Strategies for engaging with the cybersecurity community

You have learned a lot about the security field, from the origins of security and its importance to organizations around the world to recognizing security incidents and communicating with stakeholders. 

Security is a rapidly evolving industry, so it’s important to stay up-to-date on the latest news and trends. This reading will focus on how to stay engaged with the cybersecurity community after completing this program.

Security organizations and conferences

Attending security conferences and joining organizations gives you the opportunity to gain knowledge from seasoned professionals who are constantly seeking out new ways to improve on their security strategies and techniques.  

Find the right organization 

What security organization should you join? This question depends on your specific interest in security. Are you someone who wants to focus on reacting to security incidents or preventing them from happening? Are you interested in forensic security or data logging? Do you have aspirations of being a CISO one day? It’s important to have a clear understanding of what your interests are before you narrow down your search for a cybersecurity organization or conference. 

Begin the search 

Once you understand what your interests are, do a web search for organizations or conferences in your area. For example, you can type in “incident response cybersecurity conferences in my area.” This search will give you a list of cybersecurity conferences focused on incident response. If you’re interested in forensic security, you can type “forensic security organizations in my area” or a similar phrase into your web search engine. No matter what your interests are, you can do a web search online to find a cybersecurity organization or conference focused on that area.   

Use social media 

Social media is another great way to find cybersecurity organizations or conferences. LinkedIn

®, for example, is a social media platform that connects business professionals with one another. You can use LinkedIn® to find security groups or organizations to join. In the LinkedIn® search bar, you can try search queries such as:

• “Incident response cybersecurity groups” 

•  “Organizations for cybersecurity analysts” 

 Be aware of social engineering 

While social media is a good way to connect with other professionals in the security industry, it’s also important to be mindful that hackers use social media to trick users into giving up private information. You've previously learned that social engineering is a manipulation technique that exploits human error to gain private information, access, or valuables. To protect yourself from social engineering when using social media to find resources, always remember not to click on unexpected links or attachments sent from unfamiliar users on social media.

Mailing lists for security  

Another great way to stay connected with the security industry is to sign up for different cybersecurity mailing lists. These mailing lists send out information periodically on various security topics. The Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) offers two cybersecurity mailing lists for you to join:

• A list focused on security threat information, best practices for cybersecurity, and analysis from CISA’s domestic and international security partners

• A list providing weekly summaries of new vulnerabilities that might pose a risk to an organization’s network

Key takeaways

Attackers are always developing new ways to compromise corporate and personal data from users. Cybersecurity organizations and conferences are a great way for security professionals to stay up-to-date on the latest news, tools, and trends in the industry. Be sure to find organizations that align with your security interests.