan to do after graduation?听 I would like to gain employment with a federal law enforcement agency like the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration or Federal Bureau of Investigation and work in the cyber crimes unit. What opportunities have you gotten through 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise?听 I have received the opportunity to pursue a degree in cybersecurity and actually be in a position to understand the inner workings of it. What advice would you give the average person on how to keep their information secure? I would advise people to utilize hardware security keys and complex passwords. I would further advise them to check their bank and credit protection policies, along with urging them not to share their passwords or leave them laying around for a stranger to access.    ]]> /news-archive/2021/10/27/cybersecurity-student-profile-lt-col-rick-galeano/ Wed, 27 Oct 2021 13:14:36 +0000 /news/?p=80245 ... Cybersecurity Student Profile: Lt. Col. Rick Galeano]]> Lt. Col. Rick Galeano is pursuing a Ph.D. in Computer and Information Science at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. He is the deputy director of information warfare at Special Operations Command Africa for the U.S. Army and is currently assigned overseas. As a research fellow with Dr. Nitin Agarwal鈥檚 (COSMOS), he studies social and human factors of cybersecurity by researching the topic from a cyber warfare angle. What kind of work do you do in your career with the U.S. Army? All of us work in a complex environment. New technology and the rapid dissemination of information has allowed us to work in this ecosystem of the new digital information environment. I happen to be one of a select few information operations officers that have the opportunity to work at the tip of the spear in this career field for the U.S. Army. My job supports Commander decisions to integrate different IRCs (information-related capabilities) into the information environment. How did you join 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock as a doctoral student in the information science program? In 2011, I was a student at Naval Postgraduate School pursuing a M.S. in Information Science. My interest was sparked in information science after taking several graduate courses in game theory, which eventually evolved into learning about social network analysis. This was a stepping stone to study how networks are formed and what propagates diffusion amongst actors in a network. Subsequently, after graduation, and a few publications later; an opportunity was presented which allowed me to apply and be accepted as a Ph.D. student in 2017 at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. You have devoted countless hours in the lab identifying the tactics, techniques, and procedures that are often the result of hostile acts against users. Can you tell us more about the research you do at COSMOS? I joined COSMOS and have been working in the realm of cybersecurity and identifying different features and aspects of it for several years. YouTube, for example, is one of many platforms that our fellow researchers continue to explore. In this platform, we have identified good and bad information actors that have access and reach throughout networks. For example a commenter may want to amplify or distort the narrative, create a toxic/trolling environment for other viewers, or exploit YouTube鈥檚 recommendation algorithms by flashflooding/flashmobbing the comment space 鈥� a behavior that misleads YouTube鈥檚 algorithms into believing that the video is going viral resulting in rank elevation. Sometimes, it is difficult to identify who or what is the source of message manipulation, but the large team of scientists that make up COSMOS helps accelerate identification. One of my own favorite pieces of research was, Weak Ties to the Narrative Rescue: Starbucks Arrest Controversy Case Study. That research provided the rationale as to how weak ties promulgated messaging through natural occurrences resulting in Starbucks quickly regaining a positive external communication narrative. This was in response to the April 2018 Starbucks incident where the coffee chain appeared to be biased against African Americans in Philadelphia. The data and the messaging that was in this data set is an excellent base study that will tweak one鈥檚 interest into this field. Botnet Evolution During Modern Day Large-Scale Combat Operations, is another one my favorite publications. This research identified social bots that have been introduced to the constantly evolving information environment. Their sole purpose was to shape and influence perceptions and cognitively trigger behavioral change on an exponentially massive scale worldwide. The goal of malicious influencers was to influence the information environment by amplifying social media followership in the form of 鈥渟ocial bots鈥濃�攕cripted codes that mimic human users and serve as super-spreaders of information. These social bots were used to promote particular points of view, fabricate perception of popularity or popular viewpoint, muddle the discourse and narrative space, and/or served as a means to bolster these points of view by promoting blogs or other digital content. Effects can ranged across the physical, cognitive, and informational dimensions to ultimately trigger specific behaviors in individuals and groups that impacted the operational environment in a way that is beneficial to those who operate the bots. You are coming up on your last year of