Creating Connections: Refocusing our spotlight.

Staying Connected

By Jennifer Eiben, Executive Producer, N2K CyberWire | N2K Space

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I feel like of my musings here are about things I'm doing at N2K, in the greater community, or something I am feeling particularly strongly about. I want to turn the spotlight on you, (dare I say) gentle readers!

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Featured STEM Women

Five Key Focus Areas for Cybersecurity Workforce Growth

By Dwan Jones, Director, CDE, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, ISC2

Attracting and retaining more women within the cybersecurity workforce, as well as building on the positive experiences and perspectives of those already working in the sector is essential if we are to make meaningful inroads into the workforce and skills gaps.

The imbalance in the cybersecurity workforce continues to be an obstacle to growth as well as progress in addressing diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). Based on independent research commissioned by ISC2, the number of women working in cybersecurity has remained consistent year-to-year, with an estimate that the percentage of women working in the industry is likely in the range of 20% to 25%. Read the rest of the article on our partner RSA Conference blog site.

RSAC 2024: Hacking, Ransomware, Secure by Design, and Everything in Between

By Tatyana Sanchez, Content & Program Coordinator, RSA Conference

Missed RSAC 2024? Catch a recap by the team at RSA here.

Even though Hackers & Threats wasn’t necessarily a trend that bubbled up in the RSAC 2024 submissions, this year’s agenda had plenty of popular sessions looking at hacking techniques and the evolving threat tactics of malicious actors. Cybercriminals have been around for decades, and during their RSA Conference 2024 presentation, Flying Under the Radar – New Security Evasion Techniques, Etay Maor, Senior Director Security Strategy at Cato Network and Tal Darsan, Manager at Cato Network, discussed old and new tactics cybercriminals use while staying under the radar. Maor stated, “We’ve been battling malware, phishing, and cybercriminals for a better part of the last 20 years.” Hacking is increasing and hackers are becoming more sophisticated. Read the rest of the article on our partner RSA Conference blog site.

Heard Around the Studio

Navigating the Cybersecurity Workforce: A Three-Part Podcast Series Overview

By Dr. Heather Monthie, Cybersecurity Workforce Consultant, N2K Networks

In the ever-evolving landscape of cybersecurity, understanding the current state of the workforce, the transitions within the industry, and the future of talent development is crucial. The special series podcast, Cyber Talent Insights on the N2K CyberWire Network dives deep into these topics, offering expert insights from cybersecurity workforce consultants Dr. Heather Monthie, Dr. Sasha Vanterpool, and N2K's Chief Learning Officer Jeff Welgan. Each episode focuses on different facets of cybersecurity workforce development and provides valuable guidance for organizations and individuals.

Episode 1: Navigating the Landscape for Enterprise Organizations

Episode 2: Charting Your Path in Cybersecurity

Episode 3: Strengthening the Cyber Talent Pipeline

This special series of the Cyber Talent Insights podcast thoroughly examines the challenges and opportunities within the cybersecurity workforce from multiple perspectives. Whether you are an organization looking to enhance your workforce development strategies, or an individual navigating a career in cybersecurity, this series offers essential insights and actionable advice. Engaging with this content not only deepens your understanding of the current cybersecurity landscape, but also prepares you for the future of this evolving field. Read the full article here.

Heading to NICE Conference next week?

By Jennifer Eiben Executive Producer, N2K CyberWire | N2K Space

It’s the week before the 2024 NICE Conference. Members of the N2K Talent Insights team will be there. Will you? If so, please look for us!

N2K President Simone Petrella will be co-presenting with Lynn Dohm, WiCyS Executive Director, on Tuesday, June 4th at 11:30am CDT in Dallas D1. They will be presenting "Roadmap to Advancement through Skill Gap Analysis." Fast tracking cybersecurity education and career advancement is known for its challenging navigation. Amid a critical workforce shortage, Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS) partnered with N2K to provide their members a more direct and informed path to career success and the subsequent comprehensive Cyber Talent Study that leverages member skills data. By utilizing N2K’s specialized assessment tool, WiCyS members quickly gained clarity on their skill levels and recommendations for professional development to achieve their ultimate career goals. WiCyS also gained insight into skills gaps that could be addressed through large-scale programming and will inform creation of programming, events, and resource development.

In this session, Simone and Lynn will delve into the Cyber Talent Study’s findings, show examples of the data-driven approaches that can identify skill gaps, and explore the alignment between member skill sets, their roles, and industry expectations. You can catch a preview of a presentation on the CyberWire Daily podcast interview that aired on May 29th, 2024 when Simone and Lynn along with N2K's Dr. Heather Monthie and Jeff Welgan discussed the study's findings with T-Minus Space Daily podcast host Maria Varmazis. A special edition podcast featuring the full interview will air on June 5th. Stay tuned.

