Creating Connections: Embracing change.

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It's getting to be that time of year when I am ready for change. Winter into spring, flowers starting to push through, longer days. My favorite time of year. I love the celebrations that happen now as well. It's exciting that we are coming upon International Women's Day and Women's History Month. We are bringing some changes here to Creating Connections as well. We are expanding our focus a bit to be more inclusive. You may have noticed the title. We are moving from Women in Cybersecurity toward embracing more women with Women in STEM. To that end, I welcome your thoughts and ideas and I welcome a larger audience encompassing a wider circle of women that we can create connections with. Please join us as we become Women in STEM. Cheers to this metamorphosis and the change around us!

We’d love to hear from you. Send us an email with your thoughts on embracing change.

Empowering women in cybersecurity through eSports: The Wicked6 Initiative.

By Jennifer Dreis, Event Manager, Wicked6 

In honor of Women's History Month, it's crucial to recognize the ongoing gender gap in cybersecurity and the efforts to address it. This global challenge demands collective action and innovative solutions, something one event is tackling with abandon. Wicked6 embraces that innovative spirit and presents a pivotal opportunity: granting women access to cyber game platforms and encouraging them to try, as an individual or group, a sport they might otherwise have overlooked. The games are a medium for cyber career skills development, and participating in them helps women cultivate increased interest and confidence in pursuing cybersecurity as a career path. Discover how Wicked6 is paving the way for greater female participation and empowerment in the cyber workforce through eSports. Read the article.

The human element of cybersecurity: Why people are the ultimate defense.

By Yasmin Abdi, CEO and Founder, noHack

In "The human element of cybersecurity: Why people are the ultimate defense," Yasmin Abdi emphasizes the irreplaceable role of human intuition and adaptability in cybersecurity, alongside the advances in AI and machine learning. Despite technology's robust tools for threat detection, it's the human capacity for critical thinking and discernment that effectively addresses novel threats and sophisticated social engineering tactics. Ms. Abdi advocates for a hybrid approach, integrating human oversight with technological advances, to enhance the reliability and fairness of security measures. She underscores the importance of cultivating a security-aware culture, leveraging human insights for a more resilient defense against the evolving cyber threat landscape. Through examples like the Twitter bitcoin scam, Abdi illustrates the limitations of technological defenses against human psychology exploitation, suggesting a future where cybersecurity education and awareness are paramount." Read the article.

Q&A with Miriam Saffer: Creative, pragmatic, and resilient.

By Chris Hare, Project Management Specialist, Content Developer, N2K Networks 

Each month, N2K shares our commitment to workplace diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging by featuring a representative female voice to shine a light on the answers to the tough questions we all need to ask to make sure each and every one of us is seen, heard, and belongs. 

Chris Hare: Can you please introduce yourself, Miriam? Tell us a bit about who you are and what your connection is to the topic of diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging. What challenges have you faced in the workplace and how did you overcome them?

Miriam Saffer: I never intended to have a career in DEI&B, and I don’t think it ever occurred to me that I’d have a personal connection either! I started my career in teaching, and I absolutely loved working with young people with special educational needs. Having found school pretty tough myself, I found myself able to connect with my students and felt that I was really able to make a difference. 

After a few years, I took on a job at a high school managing the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) department. It was during my time in this role that I was diagnosed with ADHD. My students would say things like: “Miss, how do you know how we’re feeling?” I started to see so many similarities between myself and my students and it suddenly all made sense!

As a primary school teacher, I had coped by keeping lessons creative and active. I was usually behind on marking the books, but my students were happy and learning so it didn’t seem like a big issue. When I moved into a management role, the challenges of having ADHD became much more apparent. Managing my diary, staying on top of the paperwork, having to sit still for hours in meetings and at the computer….everything was just so much more difficult. I’d struggled at school and at university but didn’t really know anything about being neurodivergent at that time. It was only because of my job that I was able to recognise what my difficulties really were and find the help I needed. 

