Networking for Cybersecurity Experts

🚨CISA Releases Guidance on Modern Approaches to Network Security🚨 The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), America's Cyber Defense Agency, and several partners have just released a comprehensive guide on modern approaches to network access security. This report emphasizes the limitations and vulnerabilities of traditional VPN solutions and advocates for adopting more robust and fine-grained security models like Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and Secure Service Edge (SSE). Key Takeaways: 🔹 VPN Challenges: VPNs are prone to limitations while providing encrypted tunnels for remote access. These issues can expose organizations to significant risks and breaches. 🔹 Value of SASE & SSE: SASE and SSE focus on secure access to web services and applications, combining capabilities like Zero Trust Network Access, secure web gateways, and cloud access security brokers, ensuring all access is continuously verified. Together, they streamline security policies and offer seamless, secure access to data across hybrid environments. 🌐🔒 🔹 Implement Network Segmentation: Network segmentation is crucial for limiting the spread of attacks within an organization. Organizations can contain potential breaches and minimize the impact on critical systems by dividing the network into smaller, isolated segments. 🔀 🔹 Validate Vulnerability Scans on All Public-Facing Enterprise Assets: Regular vulnerability scans on public-facing assets are essential to identify and remediate potential security gaps. Ensuring that these scans are thorough and validated helps maintain a robust security posture and protects against external threats. 🛡️ Organizations transitioning from traditional VPNs to modern network access solutions can significantly benefit from the strategies and best practices outlined in this guide. Implementing these modern approaches strengthens security and aligns with Zero Trust principles, ensuring a more secure and resilient infrastructure. (Full disclosure: I participated in initial discussions about this guidance before leaving CISA earlier this year. Having been in the networking space for almost 30 years, this type of guidance is critical to help shape discussions on how network security is evolving and supports a Zero Trust mindset in new ways). #ZeroTrust #Technology #CloudComputing #SoftwareEngineering

IMPORTANT READ: This past week, the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology or PCAST (https://lnkd.in/eRJs9t4s) released a report on strengthening the resilience of our nation’s cyber-physical systems. The report is particularly relevant to our Team at the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency where our mission is to lead the national effort to understand, manage, and reduce risk to the cyber and physical infrastructure Americans rely on every hour of every day. Indeed, as the report notes, these systems are the integrated digital and infrastructural resources crucial to our lives, including the electrical grid, water systems, telecommunications, banking, air traffic control, and much more. Kudos to Phil Venables, Eric Horvitz, and team for the great work on this effort. The report's call for more urgent action on cyber-physical resilience is timely and aligns well with the work we're doing at CISA along with our federal, state and local, and industry partners, especially as we consider the very real threats we are facing to our critical infrastructure from PRC cyber actors. Key recommendations are highlighted below, but the report is definitely worth reading in full. In particular, I recommend pages 27-29 which highlights a really useful set of leading indicator metrics, which we plan to incorporate into our Shields Ready campaign. (https://lnkd.in/en_yUpak) 1. Establish performance goals. We recommend that you task CISA, building off its efforts to develop both Cybersecurity Performance Goals and Physical Security Performance Goals, to work with Sector Risk Management Agencies and their Sector Coordinating Councils to create an integrated set of Critical Infrastructure Performance Goals that define minimum viable delivery objectives for services integral to our daily lives. 2. Bolster and Coordinate Research and Development. We recommend that you ask CISA, in partnership with SRMAs and SCCs, to task the National Risk Management Center to develop a National Critical Infrastructure Observatory to enable us to better understand the weaknesses and strengths of our infrastructure. 3. Break Down Silos and Strengthen Government Cyber-Physical Resilience Capacity. We recommend you direct cabinet secretaries of the agencies responsible for our national critical infrastructure to fully resource their SRMAs with greater capabilities to support the cyber-physical resilience goals of our critical infrastructure sectors. 4. Develop Greater Industry, Board, CEO, and Executive Accountability and Flexibility. We recommend you direct CISA to work with SRMAs and SCCs to increase the expectations that boards, CEOs, and other executives, as the owners and operators of our critical infrastructure, contribute more time and resources to ensure infrastructure is reliable and resilient. https://lnkd.in/e_gvxJbu