Would you like a refresher on what's new in the NICE Framework update? Check out our special edition podcast "Unveiling the updated NICE Framework & cybersecurity education’s future" where we discuss it with the team from NICE and Florida International University.

2024 N2K CyberWire Audience Survey

We're always looking for ways to improve the N2K CyberWire network to give you an intelligence-driven news experience. Please take a few minutes to tell us about your network experience and share your feedback by completing our 2024 Audience Survey, and you will have a chance to win a $100 Amazon gift card. Take the survey.

Women on N2K | CyberWire

CyberWire Daily

Maria Varmazis speaks with WiCyS Executive Director Lynn Dohm and a panel of N2K experts including Simone Petrella, Dr. Heather Monthie and Jeff Welgan about the 2024 Cyber Talent Study.

N2K T-Minus Space Daily podcast host Maria Varmazis speaks with guest Carrie Hernandez Marshall, CEO and Co-Founder from Rebel Space Technologies, about the need to extend cybersecurity into space.

N2K T-Minus Space Daily podcast host Maria Varmazis speaks with guests Brianna Bace and Unal Tatar PhD sharing their work on Legal Perspectives on Cyberattacks Targeting Space Systems.

On our Solution Spotlight: N2K’s Simone Petrella speaks with Alicja Cade, Director in Google Cloud's Office of the CISO, about the CISO role, board communication, and cyber workforce development.

Guest Sarah Powazek of UC Berkeley's Center for Long-Term Cybersecurity (CLTC) speaks with N2K’s Brandon Karpf about cyber civil defense clinics.

Guest is author Barbara McQuade discussing her book "Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America.”

Betsy Carmelite, Principal at Booz Allen, shares our final Woman on the Street today from the 2024 RSA Conference.

In our Industry Voices segment, Allison Ritter, Senior Product Manager from Cyberbit shares her career journey, off the bench and onto the court.

Afternoon Cyber Tea

Katie Jenkins, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Liberty Mutual, joins Ann Johnson on this week's episode of Afternoon Cyber Tea. For the past six years, Katie and her team have been responsible for ensuring the protection of company data, defending the brand, and minimizing the business impact of cyber-attacks. At Liberty Mutual Katie is the executive sponsor of multiple DEI programs, such as Women in Technology, and holds advisory roles at several venture capital and private equity firms. She also acts as an advisor and guest lecturer for multiple universities. Ann and Katie discuss how security supports the company mission at Liberty Mutual, the culture of security transformation within Liberty Mutual, and the advice Katie has for her peer leaders.

Breaking Through in Cybersecurity Marketing

Join us for an live-recorded episode from RSA Conference 2024, where our hosts Gianna Whitver and Maria Velasquez broadcasted directly from Moscone North in San Francisco. Our dynamic duo shares thrilling experiences, spotlights groundbreaking booths, and delivers fresh updates straight from the conference floor. They also unpack major announcements from NetSPI and celebrate the spirited community of cybersecurity marketers. Tune in for an episode packed with energy, innovation, and insider insights!

This week, get ready to laugh until it hurts because we might just have our funniest episode ever. Earthquakes and spreadsheets are the names of the game as we welcome Pam Cobb, the hilariously jet-lagged (for this episode, not permanently, folks!) Director of Content Security at Akamai. Join hosts Gianna and Maria as they dive into how Pam not only survives natural disasters but also thrives amid the chaos of cybersecurity marketing. From smart marketing tactics to hilarious earthquake jokes, Pam keeps the tips and laughter rolling. Don’t miss out on this episode’s mix of awesome advice and entertaining stories from the wild world of marketing!

This week, we are talking about all things cybersecurity events with Jasmin Ozeri, Strategic Events Manager at Wiz. While co-host Maria Velasquez couldn't join us, host Gianna Whitver explores how Jasmin brings creativity and strategic thinking to one of the hottest cloud security companies around. With a particular focus on the RSA Conference in this episode, discover how Jasmin's approach to bustling conference floors and strategic booth designs not only enhances Wiz's brand presence but also makes cybersecurity approachable and engaging.

Caveat

Melissa Oh and Anil John from DHS' Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) join to discuss how they are working to advance software chain resiliency.

Barbara McQuade sits down to discuss her book "Attack from Within: How Disinformation is Sabotaging America," showing us how to identify the ways disinformation is seeping into all facets of our society and how we can fight against it.

