As you read this blog, I hope you are having a great day. I know many of us are consumed. At the very least, attempt to find some joy within your busy week, get outside, and remember to come up for air! 

Events can take up a lot of time, but they are important to help us stay in-the-know on what is developing in the cybersecurity industry. They also provide us with insights and learnings from professionals in our field who are tapping into what is working, and what is not. We learn about new technology and discover new trainings, programs, and resources. 

I feel attending events is SO important, I created #ThisWeekinCybersecurity to help others keep track of the exciting, engaging, and FREE virtual industry events. (Yes, I missed it this week... hence this blog). Why the focus on virtual?

1. Virtual makes events available to attend regardless of your location

2. Most virtual events can be consumed at any time, making them convenient for your schedule. 

Now, time for some upcoming #cybersecurity events:

I happen to work for this company, but that doesn't impact my decision to share! USCG is an amazing program I am happy to be a part of. PlayCyber by Katzcy is excited to present the US Cyber Games Season III Open Kick-Off Event on June 1, 2023 via live stream. Register here to be sure to save your space and check your emails for the details prior to the event. Help to Spread the Word on socials with your network: https://www.uscybergames.com/spread-the-word 

Another event I am ecstatic about is the SimplyCyberCon, coming November 8, 2023! It will be an extraordinary event, filled with tons of valuable information and knowledge sharing from the #SimplyCyber community. #SimplyCyberCon is in its inaugural year and we hope to "see" you there, virtually! With a new speaker track and another for seasoned infosec pros, plus workshops, this event will offer something for everyone. Plus, Simply Cyber and Gerald Auger, PhD are all about the community, anticipate there will be tons of fun sprinkled into this event. When registering for your virtual ticket, you may donate any amount to go towards the prizes and giveaways at the con. Learn more and sign up to receive notifications when updates are available! https://simplycybercon.org 

• Bonus: If you don't know the Simply Cyber community yet, come join us every weekday morning at https://simplycyber.io/streams for the Daily Cyber Threat Brief. Promise, it is not only fun and engaging, but it is jam-packed with headlines and advice on how to tackle some of the biggest issues facing the #InfoSec community today. 

Well, there you have it! A few events you MUST make time for on your calendar. Plus, they are FREE and virtual, so you have no excuse. 

Take care and enjoy your week, everyone! And it would be AWESOME if you followed #BlogbyCC on LinkedIn! Thanks!

It's that time of the year again!  The holidays are approaching.  This week of Thanksgiving, we give thanks  for the people and things that make us feel grateful. 

I felt this was the perfect time to let the entire tech and infosec community know what an important role they have played in not only my life, but also in the lives of many others I have met and grown to know over the past couple of years transitioning into the industry. 

You may hear it all the time, but "the community" is where it's at.  There are so many communities available within tech and infosec, and that's important.  Each of us come from different backgrounds and experiences and these communities offer us a place to meet, connect, engage, help, support, and learn from each other. 

The important part is to find one, or several, that you feel comfortable in and start showing up.  The more you get intertwined in the community, the more support you will find.  Whether you are employed already, or seeking a new role, being involved in a supportive community is the key to success. Without the connections and relationships you will make, it is a lot harder to network and find a new role. 

Why? The majority of roles are in the "hidden" job market, meaning, they will never be posted.  Those hiring go to the people they know and trust and ask them for recommendations for upcoming (unposted) roles.  If you are not networking or involved in a community, the hidden job market is nearly impossible to tap into. 

Take myself for an example.  I wasn't even applying for roles yet, but I was so involved in one of my favorite infosec communities, simplycyber.io.  My current boss went to Gerald Auger, PhD, and asked him if he knew anyone to recommend for an upcoming role.  Because I was a regular in the community and my skills aligned with the potential role, I was recommended for the role, interviewed, and was hired. 

It can be scary, intimidating, and feel unknown at first, but stick with it, find a community you enjoy being a part of and engage with others within the community.  All of us have something to offer, even if it's support and an encouraging word.  You don't need to be technical to be a part of these communities. 

I may be a little biased, but Simply Cyber is absolutely hands down my favorite community out there.  Thanks to my friend, Stefan Waldvogel for sharing it with me.  Truly a community anyone new, or already in the industry, will appreciate and benefit from being a part of.  If you are into Discord, check out the Simply Cyber Discord, another great place to meet and connect if you can't make the livestreams, or want to connect anytime with the community. 

Again, I truly want to thank everyone who has been a part of my network, and the overarching community.  This journey would not have been possible without you.  I would love to hear, what are some of your favorite communities? 

Let us know on our LinkedIn page, where you can find our posts for these blogs each week: https://www.linkedin.com/company/cybersecuritycentralorg. 

Happy Thanksgiving! 