coursework before you begin your dissertation. What will your dissertation focus on? It will fall within the social network analysis lane. I will look at what is happening within information actors, how messages or organizations are manipulating the information environment. That doesn’t necessarily mean that it鈥檚 all about human behavior. It鈥檚 also botnet behavior that is manipulated by humans that are trying to change the behaviors of the end users, whether that is influencing us to vote a certain way, or buy a different product like laundry detergent, or to go to a certain location. There is a continued need for academia to conduct exploratory analysis across the information environment, thus enabling cybersecurity specialists to develop and update both hardware and software to counter malicious behavior, all the while stressing that education and informing users of how to operate safely is key to prevention of data leaks, password spillages, or unprovoked attacks in this vast domain. You mentioned that one of the ways hackers or bots could use your personal information is to influence you to buy a product, like a different type of laundry detergent. Most people won鈥檛 be worried about laundry detergent. What kind of damage can cybersecurity attacks really cause? In this day and age, the digital information environment continues to rapidly evolve, oftentimes with actors pushing misinformation with the intent of conducting behavior change targeting individuals to large corporations. One recent example is the 2021 ransomware attack against the Colonial Pipeline which disrupted the gasoline supply chain across the eastern seaboard of the United States. Investigators identified a compromised Virtual Private Network (VPN) password as the critical vulnerability in this attack. Ransomware attacks are perpetuated by malware that locks computer data behind a wall with the perpetrators demanding a ransom to unlock the systems. Another example in 2021 was a cyberattack that disrupted COVID-19 vaccine scheduling web site in Central Italy. This attack caused mayhem for a region that had already been hit extremely hard by the pandemic. Despite the attack, the Italian government pushed forward with vaccinations but with a temporary inefficiency as well as disruptions to those trying to get vaccinated. Lastly, imagine a lack of electricity at a hospital or a power disruption to a city’s traffic lights. The bad news is that has happened with Supervisory control and data acquisition (SCADA) attacks. Off the top of my head, one attack of this nature was a 2015 attack at a Ukrainian nuclear power facility which affected hundreds of thousands of end users who lost power to include hospitals and traffic lights. A series of phishing emails allowed for penetration into their network which allowed for this event to occur. Why do you think Cybersecurity Awareness Month is important? These are some of the many reasons that Cybersecurity Awareness Month brings to the forefront. We are in our 18th year of Cybersecurity Awareness Month.听 That is important because we see this reflected across the U.S. as consumers become more connected to rapid information flow that the internet provides to us. From a quick credit card transaction at Walmart to a post that you add to your Instagram account, we need to synthesize how information is processed and what vulnerabilities are out there. Smart technology exists all around us. Alexa listens to what we say and security cameras monitor what we do. Our homes and workplaces are filled with more Internet of Things (IoT) each day which opens up routes for cybercriminals to penetrate The Internet of Things What advice would you give people to keep themselves safe from cybersecurity attacks? 鈥淚f you are going to connect it, protect it.鈥� It is imperative that you, as the user, ensure that software updates are made to your digital devices when they are published. This is a pretty easy task to accomplish. Users must continually remain vigilant of what is lurking in the digital domain, software such as anti-virus (and ensuring it is up to date) is one way to mitigate risk. Additionally, the use of VPNs provide an additional layer of protection, especially when using public Wi-Fi. Although neither are a failsafe, they do increase security making it more difficult for malicious attacks to occur. Keep your passwords secure! Don’t get fooled by phishing attacks! With privacy settings, turn off your geolocation setting on your devices. There are a lot of in-app advertisements that are geared toward geolocation services. Geotargeted advertising uses location data to reach consumers based on what their phone or other device identifies as where you are at. You can opt in or opt out of these types of services in your locations services on your mobile device. My last piece of advice is to think before you click. There is no delete button on the internet! Once you post something to YouTube or send an email, it鈥檚 already out there. And the reverse of that is true when you receive an email, use common sense, if the email looks suspicious or out of the ordinary, do not go clicking around on hyperlinks that are embedded in it!]]> /news-archive/2021/10/26/bryce-ebsen/ Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:11:13 +0000 /news/?p=80149 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Bryce Ebsen]]> Tell us a little bit about yourself. I am a sophomore majoring in cybersecurity. I am from Little Rock, Arkansas, and am 19 years old. I like to play video games and practice my cybersecurity skills, but I also enjoy archery, taekwondo, and bladesmithing. What made you decide to pursue cybersecurity?