Hacking Humans

This week we are joined by Maria Varmazis, host of the N2K daily space show, T-Minus. Maria shares an interesting story from a listener, who writes in on an AirBnB debacle he was dealing with.

This week, we are joined by host of 8th Layer Insights, Perry Carpenter from KnowBe4 and Dr. Jessica Barker from Cygenta to discuss human risk: awareness, behavior and beyond.

This week we are joined by Maria Varmazis, host of the N2K daily space show, T-Minus. Maria shares an interesting story about how ransomware infections are beginning to change to form a more psychological attack against victims' organizations, as criminals are using personal and aggressive tactics to force them to pay.

This week we are joined by Maria Varmazis, host of the N2K daily space show, T-Minus. Maria shares an interesting story from Canada on a gentleman who thought he was calling Best Buy's Geek Squad, but instead ended up getting scammed out of $25,000.

Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast

On this week's episode of The Microsoft Threat Intelligence Podcast, Sherrod DeGrippo is joined by Andrew Morris, Founder & Chief Architect at GreyNoise and Lauren Proehl, Director of Global Cyber Defense at Marsh McLennan. Lauren Proehl is an experienced cybersecurity leader who has helped defend against threat actors in Fortune 500 networks and has managed multiple divisions focused in defensive security and specializes in innovative cyber defense.

RH-ISAC Podcast

RH-ISAC President Suzie Squier talks with Luke about the past and future of RH-ISAC, as well as the future of this podcast.

SpyCast

John Blaxland and Clare Birgin join Andrew Hammond to discuss Australian codebreaking. John and Clare are coauthors of the new book Revealing Secrets.

Diane Foley joins Andrew Hammond to discuss the legacy of her son, James Foley. James was held hostage and murdered by ISIS in 2014.

T-Minus Space Daily

Maria Varmazis, N2K host of T-Minus Space Daily, talks with WiCyS Executive Director Lynn Dohm and N2K's Simone Petrella, Dr. Heather Monthie, and Jeff Welgan about the 2024 Cyber Talent Study. You can find out more about the study here.

Our guest today is Aunika Yasui, Captain of the Worcester Polytechnic Institute’s High Power Rocketry Club.

Our guest today is Casey DeRaad, CEO of NewSpace Nexus about the State of the Space Industrial Base.

Our guests today are Brianna Bace and Unal Tatar PhD about their article on "Law in Orbit: International Legal Perspectives on Cyberattacks Targeting Space Systems" on Science Direct.

Our guest today is Jennifer Speers, VP of Engineering at Merrick & Company.

Our guest today is former NASA Astronaut and former head of NOAA, Dr. Kathy Sullivan.

Our guest today is Immigration Lawyer Sophie Alcorn.

Our guest today is Uma Bruegman, Executive Director of the Space Safety Institute at The Aerospace Corporation.

Our guest is Rachel Tillman, Founder of The Viking Mars Missions Education and Preservation Project.

Our guest today is Sara Kelley, Program Director at the Endeavour Scholarship Organization.

Our guest today is Dr Sharon Lemac-Vincere, Academic at the University Of Strathclyde.

Our guests today are Isabelle Crossley and Alex Walker from Durham University’s rocketry team.

Our guest today is Tuana Yazici, Chair & CEO of Tuana Group, and the non-profit AeroAI Global Solutions.

T-Minus Deep Space

We need to extend cybersecurity into space. Learn about the different vulnerabilities in space that currently exist (and will increase in the future) with Rebel Space CEO Carrie Hernandez Marshall.

Events

2024 State of the Space Industrial Base (Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA, May 29 - 31, 2024) Don’t miss out! Mark your calendars and join us for a dynamic hybrid workshop that is a “must attend” space industry event. Participants will learn how the strength of the industrial base has advanced in the last year, and they will contribute to progressing solutions that support the Space industrial base, increase prosperity and ensure national security. Please sign up to learn more about the 2024 Space Industrial Conference and SSIB Workshop! Stay tuned for more details about the 2024 Space Industrial Conference and SSIB Hybrid Workshop!

NICE Conference & Expo: Strengthening Ecosystems (Dallas, Texas, USA, Jun 3 - 5, 2024) This year’s conference theme “Strengthening Ecosystems: Aligning Stakeholders to Bridge the Cybersecurity Workforce Gap” highlights the collective effort to strengthen the cybersecurity landscape. By joining forces with key partners, we can foster a more robust cybersecurity ecosystem to bridge the workforce gap.