Why you should join a Cybersecurity Community Cybersecurity can feel like an overwhelming field to break into or grow in, but you don’t have to do it alone either as a professional or beginner. One of the best ways to build your career in this industry is by being part of a community. Whether it’s attending events, volunteering, or joining online groups, communities provide a space to learn, connect, and grow. Here’s what I’ve learned from being part of cybersecurity communities: 1️⃣ Learning from others: You gain insights from those who have been where you want to go- what worked for them, what didn’t, and how to avoid common mistakes. 2️⃣ Networking opportunities: A single connection can open doors to mentorships, jobs, and collaborations that might otherwise take years to find. 3️⃣ Building confidence: Volunteering or participating in events helps you sharpen skills, like public speaking, leadership, or technical abilities, all while contributing to something bigger than yourself. I’ve experienced this firsthand when I volunteered or spoke at events. Not only did it boost my confidence, but it also connected me with incredible people who have helped me grow in my journey. You can take courses, earn certs, and apply for jobs, but being part of a cybersecurity community gives you: ✅ Access to industry professionals ✅ Insider job opportunities ✅ A support system for learning and career growth ✅ Insights into real-world security challenges If you’re starting out or looking to level up, here are a few tips: • Join cybersecurity meetups, webinars, or conferences. There are several global communities you can join: • ISC2 – Look for the chapter in your country or locality. • ISACA – Same as above; they have several local chapters worldwide. • If you’re in the UK, check out Chartered Institute of Information Security and BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT chapters and other local groups. • Find local communities, NGOs, and organizations using LinkedIn, Twitter, and Google search. You can also reach out to people on LinkedIn and ask to join relevant groups and Volunteer at industry events—it’s a great way to meet professionals and gain experience. • Don’t just consume knowledge—contribute! Share your insights, ask questions, and engage in discussions. The cybersecurity world is big, but you’ll always find people willing to support you. So, find your community, lean in, and see how it transforms your career. If you found this useful or know someone looking to get into cybersecurity, share this post with them—it might just be the push they need! #Cybersecurity #CybersecurityCareerGrowth #Networking

I have just been reading the Government’s new Cyber Action Plan... It openly states that cyber risk across the public sector is critically high and that outages and attacks, like the British Library ransomware incident and the Synnovis disruption, are no longer rare events. They’re regular, costly and affecting essential services people rely on every day. What I appreciate most in the report is the honesty: too many systems are old, fragile and inconsistent. Too many teams are left to cope alone. And when something goes wrong, the impact is immediate and real. The plan puts a stronger central model in place, clearer accountability for leaders, proper support for teams, better visibility of risk and a new Government Cyber Unit to drive action. It’s a big cultural shift, moving from siloed effort to “Defend as One.” For those of us working with schools, nurseries, care organisations, councils and other public sector bodies every day, this direction matters. It reinforces what we already see on the ground: cyber resilience isn’t optional infrastructure. It’s the foundation that keeps vital services running. If the public sector succeeds with this, it raises the bar for everyone. Lin in the comments to the full report. #CyberSecurityUK #PublicSectorSecurity #GovCyber #CyberResilience

🔥 Australia just turned up the heat on digital resilience. With the Cyber Security Bill 2024 now passed, compliance is no longer optional—it’s the law.  The newly law that passed both Houses yesterday, pushes all levels of government and public sector entities toward stronger digital resilience. While some may argue we’re behind global standards like GDPR, this legislation lays the groundwork for a unified, proactive approach to cyber risk management. Read details here: https://lnkd.in/gXnBwzqP Key Changes You Need to Know: 1️⃣ Baseline Standards: Mandatory cyber security requirements for all levels of government, setting a uniform defense against growing threats. 2️⃣ Ransomware Transparency: Report ransomware payments within 72 hours to boost national response capabilities. 3️⃣ Supply Chain Security: No more passing the buck - organisations must secure their third-party ecosystems. 4️⃣ Centralised Incident Leadership: A Cyber Incident Review Board and National Cyber Security Coordinator to streamline responses to significant breaches. 5️⃣ Accountability at the Top: Leaders are on the hook, with penalties for non-compliance. What This Means for Decision-Makers: 🔹 Build Resilience: Proactive risk management and regular incident simulations. 🔹 Vendor Partnerships: Choosing secure, compliant vendors isn’t optional anymore. 🔹 Team Readiness: Equip your workforce to meet rigorous reporting and operational requirements. 🔖 The Big Question: Cyber security is now a boardroom conversation. Are your governance frameworks ready for this new era of cyber accountability?