听 I have always enjoyed coding and computer science. I even competed in several robotics competitions in middle school and high school as one of the programmers on the team. Although I enjoyed that, I thought cybersecurity would be more fun than programming, and so far I am not disappointed in my choice. Why do you think cybersecurity is more important now than ever before?听 I think cybersecurity is more important now than ever before simply because of how widespread the internet is. Nowadays, just about everything can be connected to the internet. I have even seen refrigerators that connect to the internet, and all of these need to be protected or an attacker could take advantage of them. What opportunities have you gotten through 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock that you might not have had otherwise?听 The biggest opportunity I have gotten through 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock would be getting to be a part of the Cybersecurity Club. This club competes in many different cybersecurity competitions and is a great way to learn more about cybersecurity. It also brings in guest speakers every once in a while. For example, a month or so ago, we had someone from a bank come and speak, and he discussed what kinds of cybersecurity operations and job openings his company had. What advice would you give the average person on how to keep their information secure? The advice I would give the average person would be to use strong passwords for your account information and don’t reuse passwords.    ]]> /news-archive/2021/10/15/cybersecurity-panel-discussion-oct-21/ Fri, 15 Oct 2021 13:17:46 +0000 /news/?p=80157 ... 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock to Host Cybersecurity Panel Discussion Oct. 21]]> The panel will be held from 2-3 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21, in Dickinson Hall Auditorium. Cybersecurity Awareness Month is a collaboration between the Department of Homeland Security and National Cyber Security Alliance. It was created to ensure individuals stay safe and secure online. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock鈥檚 cybersecurity panel will focus on the 2021 theme, 鈥淒o Your Part #BeCyberSmart.鈥� The panelists will give a timely and informative discussion on how people can improve online security and share recent cybersecurity events that have occurred at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. The panelists include Dr. Philip Huff, assistant professor of computer science, Dr. Nitin Agarwal, Jerry L. Maulden-Entergy endowed chair and distinguished professor of information science and director of the Collaboratorium for Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS), Dr. Thomas Bunton, chief information officer at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and Dr. Veysel Erdag, chief information security office at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock. Dr. Erin Finzer, associate vice chancellor for academic affairs, will serve as moderate.]]> /news-archive/2020/10/28/small-business-cybersecurity/ Wed, 28 Oct 2020 17:07:59 +0000 /news/?p=77787 ... ASBTDC, 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Cyber Gym partner to offer free cybersecurity resources for small businesses]]> “With the rise in online activity during the pandemic, cybersecurity safeguards are more important than ever. Larger companies can depend on their IT departments, but most small businesses don’t have that luxury, yet they still need to ensure their e-commerce transactions, customer data, and telework practices are secure, said Laura Fine, ASBTDC state director. 鈥淪mall businesses are used to minimizing risks by protecting their assets with physical security and insurance policies, but they also need to take precautions to minimize their risks and vulnerabilities in the cyberworld.鈥� The Cyber Gym, an education and simulation model laboratory for cybersecurity learning, will provide an online self-assessment tool for small businesses that will help assess their risk for cyber attacks and provide actionable steps the business owners can take to protect themselves. Additionally, the Cyber Gym is creating a cybersecurity awareness training series. The online training modules are based on the Department of Defense鈥檚 Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification framework. 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock students are developing these resources under the direction of Sandra Leiterman, managing director of the Cyber Gym, and Phillip Huff, assistant professor of computer science. 鈥淲e are creating tools and training modules that will help small businesses be aware of cybersecurity threats on their websites and cybersecurity attacks that could impact their businesses,鈥� Leiterman said. 鈥淎 lot of small businesses are moving more services virtually during the pandemic. We want to help secure their business practices in an online environment, so we are focusing on cybersecurity threats that are pertinent to small businesses and how they could be prevented.鈥� The modules will cover topics that include controlling access to computer resources, password management, how to sanitize media before disposal, physical access, how to protect network boundaries, and vulnerabilities. Each module will contain at least one custom 鈥渃yber workout鈥� from the Cyber Gym. The hands-on workouts will assess and reinforce the skills and information presented in the training modules and allow participants to apply what they learn. 