Cyber Civil Defense Summit (Washington DC, Jun 13, 2024) The Cyber Civil Defense Summit brings together a community of cyber defenders, academics, and policymakers with the shared mission of protecting our most vulnerable public infrastructure against cybersecurity threats. This in-person event hosts exclusive keynotes and panels with government and industry leaders in cybersecurity, creating an intimate space for cross-sector conversations between academics, volunteers, and policymakers on how we can work together to protect vulnerable community organizations like hospitals, cities, school districts, and nonprofits.

ISA OT Cybersecurity Summit (London, England, UK, Jun 18 - 19, 2024) Strategic OT Cybersafety | Intelligent Innovation for a Secure World The future of intelligence evolution and IoT cybersecurity relies on a strategic approach that integrates supply chain sustainability and security. By leveraging intelligent technologies and prioritizing standards and conformance, we can create a more resilient and secure future for all.

Selected Reading

ISC2 Research Finds Some Progress, But More Needs to be Done to Support Women in Cybersecurity (ISC2) Women make up a larger percentage of new entrants to the field and are taking leadership positions and hiring roles, but challenges like pay disparity and discrimination persist

Overcoming Stereotypes: Women In STEM (Mirage News) To advance the role of women in STEM, it is essential to address entrenched social practices and tasks associated with a female stereotype.

WISP Scholarship Form - Hacker Summer Camp Scholarships (WISP) Deadline: June 7, 2024. Welcome to the Women in Security and Privacy (WISP) Scholarship application form for Hacker Summer Camp. This application includes the opportunity to apply for the following conferences, which will take place in person in Las Vegas, NV: Diana Initiative: August 5 SquadCon: August 7 and 8 Black Hat USA Briefings: August 7 and 8 DEF CON: August 8 - 11

US Cyber Games® Recruiting New Women’s Team to Compete Globally (US Cyber Games) US Cyber Games® recruiting for a new women’s team to compete globally. Empowering women to showcase their talents, represent the US on the world stage, and be role models for the girls who dream big.

What Does It Mean to Be a Woman in STEM? | University of Denver (University of Denver) What good is life if we can’t laugh at the situations we find ourselves in—even if they’re not actually funny? That’s the concept behind “Womanhood: The Series,” a film series produced by female writers and filmmakers across the United States, that examines what it is, exactly, to be a woman, through storytelling with a humorous twist. The second season is all about the experiences of women who work in the fields of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM), and will feature six short films. Female STEM professionals from across the country will team up with writers and filmmakers to tell fictionalized stories of their real-life experiences. University of Denver professor of media, film and journalism studies Sheila Schroeder is one of the filmmakers on the Sheila Schroeder.project, which was conceptualized by San Diego State faculty Jessica McGaugh. “We sent a call out into the world for women in STEM to help tell their stories around the things that have happened to them that we want to explore—and these often are very serious issues,” she says. Schroeder says a friend of hers, a woman who was hired as a professor of neuroscience, shared a story of marginalization at work that really stuck with her. “They didn't have her office ready,” she recalls. “So where do you think they decided to put her? The copy room. Her mostly male colleagues were coming in and asking her for colored paper, to do the actual copying, to unjam the copier. I mean, you can imagine? She has a PhD in neuroscience!” The second season of “Womanhood” will feature a story from of one DU’s own—professor of biological sciences Anna Sher, who is passionate about inclusivity in STEM. Sher is the faculty director of DU-MERISTEM: Mobilizing Equity to Raise Inclusivity in STEM, a National Science Foundation-funded project that aims to recruit, hire and retain STEM faculty from marginalized groups. She also founded DU’s STEM Women Faculty Association. As a contributor to “Womanhood,” Sher is getting to tell her own story, alongside five other female STEM professionals from around the country. “I'm hoping that ‘Womanhood: The Series,’ season two, is going to address all kinds of nuances of the experience of being a woman-identified individual in STEM,” she says. Anna Sher.Sher says it’s important to shed light on the experiences that female STEM professionals have in the working and academic world—especially the negative ones. She says, for example, that students often address her and her female colleagues as “Mrs.” or by their first names, rather than as “professor” or “doctor.” “Part of that is because our male colleagues don't need to rely on titles as much as women and can establish a culture of informality that works for them, but erodes respect for others,” she says. Humor, Sher says, is an important aspect of the “Womanhood” project. “People are more receptive to criticism when it's couched in humor; we're less likely to be defensive and more likely to actually hear what's being said,” she says. Sher relates it to the story of a mainstay of medieval royal courts: “The jester was the one person in the court that the king or queen could actually trust to tell it like it is,” she says. “How could they do that? Not by saying, ‘You're doing it wrong,’ but by making it into something funny.” She says she’s looking forward to meeting and collaborating with other women in STEM as part of the filmmaking project. “I love doing creative things, particularly in a context like this, where it's about making a positive difference in society and for other women,” Sher says. “It’s just really exciting to me.” And DU students will get to join in on the excitement, too. Schroeder’s involvement in “Womanhood” means DU students will get to experience the production of the series firsthand, thanks to Project DU F.I.L.M (Film Initiative Linking Mentors), an extracurricular filmmaking mentorship project headed up by Schroeder herself. Adjunct professor of media, film and journalism studies Roma Sur and student Sophia Holt will also be participating in "Womanhood." Sher says she hopes audiences of the series will recognize that there’s still lots to be done to “level the playing field” in STEM. “Specifically in the sciences, it's easy to delude ourselves into thinking that because a few individuals have ‘made it,’ that means that it's a level playing field,” she says. “It's not. It just isn't.”