People are always surprised when I tell them I have ADHD. It’s as if they want to say: “But you seem fine to me.” I think many people would be surprised by how hard it can be to disclose your neurodivergence in the workplace. Worrying about whether you’ll be judged and whether your boss will believe you is a massive issue.

Read the rest of Chris and Miriam's discussion.  

Would you like to be featured in a future issue of the Creating Connections newsletter? We are currently accepting submissions for pieces written by women, about women, and information on women in cyber related events. Simply reply to this email to get started.

Wellness and space with Keisha Schahaff.

By Maria Varmazis, Host of T-Minus Space Daily, N2K | Space 

Imagine winning a ticket to space and taking your child with you. Keisha Schahaff shares her incredible story from Astronaut to Wellness Coach.

Keisha Schahaff won a trip to space aboard a Virgin Galactic flight. She became the first woman from the Caribbean to go to space and she took her daughter with her. Find out how Keisha’s trip to space has transformed her life and influenced her career as a Wellness and Health Coach. She shared her incredible story with us.

You can connect with Keisha on LinkedIn and learn more about her work on her website. Listen to Maria's extended interview with Keisha on T-Minus Deep Space.

Views on the British Monarchy and United States public service.

By Jennifer Eiben Executive Producer, N2K | Cyberwire

The International Spy Museum's podcast, SpyCast, is a weekly show on the N2K media network with such depth and breadth. Host Andrew Hammond and co-host Erin Dietrick delve into stories of espionage that touch all facets of history and life. Recently two episodes stood out focusing on both sides of the pond. Guests Rory Cormac and Richard Aldrich, authors of the new book Crown, Cloak, and Dagger: The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence from Victoria to Elizabeth II joined SpyCast to discuss "The British Monarchy and Secret Intelligence." The trio discuss the many different approaches and ways that British royals utilized intelligence during their reigns. With a special focus on Great Britain’s longest-serving monarchs Victoria and Elizabeth II, this episode of SpyCast will show you a secret side of the crown you’ve never seen before. 

On the United States' side of the pond, The Honorable Leon E. Panetta, this year’s recipient of the International Spy Museum’s The Honorable William H. Webster Distinguished Service Award joins to discuss his experiences in US public service in "CIA Director, Defense Secretary, Gentleman." Secretary Panetta discusses his decades of experience working within the public service field, examining the many ways that intelligence has been critical to his roles as Secretary of Defense, Director of the Central Intelligence Agency, White House Chief of Staff, and Chair of the House Budget Committee, among others. Tune in to hear insights from a son of Italian immigrants who went on to hold some of the most powerful seats in international government.

N2K Cyber Pro: Q1 2024 Industry Insights Analyst Call.

By Emily Bradford, Marketing Director, N2K Networks 

Go beyond the headlines. There is so much cyber news that, once in a while, all cybersecurity leaders and network defenders should stop, take a deep breath and consider exactly which developments were the most important.

Join Rick Howard, N2K's CISO, Chief Analyst and Senior Fellow for an insightful discussion about the events of the last 90 days that will materially impact your career, the organizations you're responsible for, and the daily lives of people all over the world. On the Q1 2024 Industry Insights Analyst Call, Rick and his fellow Hash Table members, Jenn Reed, Principal Partner Solution Architect at Amazon Web Services (AWS), and Jeff Schiemann, CISO at SEBA Bank AG, are planning a lively conversation about the events of the first quarter of 2024. Stay tuned. More details coming soon.

CyberWire Daily

Dr. Heather Monthie from N2K Networks, with insights on the White House's recent easing of education requirements for federal contract jobs.

On our Solution Spotlight, N2K President Simone Petrella talks with Amy Kardel, Senior Vice President for Strategic Workforce Relationships at CompTIA about the cyber talent gap. 

N2K’s President Simone Petrella talks with Elastic's CISO Mandy Andress about the CISO role and the intersection of cybersecurity, law, and organizational strategy.

