Guest Speakers:

“Wiper” Malware

What Happened?

Ever since the beginning of the Ukraine vs Russia conflict, many people and government officials have become worried about the kinds of cyberattacks that Russia would launch against the US and Ukraine. Microsoft’s Threat Intelligence Center in Seattle received warnings about a “wiper” malware that appeared to be aimed at the US’s financial institutions and government buildings. Wiper malware, like it’s name says, is when the malware put into the computer is used to completely wipe the hard drive of the computer it is attacking, deleting all of its programs and data. The malware was named FoxBlade and after three hours, Microsoft was able to block it once their virus detection systems were updated. All other instances of cyber crime have been small, including the hacking of government official’s accounts.

Response

The US is carefully monitoring all of these cyberattacks and is working on improving its digital infrastructure and security to protect itself.

Link to the Microsoft blog post:
https://blogs.microsoft.com/on-the-issues/2022/02/28/ukraine-russia-digital-war-cyberattacks/

Relevant Terms

• Wiper malware: When the malware put into the computer is used to completely wipe the hard drive of the computer it is attacking, deleting all of its programs and data.
• Denial-of-service attacks: A specific machine/network is shut down or overwhelmed, which makes it difficult for legitimate users to access and use it.

https://tryhackme.com/

Technology Corner – TryHackMe.com

Go to: https://tryhackme.com

This platform is a fun site to learn more about cybersecurity.

The first thing you want to do is create an account and choose a learning path. The best path to start with is Pre-Security regardless of your experience level in cyber security because it provides a great foundation to the platform.

Start with the cybersecurity introduction and the first task is web application security. In this step you will take over an account on BookFace and be exposed to new cyber security concepts. In this task you will learn about a common cyber attacking technique called brute forcing and be able to apply it in an interactive setting.

The next task (task 2) is network security. In this task, you learn how networks work and the important role they play. You will learn about flaws in the network system at the retail company target.

The last task is the learning roadmap which covers the content of the learning path and what you will learn.

This a great website to grow your knowledge of cybersecurity and apply your skills in an interactive environment.

Cyber Opportunities

New York University Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS)

An amazing opportunity from the NYU Tandon School of Engineering. NYU is hosting a FREE three week camp for high school women and underrepresented minorities called Computer Science for Cyber Security (CS4CS) program. This camp will be in-person for the Summer 2022. Essentially it is a 3 week camp providing introduction on the fundamentals of cybersecurity at NYU’s Tandon School of Engineering.  NYU aims to provide the students with a knowledge base and entryway to the fields of cyber security and computer science, as well as provide mentorship and inspiration from women already in the STEM fields. Moreover, there is no background or experience in cybersecurity or coding in order to apply! Make sure to mark your calendars because applications are currently OPEN!

Important Dates:

• Application Deadline: April 13, 2022
• Notification of Application: May 4, 2022
• Program Dates: July 11 – July 29, 2022

To apply, check out NYU Tandon’s School of Engineering site! https://engineering.nyu.edu/academics/programs/k12-stem-education/nyc-based-programs/computer-science-cyber-security-cs4cs#chapter-id-33404

US Cyber Challenge

The second opportunity is open to anyone of any gender or age! Introducing the US Cyber Challenge (USCC) which is a national program focused on identifying and developing cybersecurity talent to meet the country’s critical cybersecurity workforce needs.  USCC develops and conducts competitions and on-site camps that enable eligible participants—including high school, college and post-graduate students—to develop their skills, gain access to advanced training and achieve recognition with scholarships, internships and jobs.

If you are a cybersecurity enthusiast, compete in the Cyber Quests Competition which can be found at https://uscc.cyberquests.org/

Insider Threat and Tools of the Trade (Spring 2022):

Date Description

• Fri. Feb. 25, 2022 7:00am EST Registration & Quiz open
• Fri. Mar. 25, 2022 11:59pm PDT Registration & Quiz close

Registration will open on February 25, 2022, and will close on March 25, 2022. The quiz will be available from February 25, 2022 until March 25, 2022. Registered users will each have three attempts to take the quiz. For each of your three attempts, you will have 24 hours from the time you begin the quiz to complete it, and you may only submit your answers once per attempt. For each attempt, you must submit the answers within 24 hours of when you start, or by 11:59pm PDT on March 25, 2022.

Take the Cyber Quest challenge to compete for an invitation to one of the 2022 USCC Cyber Camps, which are scheduled throughout the summer around the country.

The competitors and their scores will be forwarded to the appropriate regional selecting officials for review and selection. The selecting officials will notify the competitors if you were selected to participate in the USCC summer cyber camp.

To check out more information below is the link: https://www.uscyberchallenge.org/.