鈥淥ur goal is to increase cybersecurity awareness among Arkansas small business owners and entrepreneurs. The tools and training that the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock CyberGym students and staff are developing for us will help us educate small businesses in a creative, effective way. We are delighted to be able to work with a campus partner on this project,鈥� said Fine. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. According to the Federal Communications Commission, theft of digital information has become the most commonly reported fraud. During the coronavirus pandemic, many small businesses have moved their operations online, so they could be vulnerable to digital thieves or hackers. As an additional way to help small businesses, ASBTDC will also offer a series of live webinars on small business cybersecurity that will begin in 2021. The webinars will be led by Christopher Wright, co-founder of Sullivan Wright Technologies, a security-first IT service provider based in Little Rock. His background in cybersecurity includes securing systems vital to Air Force Space Command, Medicare and Medicaid, Homeland Security, and other government agencies. Wright continued his cybersecurity work with FIS, before going into business for himself. In the upper right photo, visitors tour the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Cyber Gym, which opened in December 2019. Photo by Ben Krain.]]> /news-archive/2020/10/26/profiles-cybersecurity-sam-willis/ Mon, 26 Oct 2020 12:50:02 +0000 /news/?p=77730 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Sam Willis]]> Please tell us about yourself. I am originally from Chicago, Illinois, but have lived in Arkansas since I was 8. I鈥檝e always been interested in technology, particularly computers, so I quickly became my family鈥檚 鈥渢ech support.鈥� That, combined with my fascination with anything resembling a puzzle, ultimately led me to computer science. I received my B.S. in computer science from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in December 2019, and have been in graduate school ever since. Between my roommate and I, we have two dogs, a cat, and a ball python. When I鈥檓 not working on schoolwork or the Cyber Gym, I鈥檓 usually either playing video games or reading.听 What do you plan to do after you graduate?听 I do not have any specific plans as of right now, but I would like to continue work in either cybersecurity or artificial intelligence. What is your experience with the cybersecurity field? Working on the Cyber Gym here at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock was really my first step into the cybersecurity field, at least in a professional sense. Before, I had only taken a single course in cybersecurity, with a bit of independent research on the side. However, I have learned a lot in my time here and look forward to learning even more!听 What made you want to get involved with cybersecurity? My interest in cybersecurity started after hearing about some of the big data breaches in the news when I was younger. Those showed me just how powerful information can be, and how important it is to make sure it is protected. This interest has only grown as I have continued to learn more about the field. How important do you think cybersecurity is and why? Why is now a good time to work in cybersecurity? Cybersecurity is absolutely essential, now more than ever. As our lives become increasingly digital, the value of data also increases. Naturally, there are many who will try to steal this information by any means. While this is unfortunate, it does create an ever-expanding market for cybersecurity professionals who can help prevent these attacks. As attacks get more and more complex, our defenses must evolve as well.听 October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What are a few pieces of advice the average person can do to protect themselves from cyber attacks? Carefully examine any unfamiliar links before you click them. Many attacks involve sending victims to websites that mimic other popular websites in an attempt to steal their information. For example, a link to 鈥渇aceboook.com鈥� may take you to a login page resembling that of Facebook, but it has nothing to do with the actual Facebook site.听 Make sure you trust the source of a file before you download anything. You never truly know a file’s contents before it is on your computer, and by then it may be too late.听 Try to avoid using the same password for multiple websites; if one service suffers a data breach, your information across all of those platforms will be vulnerable. Most modern web browsers have built-in password management that generate random passwords and input them automatically. ]]> /news-archive/2020/10/22/profiles-cybersecurity-becky-passmore/ Thu, 22 Oct 2020 13:32:33 +0000 /news/?p=77738 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Becky Passmore]]> Please tell us about yourself. I have been married to my husband for 19 years. We have two dogs, Casper and Buffy. We recently built our dream home in Cabot, Arkansas, where we plan to retire and enjoy. I have worked in the federal government for over 23 years. I attended 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock in the 90s where I started working on my Bachelor of Science in Information Technology degree. I finished at University of Phoenix online while working full-time. In 2017, I completed my Master of Science degree in Digital Forensics and Cyber Investigations. What is your experience with the cybersecurity field? Over the past 16 years, I鈥檝e worked on several cases involving digital forensics and cybersecurity with the federal government. I have developed, instructed, and created content for digital forensics and cybersecurity courses for the federal government and universities I teach with. What made you want to get involved with cybersecurity? When I applied to work with the federal government, the recruiter encouraged me to study information technology. He stated, 鈥渃riminals are using computers to commit crimes and that will be the future.