A government agency gets breached. Most people picture sophisticated malware, nation-state hackers tunneling through hardened systems, elite operatives working around the clock to crack enterprise defenses. The reality is far more unsettling. According to a joint advisory released by the UK's NCSC and its partners, China-nexus actors are building covert infrastructure inside your network by quietly compromising routers, firewalls, and IoT devices. This allows China to create a hidden web of access points for espionage and pre-positioned offensive operations against critical infrastructure. As a former FBI counterintelligence operative, this story reads less like a cybersecurity advisory and more like a classic intelligence operation. In the espionage world, we call it a cutout—a layer of separation that shields the true actor and makes attribution difficult, messy, and slow. The compromised router in your server room plays the same role as a mole in a government office. All your edge devices like routers, cameras, and small network appliances that you patched two years ago and forgot about might have become someone else's infrastructure. The traffic looks routine. The access looks legitimate. The operation runs quietly, sometimes for months or years, waiting. In intelligence work, we call that pre-positioning. Your IT team calls it a lifecycle management problem. Both are right. But only one framing gets it fixed. Old edge devices are potential real estate for adversaries who need deniable, persistent access to networks exactly like yours. The advisory is worth reading. The inventory of your edge environment is worth running today. https://lnkd.in/e4eAfj_N #Cybersecurity #ChinaCyber #CriticalInfrastructure #Espionage #NCSC #ThreatIntelligence #CISO #NetworkSecurity NeXasure

As cyberattacks and ransomware incidents continue to pose a significant threat to important installations and government offices, the recent guidelines issued by the IT Ministry's CERT-In are a crucial step towards safeguarding our digital ecosystem. Covering a wide range of security domains, the guidelines emphasize the need for proactive measures across network security, identity and access management, application security, data security, third-party outsourcing, hardening procedures, security monitoring, incident management, and security auditing. By adhering to these practices, organizations can effectively assess their security posture and address any vulnerabilities or weaknesses within their systems. Furthermore, the guidelines highlight the importance of identifying and classifying sensitive/personal data, along with the implementation of encryption measures for data protection both in transit and at rest. Deploying robust data loss prevention (DLP) solutions and processes is also recommended to prevent unauthorized access and potential data breaches. As cybersecurity experts, it is our responsibility to assist organizations in understanding and implementing these guidelines effectively. By collaborating with audit teams and promoting cyber hygiene, we can help organizations bolster their defenses, build resilient systems, and create a safer digital environment for all. The government's commitment to an open, safe, trusted, and accountable digital space is evident through these initiatives. Let us leverage our expertise to support this endeavor, focusing on enhancing capabilities, fortifying systems, fostering human resources, and raising awareness. Together, we can strengthen the cybersecurity landscape and ensure a secure digital future. #Cybersecurity #InformationSecurity #Guidelines #DataLossPrevention #DigitalSafety #DataProtection #DataSecurity #SecureDigitalFuture

I've noticed something during every round of layoffs and budget cuts: When budgets get slashed and teams get reorganized, the first thing that usually goes? Professional development, networking events, and "nice to have" spending. But here's what I've learned after a decade in cybersecurity: The women who weather industry storms best aren't the ones who hunker down and hope for the best... ...They're the ones who double down on community. At events like the Hacker in Heels Salon, magic happens around those tables. Women share intel about hidden job markets. They brainstorm side hustles that could become full businesses. They form partnerships that lead to consulting gigs. Most importantly? They stop seeing each other as competition and start seeing each other as collaborators. When your employer can't guarantee your security, your community becomes your safety net. And those connections you make? They become your customers, your collaborators, your champions when you're ready to bet on yourself instead of waiting for someone else to recognize your worth. The women building wealth in cybersecurity aren't just climbing corporate ladders anymore. They're creating their own opportunities. If your employer won't invest in your networking and development right now, invest in it yourself. Because the women who thrive after layoffs and moments of adversity are the ones who never stopped connecting. #womenincybersecurity #cybersecurity #informationsecurity #boston #cyberjobs

