Cybersecurity Month Highlights: Our 5th Annual Forum, Municipal Summit, STEM Week Events, & More

Cybersecurity Heroes Rule in Massachusetts - Cyber Month Recap

Here's all that Happened!

2023 Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum

2023 Massachusetts Municipal Cybersecurity Summit

2023 STEM Week Cyber Range Event

.406 Ventures/AGC Partners Event

Verizon DBIR Briefing

Bay Path University Cybersecurity Summit

CRMWG TTX Card Game Development

The theme of the 2023 Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month was "Be A Cybersecurity Hero”. This theme highlights cybersecurity best practices in everyday life and rewarding careers in the cybersecurity industry and reminds citizens that they too can become Cybersecurity Heroes. Click here to learn more about the “Be A Cybersecurity Hero” public service announcement.

The Month highlighted the array of stakeholders - educational institutions, businesses, R&D centers, policy leaders, investors, and technology groups - that make up the Massachusetts cybersecurity ecosystem.

Thank you for celebrating Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month with the MassCyberCenter!

2023 Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum

The 7th Massachusetts Cybersecurity Forum held at the Massachusetts State House on October 27th, featured the announcement of a new $2.3 million grant to CyberTrust Massachusetts to support the establishment of Security Operations Centers (SOCs) within Massachusetts. These new SOCs will provide municipalities, non-profits, and small businesses with cybersecurity assessments and monitoring, detection, and response services. The funding will also allow CyberTrust Massachusetts to hire students from affiliated academic organizations to work in the SOCs and provide training, experience, and career development for these young cybersecurity professionals.

The Forum included two panel sessions focused on innovative collaborations in Massachusetts for cyber defense, and how Massachusetts organizations are confronting the cybersecurity implications of artificial intelligence and quantum computing. The event also highlighted the winners of a Capture the Flag Competition organized by CyberTrust Massachusetts for its academic members during October.

In the News

Learn More

Photo Gallery

2023 Massachusetts Municipal Cybersecurity Summit - Providing a Roadmap to Move Forward with Municipal Cybersecurity

Held during the first week of Cybersecurity Month for municipalities across the state, the third annual Massachusetts Municipal Cybersecurity Summit featured keynotes from state and federal leadership, plus sessions focused on resources that can help municipalities achieve a Minimum Baseline of Cybersecurity.

The Summit also highlighted statewide efforts to promote the development of a diverse cybersecurity workforce and advance municipal cybersecurity resiliency through the development of SOCs and Cyber Ranges at colleges and universities.

During the event, local officials were given opportunities to network and collaborate, as well as guidance and information on resources and programs to help them enhance their cyber culture, protect against cyberattacks, and improve their cybersecurity resiliency.

A Passport of Resources was created containing helpful links to resources referenced by the speakers during their presentations and panel discussions.

Learn More!

MassBay Community College STEM Week Cyber Range Challenge Event

On October 18th, the MassCyberCenter joined Massachusetts' Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler and Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy at MassBay Community College for a student cybersecurity challenge which was the official opening of MassBay's new state-supported Cyber Range. The challenge provided MassBay students with hands-on cybersecurity training on the Cyber Range under the guidance of a Meghan Martinez, Director of Cyber Range Programs at CyberTrust Massachusetts.

A grant from the MassCyberCenter to MassBay Community College to support the construction and operation of its Cyber Range was announced at the October 5th Municipal Cybersecurity Summit.

Learn More!

Entrepreneurship Forum Brings Together Cyber Startups and Investors

The teams at .406 Ventures, AGC Partners, and Goodwin Proctor hosted the Massachusetts Cybersecurity Entrepreneurship Forum at District Hall Boston in late October. MassCyberCenter Director John Petrozzelli provided opening remarks at this event, which featured some of the Commonwealth's top cybersecurity entrepreneurs, operators, and investors for an afternoon of robust discussion, panels, and networking.

This year, for the first time, a startup showcase designed to yield the floor to early-stage ideas, in front of an audience of operators and investors was held.

Verizon Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) Briefing

In late October, Damian Cleary from Verizon’s Threat Research Advisory Center partnered with the Commonwealth Fusion Center to provide an overview of their 2023 Data Breach Investigation Report (DBIR) to the Cyber Resilient Massachusetts Working Group and other cybersecurity stakeholders from across the Commonwealth.

Verizon has gathered data and analyzed security incidents for over 16 years and produced the annual DBIR with the goal of providing “a place for security practitioners to look for data-driven, real-world views on what commonly befalls companies with regard to cybercrime.”

To obtain a copy of the 2023 DBIR, please click the button below.

Read the 2023 DBIR

Bay Path University Holds 11th Annual Cybersecurity Summit

Bay Path University held their 11th annual Cybersecurity Summit, “Who's Next? How a Stronger Ecosystem is the First Line of Defense” on Friday, October 13th.

The Summit was headlined with a presentation from CyberTrust Massachusetts CEO, Pete Sherlock, focusing on the current cyber workforce challenges; the efforts to enable and activate new pathways for the talent pipeline; and the innovative cybersecurity approaches for municipalities across the Commonwealth.

More information on Bay Path University’s Cybersecurity Summit can be found here: Update on Bay Path’s 11th Annual Cybersecurity Summit | Bay Path University.

Collaborate with Us!

The Cyber Resilient Massachusetts Working Group (CRMWG) is looking for your help! We are building a free mini tabletop exercise card game, which public and private entities could use to host short tabletop exercises.

Purpose: support the exchange of ideas in response to a notional incident and build awareness
Audience: organizational staff, managers, key decision makers (both within a department and/or across an organization)

We are looking for scenarios, both technical and non-technical, that align with the DHS CISA Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPGs).

Each card will have a 1-2 sentence scenario with 2-3 questions that align with the CPGs. These should be based on past occurrences or recent incidents/events/vulnerabilities. If anyone is interested in submitting a scenario, the form is accessible at the link below.

Click Here

Interactive Map of 2023 Cyber Month Events!

Thank you to all the organizations that made Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month 2023 a success!

Click the image below to find an interactive map that highlights additional event recaps, resources, and media coverage from the Month.

More information about Massachusetts Cybersecurity Month can be found here.

If you have any questions, please contact the MassCyberCenter at MassCyberCenter@masstech.org.