鈥� I took his advice and have been assigned to the Computer Analysis Response Team since 2004. How important do you think cybersecurity is and why? Why is now a good time to work in cybersecurity? Most everyone carries a mobile device; this is nothing short of a small computer in your hands on a daily basis. These devices connect to other devices, networks, and know your location and habits regularly. If not careful, all your information is vulnerable and should be protected in the same manner you protect your home and family. Educating individuals on the importance of cybersecurity is key in today鈥檚 society. Computers, networks, mobile devices, Internet of Things, and transportation are going to continue to evolve which includes vulnerabilities and malicious activity, therefore now is the time to learn as much as possible about cybersecurity and secure a job in the field. October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What are a few pieces of advice the average person can do to protect themselves from cyber-attacks? We are one 鈥渃lick鈥� away from being attacked or everything being taken away! Don鈥檛 click on links sent through text messages or email that you are unaware of. There are individuals trying to obtain your information and will send realistic emails and text messages for you to click on. Be aware of the websites you visit. Keep your passwords safe and strong. Don鈥檛 connect to unsecure networks. To stay connected, stay protected.]]> /news-archive/2020/10/19/cybersecurity-sandra-leiterman/ Mon, 19 Oct 2020 12:54:28 +0000 /news/?p=77740 ... Profiles In Cybersecurity: Sandra Leiterman]]> Please tell us about yourself. I am originally from Wisconsin, but I moved to Little Rock in 2006. I attended 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock and received my B.S. in Middle School Education (Math-Science) in 2010. I have a graduate certificate in Gifted and Talented Education also from 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, and my master鈥檚 is in Digital Teaching and Online Learning from Kansas State (2015). I am currently working on my PhD in Urban Education with a specialization in Math Education. I have been married for 24 years. I have one son who will graduate in May from Oklahoma State University, and I have a dog named Humphrey. When I am not working or working on schoolwork, you can find me at CycleBar, or on a run with my dog at one of the bridge parks (Two Rivers, Big Dam Bridge etc). I also find sewing very therapeutic and mind-calming. What is your experience with the cybersecurity field? My experience with cybersecurity actually started as a middle school teacher. My classes had a significant online portion. I realized that when you are asking middle school students to get online and collaborate with other students, there has to be some rules. In addition to online learning etiquette, I realized that most of the students had no idea about basic online safety and etiquette. Using Common Sense media, I had each and every student go through the Digital Citizenship course and earn their certification before they were allowed to interact online. At 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, I became involved with cybersecurity with the Cyber Gym. My first role was to recruit teachers for a professional development course in learning the Cyber Gym Workouts. I was able to participate in some of the activities throughout the year, and my involvement with the Cyber Gym went from a one-time coordinator to a full-time managing director. What made you want to get involved with cybersecurity? The more I worked with students in a digital environment, the more I realized most people have no clue about basic internet safety, let alone more complex topics. The range of topics in cybersecurity is very broad. As I learned more about the topics covered in the Cyber Gym, I became more aware of my own ignorance in cybersecurity and internet safety. As an educator, I feel it is important to educate as many people as possible. We live in a digital world, more now than ever before with COVID, and people need to know the dangers and also how to protect themselves and their businesses. How important do you think cybersecurity is and why? Cybersecurity is very important to everyone! Attacks on computers can happen to anyone at anytime. It is estimated that a computer is hacked every 39 seconds in the United States. Individuals are just as vulnerable as businesses, especially if they are unaware of the dangers, and how hackers are able to get in and retrieve personal/sensitive information (think Identity Theft). It is important to learn the types of attacks that happen, and how to protect yourself and/or your business. What exciting things are happening at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock related to cybersecurity?

