News
Message from the Chapter President
The holiday season is about family and friends (… as well as food). It can be a hectic time of year – many of us are buying gifts online, making travel arrangements, or giving to charitable organizations. Unfortunately, while you’re searching for holiday deals, cybercriminals are hard at work finding ways to steal and harm others. It's important that you keep an eye out for cyber scams and stay vigilant in your cybersecurity practices to protect against malicious activities. We've included cybersecurity tips in this issue that I hope you can implement and share.
We are also excited about our forthcoming Graphic Novel mini-series by CyberTronic Solutions and Cycromics. The Incident Response Mystery adventure will begin in Jan of 2024. Below is some information.
Take care and hope to see you at the Chapter meeting in Baton Rouge on Dec 7th
Happy holidays!
Announcements
Jan Chapter Meeting with May Brooks-Kemplar - Save the Date!
We are excited to announce that May Brooks-Kempler offered to meet with our Chapter virtually on January 4th. May was recently elected to the ISC2 Board of Directors. She also serves on the ISC2 Chapters Advisory Committee. She has been a strong advocate for chapters and membership engagement opportunities. May is an outstanding public speaker, cybersecurity instructor, and podcast host. You can also watch her TEDx Talk and other content at maybrooks.net.
The topic for our meeting is currently being considered. If you would like to suggest a topic, please respond to our poll via LinkedIn linkedin.com/company/isc2-cgcchapter.
Also Congratulations to all five of the ISC2 members elected to the 2024 ISC2 Board of Directors:
- May Brooks-Kempler, CISSP, HCISPP (United Arab Emirates)
- Eiji Kuwana, CISSP (Japan)
- Samara Moore, CISSP (United States)
- Judith Sarjeant, CISSP (Barbados)
- Lisa Young, CISSP (United States)
More information is available at isc2.org insights
ISC2 2024 Officer Board Election Results
The ISC2 Board of Directors elected 2024 Board officers. The new officers, like their predecessors, will provide ISC2 with strategic guidance, governance and oversight.
- Chair – Dan Houser, ISSAP, ISSMP, CISSP, CCSP, CSSLP, CC (United States)
- Vice Chair – Lisa Young, CISSP (United States)
- Secretary – Laurie-Anne Bourdain, CISSP (Belgium)
- Treasurer – Rachel Guinto, CISSP (Canada)
More information available at isc2.org insights
Events
December Chapter Event
Cyber Range Tour at Stephenson Technologies Corporation
Location: 1200 Brickyard ln, Baton Rouge, LA
When: Dec 7, 2:00pm
Cost: Free to Chapter Members
Registration Link
Regional Events
The following are associated groups that meet in major cities across the Central Gulf Coast and have support from ISC2 CGC Chapter Members.
- New Orleans Area:
NOLASec LinkedIn Group site
2nd Wednesday of each month Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux (1009 Poydras Street New Orleans, LA 70112)
Networking from 5:00pm-6:00pm with the presentation running from 6:00pm-7:00pm - Lafayette Area:
DEFCON Acadiana
2nd Wednesday of each month 5:30pm-7:30pm The Ruins (1919 Kaliste Saloom Rd Suite 303, Lafayette, LA 70508) - Baton Rouge Area:
BRSec
3rd Wednesday of each month 6:00pm-7:30pm
Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux (3838 Burbank Dr Baton Rouge, LA 70808) - Lake Charles Area:
SWLA Cyber Club
last Wed every month 6:00pm-7:30pm Walk-On's Sports Bistreaux (5313 Common St, Lake Charles, LA 70607)
Online Study Groups
New this month: Virtual Study Groups
- Vicious Vineyards - A small and helpful Cybersecurity and Advanced Tech focused Community geared towards growing the next generation of Tech Talent. Study with an Embedded AI companion trained specifically for Cybersecurity and ISC2 material. Discord site
- Simply Cyber - A large community founded by Dr. Gerald Auger, host of the youtube channel Simply Cyber. Cybersecurity focused with topics commonly found in ISC2 exam material. Discord site
- Professor Roger's Cyber Lounge - A mid sized and very active community, boasting a wide range of content and ISC2 Specific Study groups that meet weekly. Discord site
SECON International Chapter Conference
The SECON committee announced its 2nd Annual ISC2 International Chapter Conference, SECON International! This event is an ISC2 Chapter driven initiative and is fully supported by ISC2.