Women in STEM Podcast: Indhira Figuereo on Airport Transformation and Aviation’s Sustainable Future (WSP) WSP’s National Aviation Market Leader Indhira Figuereo joins the Women in STEM podcast to discuss her career, what’s driving airport transformation and the industry’s sustainable future.

Women in STEM: Closing the Gender Gap Through Effective Mentorship Programs - All Together (All Together) SWE's recent case study underscores the critical role of female STEM mentorship programs. Mentorship programs function as gateways to professional networks and provide essential support resources for women in STEM.

Women of color still lag behind in STEM jobs, despite efforts to change (NPR) STEM careers are still lagging when it comes to hiring women of color.

11% of Cybersecurity Teams Have Zero Women (Infosecurity Magazine) A new ISC2 study highlights the lack of diversity in cybersecurity with only 4% of teams having a majority of women, while 11% have none at all

Women in Cybersecurity Middle East breaks barriers and attracts more women to the field (CIO) A lack of female presence in cybersecurity is a deep-rooted problem and begins early in women’s educations. Learn how Women in Cybersecurity Middle East empowers women to join the field.

Unraveling Burnout at RSA Conference 2024 (WiCyS) Given all of the passionate discussions and thought provoking presentations at RSA Conference 2024, it can be easy to forget some of the daily stresses that plague the cybersecurity industry.

Empowering Cybersecurity Futures: WiCyS and Target Launch Third Annual Cyber Defense Challenge (WiCyS) WiCyS proudly announces the launch of its third annual Cyber Defense Challenge in partnership with Target, marking another year of empowerment for WiCyS members.

Women Experience Exclusion Twice as Often as Men in Cybersecurity (Infosecurity Magazine) A WiCyS report detailed the causes of disparities in the experiences of women working in cybersecurity compared to men, including respect and exclusion

Making cybersecurity more appealing to women, closing the skills gap - Help Net Security (Help Net Security) More women are entering cybersecurity, but they still struggle to reach senior positions, pointing to the need to break the glass ceiling.

Closing the Skills Gap for Women in Cybersecurity (Tripwire) Explore initiatives to close the gender gap in cybersecurity, emphasizing diversity, mentorship, and inclusive policies for a resilient workforce.

Center for Internet Security Awards $250,000 Grant to Support Women in CyberSecurity (PR Newswire) /PRNewswire/ -- The Center for Internet Security, Inc. (CIS®) is proud to award the second annual Alan Paller Laureate Program grant to Women in CyberSecurity...

Women in the News

Awards — Women's Aerospace Network (Women's Aerospace Network) Awarded annually each spring to honor the outstanding contributions made by women in space. This year, we received an overwhelmingly positive response with 150+ nominations from over 35 countries.

Women in STEM — A celebration of excellence and curiosity (MIT News | Massachusetts Institute of Technology) To mark Women’s History Month and International Women's Day, MIT’s MindHandHeart Initiative invited professors Paula Hammond, Ann Graybiel, and Sangeeta Bhatia to speak about their progress and challenges as women in STEM.

Virginia Tech Educators Honored With Roanoke Women in STEM Awards (The Roanoke Star) Two Virginia Tech educators were recently honored for their efforts to make science accessible for people of all ages around the region, paving the way for a bright future in the world of science. For most of her career, Carrie Kroehler has focused on translating scientific findings to the public. As a biologist, writer, editor, graduate school instructor, and associate director of the Center for Communicating Science, Kroehler has equipped researchers in a variety of disciplines with the skills needed to effectively communicate their findings to those outside of their specialties.

The 10 Women in Cybersecurity You Need to Follow (Security Boulevard) These women are innovating in the cybersecurity field. How many of them do you know?

WiCyS: A champion for a more diverse cybersecurity workforce - Help Net Security (Help Net Security) Lynn Dohm, Executive Director at Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS), talks about supporting women in their cybersecurity journey.

One Last Thing

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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.