• Cybersecurity Awareness event – Tuesday, Oct. 27 6-8 pm
• New cybersecurity degree program, officially start Fall 2021
• Cybersecurity Summer Camps are being planned now
• Partnership with ADE and Virtual Arkansas – Cyber Gym workouts being used with over 400 high school students across Arkansas
• Partnership with Arkansas Small Business Technology Development Center to develop an online training in cybersecurity for Arkansas small businesses

October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What are a few pieces of advice the average person can do to protect themselves from cyber-attacks? Use an antivirus program (this helps to keep you on safe websites) Keep all your software up to date (while it may be annoying to constantly update a cell phone or computer OS, most of the time the updates are because of a new security breach, and the updates are usually patches to help stop the attack) Use Strong passwords – characters, numbers, etc. Don鈥檛 use the same password on every site, don鈥檛 share your passwords, and don鈥檛 save them to your device. Learn and know what Phishing is! This is how hackers get your information, via email, phone call, text message. Be suspicious of emails sent from anyone asking you to click a link and update account information. This is not a practice for anyone but scammers. Similarly, with phone calls, companies will not call and ask you for an account number or anything similar. Hang up, and call your bank or credit card company directly. 90 percent of the time, they did not actually call/email you!]]> /news-archive/2020/10/16/profiles-cybersecurity-andrew-bomberger/ Fri, 16 Oct 2020 15:42:11 +0000 /news/?p=77732 ... Profiles in Cybersecurity: Andrew Bomberger]]> Please tell us about yourself.听 I am originally from a small town in Pennsylvania and moved to Hot Springs in late 2009 to be closer to family and friends. While I do enjoy playing volleyball, my favorite pastime outside of computers is traditional archery. Being outside where it鈥檚 just you, your bow, and the target can be very calming and is a great way for me to relax my mind. What do you plan to do after you graduate?听 My goal is to get a job as a cybersecurity professional either here in Arkansas or in the Louisville, Kentucky, area. What is your experience with the cybersecurity field?听 Being at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock really opened doors to me that I didn鈥檛 think were possible. I鈥檝e been privileged and grateful to be a part of the 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock Cyber Gym and the work that they are doing to teach cybersecurity to high schools across the state.听 I鈥檓 also currently involved in the Cybersecurity Club at 糖心Vlog传媒 Little Rock, where not only do we discuss and learn about current issues and techniques, but also participate in cybersecurity themed competitions such as CCDC, JOLT, NCL, and my personal favorite, Defcon鈥檚 OpenSOC CTF. What made you want to get involved with cybersecurity?听 I never knew that cybersecurity was the field that I wanted to work in until I saw a presentation about cell phone hacking around five years ago. That demonstration really opened my eyes to all that was possible and made me want to help protect others from making the same mistakes. Now the more involved I get in cybersecurity, the more interesting it gets. It鈥檚 exciting to think about where we could be in the next few years. How important do you think cybersecurity is and why? Why is now a good time to work in cybersecurity?听 As long as the internet exists, there will always be a need for cybersecurity. Especially now so that almost every piece of data about a person exists on the internet. From medical bills and tax information to social media profiles. The need to secure these vectors is immense.听 October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. What are a few pieces of advice the average person can do to protect themselves from cyber attacks?听 If something seems suspicious, it probably is. Avoid it. To go even further, a good practice to follow is 鈥渃onfirmation.鈥� If you receive a suspicious message telling you to do something, try contacting the person or company directly to verify that the message is legitimate before acting upon any contents in the message.]]>