One of the reasons I've made so many connections is tuning into livestreams, attending webinars, and listening to podcasts, then reaching out to those who inspire me and making a personal connection.  It's also how I am able to (somewhat) stay up-to-date on infosec news and events. 

For today's blog, I wanted to cover podcasts. This is the next section to be built out on the resources page, but to align with the resources already on our site, I want to provide you with the foundations.  One topic that isn't highlighted yet on the CC Resources page is podcasts.  Podcasts are critical to staying current on what's happening in the worlds of tech and cyber. 

Below are some of what I feel are must listen podcasts.  Some are daily, others weekly, or even monthly.  How do I find time to listen and keep up?  Full transparency, I don't get to keep up with all of them all the time, but I definitely find time to listen in the morning, a little during the day, a lot at night, and even small doses on the weekends.  I enjoy mixing podcasts that aren't all technical and also include the human side of things:   

• 2 Cyber Chicks with Jax Scott & Erika McDuffie 

• Hacker Valley Studio with Ron Eddings & Chris Cochran

• Darknet Diaries with Jack Rhysider

• Cyberwire Daily with Dave Bittner

• The Hacker Factory Podcast with Phillip Wylie

• Simply Cyber Podcast with Gerald Auger, PhD (or join us live on YouTube M-F #teamlive)

• Cybercrime Magazine Podcast from Cybercrime Ventures

• Cyber Security Headlines from CISO Series  |  After listening to this 6-minute podcast, go check out Simply Cyber's Daily Cyber News Brief for the breakdowns from each story!  Or click here if you prefer the podcast version. 

Please note: The podcast list above is a only a quick snapshot.  There are many more I've listened to and recommend, and will include in the CC Resources page in the future, as well.  

One of the primary reasons I named this nonprofit foundation Cybersecurity Central was because I want it to be a resource to those who desire is to learn more about where to learn more about all things cybersecurity.  Cybersecurity Central has a resources page newly released, but there are many topics still to be added from the lists I've accumulated over the past 2 years, researching and discovering where some of the most applicable, engaging, and trustworthy resources.  Feel free to check out the CC Resources page for a flavor of the absolute essentials everyone should check out.  Be sure to bookmark and check back regularly for new resources.  I have TONS of resources still to share, but building it out one by one is super tedious, bear with me. ;)

If you haven't already, be sure to check out Cybersecurity Central’s YouTube channel.

And while you are there, please subscribe, like, and share with your network if you found some value.  Take care and thanks as always for the continued support for Cybersecurity Central!

It was almost Q3 2020 and felt like the world was falling out of place.  In some new awkward reality, attempting to decode what was happening.  We were in the early phases of a global pandemic.  At that time, no one really understood what that meant, or what it was going to look like.  A company trip to D.C., corporate headquarters, was cancelled last minute.  The company scrambled to put together a travel policy and guidelines.   For now, it was deemed no travel, companywide, until more was known.

Next, another major bombshell announcement: no more hiring. Period. Like zero, globally.  What?  Wait, no one had ever heard of such a thing.  We just finished interviewing and offering positions to candidates last week.  Our Fortune 100, Best Company to Work For, is no longer hiring, globally?  Even the most seasoned recruiters who were in the industry for years were in complete shock.

When you work in recruiting and hear no more hiring, you understand the writing on the wall. Instantly I knew what was going to happen next.  Hours were decreased and then the furlough news came down.  If anyone didn’t know what was next, they had their heads buried in the ground.  The layoff email was sent the last day of furlough, informing myself and 200+ corporate team members, our positions with the company were no longer.

At first, I wasn't sure what to think.  Looking back on it now, I believe I was traumatized.  When you envision yourself with a company and the ride ends early, it is a sinking feeling.  Even though there were people who had been with the company much longer, many right around retirement and had 20+ years invested, I still couldn't help but feel it was due to my own actions.  I ultimately knew it wasn't true, but it didn’t make the feelings any less real.  After a while, you can start to believe those feelings... don't. 

While on furlough pending the inevitable layoff news, I began thinking about what I really wanted in a career.  What did I want to do with the time I had left?  After all, I’ve been working for over 20 years already.  I had to find something that continues to drive my curiosity and allows me to constantly grow and learn.  Hospitality was amazing in providing endless opportunities to work in so many areas of business, but after the pandemic experience, I wanted to be sure I picked something that wasn’t tied to worldwide travel.  The way things were looking, it was going to take a long time to recover from and could come back around at any time.  

What happens next?  Check out my video on “How To Get Into Cybersecurity | How I Hacked Into Cyber,” posted on Cybersecurity Central’s YouTube channel.

And while you are there, please subscribe, like, and share with your network if you found some value in it.  Take care and thanks for supporting Cybersecurity Central!