8th Layer Insights

To celebrate Valentine's Day, Perry sits down with Emmy winning reporter Kerry Tomlinson to talk about the time she turned the tables on a romance scammer.

Hacking Humans

This week we are joined by Maria Varmazis, host of the N2K daily space show, T-Minus. She brings us a scary story from a woman who never thought she'd ever be scammed. 

This week, we are joined by host of N2K's T-Minus Space Daily podcast, Maria Varmazis, she sits down with Joe and Dave to discuss sextorion materials that were found on popular social media apps such as, TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat and YouTube. 

RH-ISAC Podcast

RH-ISAC President Suzie Squier continues the 10th-anniversary interview series with Richard Noguera discussing the founding of RH-ISAC.

Kristen Dalton from RH-ISAC talks with Piyush Jain of Accenture about the recently released Org Chart Benchmark Report.

RH-ISAC President Suzie Squier chats with Scott Howitt, a founding board member of RH-ISAC, about the parallels in cybersecurity between retail, hospitality, and gaming.

SpyCast

Dr. Ursula Wilder joins Andrew Hammond for Part 2 to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.

Dr. Ursula Wilder joins Andrew Hammond in Part 1 to discuss the intersections between psychology and intelligence. Ursula is a clinical psychologist with over two decades of experience working at the Central Intelligence Agency.

The Microsoft Threat Intel Podcast

Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Stella Aghakian and Holly Burmaster. They explore the intrigue of watching threat actors and their techniques and walk through these techniques and how they are educational and critical in threat intelligence work. 

Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Christine Fossaceca, Laurie Kirk, and Apurva Kumar. Today's discussion concerns a recent release from the Chaos Computer Congress, where researchers discovered and analyzed a zero-click attack on iPhones.

Threat Vector

David Moulton, Director of Thought Leadership at Unit 42, along with guests Sam Rubin, VP, Global Head of Operations, and Ingrid Parker, Senior Manager of the Intel Response Unit, dive deep into the critical vulnerabilities found in Ivanti's Connect Secure and Policy Secure products. 

Uncovering Hidden Risks

Jef Kazimer, Microsoft's Principal Product Manager, and Bailey Bercik, Senior Product Manager, join Erica Toelle and guest host Lisa Huang-North on this week's episode of Uncovering Hidden Risks. Today's episode will focus on security in the era of cloud and AI, with insights from Microsoft Security's product team. 

T-Minus Space Daily

Our guest today is Wellness Coach and Virgin Galactic Astronaut Keisha Schahaff.

Our guest today is former NASA Astronaut Trainer and Author, Debbie Ramos Trainor. 

Our guest is Veronica Moronese, Director of Legal Affairs at ThinkOrbital.  

Our guest today is Sarah Kalmeta, also known as Sarah the Pivoter on getting involved in SpaceKind.

Our guest today is Robin Dickey, policy analyst at The Aerospace Corporation’s Center for Space Policy and Strategy.

Our guest today is Irish Engineer, Scientist, Writer and Performer, Niamh Shaw. 

Our guest today is Valerie Vasquez, Director of Global Public Policy and Regulatory Strategy at True Anomaly.

T-Minus Deep Space

Imagine winning a ticket to space and taking your child with you. Keisha Schahaff shares her incredible story from Astronaut to Wellness Coach.

What does it mean to be a STEAM communicator and ESA Ambassador? Niamh Shaw explores the crossovers between STEM, art & communication.

Prepare for today’s top certifications with confidence.

For budding talent and seasoned professionals in IT & cyber - make the low-risk investment in yourself today for the highest return toward your future success. N2K offers affordable exam prep training for top certifications, including ISC2 Certified in Cybersecurity, CompTIA Security+, ISC2 CISSP, and many others. Get access to simulated exams, custom quizzes, eflashcards, and more. What could your career look like with a new certification? Prepare with confidence with N2K’s practice tests. Visit n2k.com/certify to find your cert.