Date: Wednesday, December 6th, 2023
Time: 11:00 a.m. EST (1600 GMT) to 2:00 p.m EST (1900 GMT)
Location: Virtual (Gather.town)
The SECON International Chapter Conference includes over 20 speakers from all over the globe, ranging from a multitude of topics across the cybersecurity spectrum. All attendees will get 3 CPEs.
Opening remarks for this event will be given by Clar Rosso, CEO of ISC2. Keynote Speakers:
- Olivia Rose, CISO And Founder at Rose CISO Group
- Ira Winkler, Field CISO for CYE Security and author of You Can Stop Stupid
- Dr. Erdal Ozkaya, CISO at Xcitium
Workshop:
- Sounil Yu, Author and Creator of the Cyber Defense Matrix and the DIE Triad
The conference will be held on a virtual platform to provide a unique opportunity to listen to great presentations while networking with your peers.
Check out the conference website HERE and agenda HERE. Please note that the schedule in the agenda is subject to change.
TO REGISTER CLICK HERE.
ISC2 CGC Chapter
Spotlight
Incident Response Mystery
In next month's issue we will be releasing 1 page of a Graphic Novel mini-series. The mini-series is very special as it will introduce a new way to do Security Awareness and provide you with a bit of spice to your monthly Security Awareness company emails. This is also a sneak peak at a new series of Graphic Novels, Gamified Training, and Tech Embedded Graphic Novels. Each month a new page of the mystery will be released with new clues on how and why a breach occurred. There will be a hidden location each month where you must "hack" the page to find further clues, interviews, and more content that leads further into the mystery and a greater scope of the content.
*Content produced by CyberTronic Solutions and Cycromics, with gamified content hosted on the Haiku Inc platform
Q2 Opinion Topic
Tis the Season to gift security awareness
Security Awareness scams and attacks to be mindful of as a consumer:
The holiday season is a time for joy and celebration, but it can also be a time for scammers and cybercriminals to take advantage of unsuspecting consumers. Here are a few tips to help you protect yourself from malicious actors this holiday season:
- Be aware of phishing scams. Phishing scams are a common way for scammers to steal your personal information, such as your credit card number or Social Security number.
- Be wary of emails or texts that ask you to provide personal information or click on links. If you're not sure if an email or text is legitimate, don't click on any links or provide any personal information. Instead, contact the company OR person directly to verify the authenticity of the request.
- Use strong passwords. Your passwords are the keys to your online accounts, so it's important to use strong passwords that are difficult to guess. A strong password should be at least 12 characters long and include a mix of uppercase and lowercase letters, numbers, and symbols. Don't use the same password for multiple accounts, and change your passwords regularly. Use https://haveibeenpwned.com/ or other resources to verify if your email accounts are secure.
- Be careful about what you share online. Social media is a great way to stay connected with friends and family, but it's also a place where scammers can lurk. Be careful about what you share online, especially personal information like your address or phone number. Don't share photos of your credit cards or other sensitive documents.
- Be mindful of fake accounts that may present as your friends/family. If someone sends you a connection request, contact them via alternate means to validate authenticity.
- Update your software. Software updates often include security patches that can help protect your devices from vulnerabilities. Make sure to keep your software up to date to protect yourself from the latest threats.
- Don't forget about generations of people who are exploring and learning technology. Children and some adults may not be aware of even the most basic forms of technology security. Your network (and devices) could be compromised through a growing variety of devices on your network.
Share these tips, and add some of your own. Keep your friends and family safe from malicious actors this holiday season. Happy holidays!
By Joseph Jaubert, CISSP
About
ISC2 CGC Chapter
The ISC2 Central Gulf Coast Chapter, a 501(c)(3) non-profit based out of the Greater New Orleans area. It was chartered by ISC2 in January 2021 to serve the Central Gulf Coast region - Louisiana and Mississippi.
Connect with us on LinkedIn
- LinkedIn https://linkedin.com/company/isc2-cgcchapter
- You do NOT need to be ISC2 certified to join the chapter - part of our Chapter's Mission is to support those interested in earning certification.
- Contact president@isc2-cgcchapter.org to get involved with Chapter leadership meetings or to help support events/activities.