On Cybersecurity: Campus and Community Day students were given three 'cyberattack scenarios' , divided into teams, and asked to assess, resolve, and to report solutions or best practices. Cybersecurity experts from the City of Charlotte (IT and Access Charlotte), Per Scholas, and CPCC IT department coached students during their morning of analysis.
Developer
Pegasus was developed by the Israeli cyber-intelligence firm NSO Group
Purpose
NSO Group claims Pegasus is used to fight crime and terrorism, but governments around the world have used it to surveil journalists, lawyers, political dissidents, and human rights activists
How to check for Pegasus
You can use the Mobile Verification Toolkit (MVT) to check for Pegasus spyware. MVT is an open-source mobile forensics tool that requires Linux or macOS to compile the necessary files.
How to remove Pegasus
Restarting your phone may temporarily stop Pegasus from tracking you. You can also remove all unknown devices and connections from your messaging apps, location settings, and cloud access. For a more permanent solution, you can install MVT and run a thorough check.
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hoto by Pixabay:
Cyberstalking: Definition, Signs, Examples, and Prevention
Cyberstalking often falls into four main types: vindictive, composed, intimate, and collective.
CYBER ATTACK SCENARIO #3
According to the Brandefence article “The Psychology Behind Cyberattacks: What Motivates Hackers?” Revenge is “[t]he potent cocktail of personal vendettas and a thirst for revenge can drive individuals to the dark side of hacking. In the wake of perceived wrongs, these hackers use cyberattacks as a means of retaliation, aiming their digital arsenal at individuals, businesses, or organizations associated with their grievances.”
One of the most stealth methods of ‘cyber revenge’ is the cyber prisoner method. These methods invade all contact points from phones to tablets and public places with poor server security. By remaining invisible to everyone else you can inflict abusive strikes by erasing family photos, automobile FOB skimming, sabotaging resumes, deleting job applications and logins. The purpose is to contain relationships, threaten perceptions of professionalism, reduce upward mobility, and overall create psychological terror when there are opportunities.
Chris Ham is a cybersecurity analyst working in the Application Security Governance team at Wells Fargo, assisting in the control of how our organization’s workforce uses its applications, and ensuring compliance requirements are met. Before Governance, Chris had worked with the bank in Cyber Threat Intelligence, Data Loss Prevention, and Application Sunrise.
A veteran of the Army Reserve, Air Force Reserve, and Air Force National Guard, Chris has held Security Clearances as well as certifications from CompTIA and military leadership courses.
I became a cybersecurity guardian as a response to the rising tide of threats we face in the cyberspace; malicious actors hiding in a different kind of shadow, not just attacking the person but also the identity as well. Even if I sound like a broken record sometimes, ill point out vulnerabilities or poor cyber-hygiene practices as I see them, to try and strengthen and harden those around me against these waves of cyber threats.
Irene Nelson received an MBA/MSL from Pfeiffer University, and is a student at Per Scholas, currently studying Information Technology in preparation for the CompTIA A+ certification. My coursework includes troubleshooting and installing hardware and software, understanding networking fundamentals, and implementing cybersecurity measures to mitigate threats.
My journey as a cybersecurity guardian feels like a natural progression from my background in financial crimes, risk management, and compliance. I am passionate about continuing to grow in this field, where I can provide strategic oversight to help organizations operate effectively as they seek to attain their vision.
With a solid background in both education and law enforcement, Faatima Campbell has dedicated over 10 years to serving the public. Early in her career, as an Assistant Field Intelligence Officer and member of the Crime Analysis Unit, she used data-driven insights to make informed decisions and enhance public safety.
Now,Faatima Campbell is pursuing her CompTIA A+ certification through Per Scholas, expanding her expertise in IT support with a focus on systems administration and managing corporate user accounts. She aims to combine her experience in education and law enforcement with her growing technical skills to help safeguard digital environments, contributing to the ever-evolving field of IT security.
Driven by a passion to protect sensitive information, Faatima Campbell is embracing her role as a cybersecurity guardian. With a strong focus on governance and compliance, she is committed to staying ahead of emerging cyber threats and ensuring both security and trust in today’s increasingly connected world.
Jamar Davis serves as the Access Charlotte Coordinator for the City of Charlotte. His role involves managing the Access Charlotte initiative, which aims to increase broadband internet adoption among low-income households and underserved communities. The initiative has successfully connected over 8,600 households to affordable internet. In addition to internet adoption efforts, Jamar has organized workshops and public forums to enhance digital literacy, enabling community members to embrace technology for education, employment, and healthcare purposes. He also provides support to his colleagues in the Smart Charlotte team, contributing to civic innovation and community engagement aligned with the city's Smart City goals.
Jamar is a graduate of North Carolina A&T State University. Prior to his current role, he worked as a self-employed Social Media Coordinator and as a Health Program Supervisor for the Mecklenburg County Health Department. With 12 years of experience in local government, Jamar has developed expertise in Digital Equity and Broadband Expansion, IT Project Management, Strategic Planning, Community Engagement, Public Engagement, Data Governance & Compliance, and Vendor Management.
Earl (EJ) Alexander Jr. is a passionate Security Analyst from Charlotte, North Carolina, who loves all things tech! A proud graduate of North Carolina A&T State University, EJ earned his B.S. in Information Technology in 2020, where he built a solid foundation for his career.
