Opening Doors To Women And Minorities
In fact, Black Hat has partnered with The International Consortium of Minority Cybersecurity Professionals or ICMCP, to award twenty-five Briefings packages to ICMCP students and practitioners. ICMCP works to achieve the consistent representation of women and minorities in the cybersecurity industry through programs designed to foster recruitment, inclusion and retention – one person at a time. Packages include a Black Hat USA 2017 Briefings pass, round-trip transportation to Las Vegas, and three nights hotel accommodations. Award recipients will receive a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and introduction to a potential new or enhanced career path.
Yes, the field of security offers a variety of opportunities for women and minorities. There are hands on jobs to working in the background solving complex hacking issues and following the trail to the source. Other positions in the field open the door to management positions in which you research and investigate the security issues at hand and then write the data reports for training.
Security In Our Everyday Lives
How important is security in our personal lives? When you consider it, security effects everything in our increasingly mobile and social world. This includes checking out the website of our children's school for their current schedule to ordering supplies online to catching up with friends on Face Book, or checking our email. Then there is the other side to security - the service men and women, Homeland Security, down to our local police force, who receive constant training on the topic. But, as we know, they cannot be everywhere, so it's best if we remain alert of security issues that could affect our personal lives.
We recently published some helpful security tips from our friends at Alcatraz East in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee that cover a number of important security topics like not discussing travel plans, your room number, or any other personal information in public within earshot of strangers. It's a valid point - how many open conversations have you overheard in a public setting?
Keep Updated On Security Issues
Like understanding the current weather warnings for storms, it is important to learn about Travel Alerts and Warnings for your trip. What's the difference?
Travel Alerts are issued for short-term conditions, either transnational or within a particular country, that pose significant risks to the security of U.S. citizens. These alerts could include natural disasters like the recent fires in Bormes-les-Mimosas, France, terrorist attacks, coups, anniversaries of terrorist events, election-related demonstrations or violence, and high-profile events such as international conferences or regional sports events are examples of conditions that might generate a Travel Alert.
Travel Warnings on the other hand are issued when there is a long-term condition that make a country dangerous or unstable lead the State Department to recommend that Americans avoid or consider the risk of travel to that country. A Travel Warning is also issued when the U.S. Government's ability to assist American citizens is constrained due to the closure of an embassy or consulate or because of a drawdown of its staff.
The Homeland Security site has many useful resources along with security information like warnings, precautions to take before flying and what you can carry, as well as where to report suspicious activities, and more news. It's not all so serious though - they also have a fun area with online games and tools for kids to learn how to be prepared for any emergency. Other resources include entertaining ways for kids to learn about home fire safety, smoke alarms and escaping from a fire, emergency preparedness.
Security is a topic we should take serious because the more we know on the topic the better prepared we are in an emergency - whether at home or on the road. We hope that wherever your travels take you that you have a safe and memorable trip!
Learn More About Black Hat
If you missed this years Black Hat USA convention no worries - there's another coming up in London, UK in early December. Check out the Black Hat website and you can learn about future events, the latest news in research, development, and trends in Information Security. Plus, you'll also find details on grants and other programs available in the field of security.
Thanks to Black Hat USA, and their sponsors for hosting this exciting event!
Photo Credits: Black Hat USA