U.S. Agencies Warn Iranian Hackers Are Escalating Attacks on Critical Infrastructure The Federal Bureau of Investigation, National Security Agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and the Department of Energy have jointly warned that Iran-backed hackers are intensifying cyber operations targeting American critical infrastructure amid escalating geopolitical tensions tied to the U.S.-Israel conflict with Iran. According to the advisory, Iranian-linked threat actors are targeting internet-facing industrial systems used in sectors including water utilities, wastewater management, local government operations, and energy infrastructure. Officials stated the attacks have already caused operational disruption and financial losses inside the United States. The hackers reportedly focused on industrial control technologies such as programmable logic controllers and SCADA systems, which manage and automate physical infrastructure operations. These systems are widely used in utilities, manufacturing, energy distribution, transportation, and municipal infrastructure. Compromising them can allow attackers to manipulate operational displays, disrupt services, damage equipment, or interfere with industrial processes. The warning highlights how modern geopolitical conflicts increasingly extend into cyberspace, where state-aligned actors can target civilian infrastructure far from conventional battlefields. Cyber operations provide adversaries with relatively low-cost asymmetric capabilities capable of generating economic disruption, public anxiety, and strategic pressure without direct military confrontation. The advisory also reinforces long-standing concerns about the vulnerability of critical infrastructure systems that were originally designed for operational reliability rather than internet-connected cybersecurity resilience. Many industrial control environments still operate with outdated software, weak segmentation, and limited defensive monitoring capabilities. Government agencies urged organizations to strengthen cybersecurity practices, reduce exposure of internet-facing systems, implement multifactor authentication, monitor anomalous activity, and isolate operational technology networks from broader corporate IT environments whenever possible. Key Takeaways for the material are that Iranian cyber operations are increasingly targeting American infrastructure systems, industrial control technologies remain highly vulnerable attack surfaces, and geopolitical conflict is rapidly expanding into civilian cyber domains. The broader implication is that future warfare may increasingly involve persistent cyber pressure against critical infrastructure rather than traditional battlefield engagements alone. National resilience may depend not only on military strength, but also on the cybersecurity maturity of utilities, municipalities, transportation systems, and industrial networks that underpin modern society. Keith King https://lnkd.in/gHPvUttw

The hard truth about getting into IT or Cybersecurity is this: you’ll have to continually educate yourself, and most of the time, that means outside of work hours. A lot of people just starting out push back when I say that but it’s reality. This isn’t a “learn it once and you’re set” kind of career. The field evolves daily. New tools, new threats, new frameworks, you have to stay adaptable or get left behind. And this isn’t unique to cybersecurity. Doctors, lawyers, and other professionals constantly learn and re-certify too. Continuous education isn’t optional, it’s part of the profession. As Yoda said: “You must unlearn what you have learned.” You won’t absorb everything new to this field between 9 and 5. In this line of work, you’re not dead until you stop learning. That’s why I homelab, tinker, research, read, and attend conferences, even when work doesn’t pay for them (which is another issue entirely). Many of us spend our own time and money because staying sharp is the only way to keep up. And one of the most overlooked parts of growth? Joining communities. I’m active in multiple Discord and Matrix servers, and a few Signal group chats, sometimes I get threat intel from friends before it even hits the ISAC. But don’t stop there! Join local cybersecurity meetups, DEFCON groups, or BSides communities, or even start one if your area doesn’t have one. The people you meet and the knowledge you share will accelerate your growth far beyond what any course can. If you’re serious about building a career in IT or cybersecurity, make peace with lifelong learning and find joy in it. Because in this field, you’re not dead until you stop learning. #Cybersecurity #Infosec #ITCareers #ContinuousLearning #Homelab #ThreatIntelligence #ProfessionalDevelopment #Matrix #Discord #Signal #Community #BSides #DEFCON