EJ has an impressive skill set highlighted by certifications like GCED, eJPT, AWS Cloud Practitioner, and CCNA. He's not just about the books, though—he’s also made his mark in the field by engaging in STEM research at both CPCC and UNCC. Fun fact: he ranks in the top 1% on the TryHackMe platform, showcasing his knack for tackling cybersecurity challenges.
When he's not delving into the latest tech trends, EJ embraces his inner "Nature Boy," enjoying the great outdoors by camping, canoeing, hiking and other various outdoor activities. With a vibrant mix of expertise and personality, EJ is ready to take on whatever comes next in the world of cybersecurity!
Michael Terrell is the Senior Managing Director for Per Scholas North Carolina, responsible for campus growth, partner relationships, and fundraising across the state. He launched the North Carolina campus in 2020, bringing nearly two decades of experience in community engagement and organizational development. His career spans the military, federal government, and nonprofit sectors, including roles as the Academic Engagement Lead at the National Security Agency and co-founder of ReadySAGo.
A Marine Combat Veteran, Michael holds a Bachelor's from the University of the Incarnate Word and certifications from a number of esteemed leadership programs, and is a Certified Talent Optimization Consultant through Predictive Index.
Why I became a cybersecurity guardian: Having spent the majority of my career in intelligence/cyber work, I can't say how important it is for every citizen to have some level of cyber awareness as the threats against our way of life continue to grow daily. It is imperative for all of us to share cyber knowledge and simple best practices to keep our future secure!
Joseph “Joe” Little was born in Charlotte North Carolina, Joe has a passion for Information Technology and the way IT connects people with people. Though IT is often seen as a means to an end in that it is found in every sector of the economy, more importantly IT is our primary means of staying in touch with each other all across the globe!
Education
Work Experience
Renee Carter is, an accomplished international leader with 20+ years of experience as an educator, is deeply committed to empowering people to foster healthy relationships within any culture. Her diverse roles as a teacher, principal, coach, mentor, facilitator, and professional development specialist, coupled with her solid educational background, have equipped her with a proven track record of serving both children and adults in diverse educational systems.
In addition to her extensive education experience, Renee has collaborated with leaders in professional and personal development. Her experience working as Chief Heart Officer at Heart Work Leadership Group and as Senior Manager of Professional Development for North Carolina at Per Scholas is evidence of Renee's passion for collaborating with people interested in serving from the heart.
When I had my son in 2013, I understood clearly that the internet is an open window into my home. It has been my focus and goal to be intentional about protecting my son, who is my most valuable asset, and to equip other parents and guardians with the strategies and knowledge to protect theirs.
" Diana Reithmiller works as cybersecurity analyst for the City of Charlotte. She holds CISSP,
GSEC, and GCFR certifications. Her current responsibilities on the team consist of incident response, compliance management, and user training and engagement. Diana started her journey at wanting to be a software developer, which developed over time into a passion for networking. While working as a help desk tech, and later as a NOC technician, she witnessed firsthand how a ransomware could affect both business and people. She wanted to develop solutions to the prevention of ransomware, and through that exploration, an obsession with security developed.
Diana is excited to share her experience and passion and hopes to contribute to community discussion and application of cybersecurity to everyday life, so that we all can be just a little bit safer."
Katareena Geller is the Cyber Response Supervisor for the City of Charlotte. She started at the City as an analyst and has performed various tasks including endpoint protection management, compliance, and vulnerability assessment. The incident response process is like one big puzzle with pieces and clues to figure out the answer. She like solving these puzzles, with the added benefit of keeping the various systems running Charlotte Douglas Airport, CLT Water, and CMPD safe. She holds the CISSP, GCIH, and GSEC certifications.
https://try.threatdown.com/2024-state-of-malware-typ-dl/
THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HACKERS
In the November 2023 article “The Psychology of Hackers” written By Rishika Isanaka, Information Security and Communications Assistant
“In the article (‘Hacker types, motivations and strategies: A comprehensive framework’), several theories are mentioned including the “Beeveren model of flow, Bandura’s social learning theory, and Depersonalized Obedience”.
“Beeveren’s model: …[H]ackers are motivated by a strong urge to hack, curiosity, a desire for control and power, and the need for recognition within their hacker community. This desire to hack is caused by “flow”, described as being completely absorbed in an activity.
Bandura's social learning theory: [S]uggests that people can pick up criminal behaviors by associating with criminals in their social groups. However, people usually won't do bad things unless they find a way to convince themselves it's okay. In the cyber world, this can mean justifying their actions by believing they're fighting for a noble cause.
Depersonalized obedience: [This] means that hackers can act without thinking about the consequences because they feel detached from the real world when they're committing cybercrimes. This detachment also happens because they don't see the people they affect in person. For some hackers, they may focus on their cause and ignore the harm they cause others.
ource: Inside Higher Education
"We should be instilling [agency, trust, transparency, and involvement] into the general population because everyone needs to advocate for these things. Until there is significant awareness and societal pressure, these concepts will not be successful at the scale the need to be."
2024 Educause Horizon Report on Cybersecurity and Privacy Edition
"The Third Annual Consumer Cyber Readiness Report reviews consumer attitudes toward digital privacy and security practices. Together, Consumer Reports, Aspen Digital, and Global Cyber Alliance have reviewed findings from Consumer Reports’ recent nationally representative surveys and connected with thought leaders to understand consumers’ behaviors to improve their own digital privacy and security. In addition to our year-over-year findings on cybersecurity behavior, this year we’ve included data based on new survey questions designed to give us insight into consumer scams and their attack vectors."