NJCCIC Kicks Off Cybersecurity Awareness Month, CyberStart America Competition in October; The Evolving Trend of 'Infostealers’; FEMA, FCC to Conduct Nationwide Test of Emergency and Wireless Alert Systems Oct. 4

With the onset of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell is ramping up efforts to promote the nation’s leading cyber competition, along with cyber safety across the Garden State this October and beyond.

CYBERSECURITY AWARENESS MONTH

New Jersey’s observance runs parallel to the national Cybersecurity Awareness Month campaign, an initiative that’s marking its 20th anniversary in 2023. The federal Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency leads the initiative, and this year, will encourage individuals and organizations to take personal responsibility and ownership of their role as it pertains to cyber safety. In step with the national campaign’s objectives, the NJCICC, a division of the New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness, is urging the public to implement a few resiliency-building cyber hygiene practices, to include using strong passwords, enabling multifactor authentication, updating software and recognizing and reporting phishing incidents. 

CYBERSTART AMERICA COMPETITION

This week, the NJCCIC also announced an Oct. 16 start date for the National Cyber Scholarship Foundation and SANS Institute-sponsored CyberStart America competition. This no-cost annual online cybersecurity talent search invites students in grades nine through 12 to develop their cybersecurity and computer science abilities while competing for prizes and recognition for their schools, as well as individual scholarships. Competitors hailing from all skill and knowledge levels work on their own or in collaboration with their class or school club to solve cybersecurity-related puzzles. CyberStart America exposes those students to such topics as code breaking, programming, networking and digital forensics. The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation anticipates awarding the top 1,000 CyberStart America players a scholarship for the SANS Foundation course and one attempt at the GIAC Foundational Cybersecurity Technologies certification valued at over $3,000. A limited number of top performers in the GFACT certification exam will have the chance to apply for further scholarships to cover additional SANS training courses and certifications. In 2022, 2,884 students from 231 New Jersey high schools participated, and of the 395 National Cyber Scholarship semifinalists from New Jersey, 18 were named scholars with honors. Participants can register up until the final day of the competition, March 15, 2024, at cyberstartamerica.org.

For further information on cyber best practices and incident reporting or to sign up for a free NJCCIC membership, which includes cyber-related updates, advisories and newsletters, visit cyber.nj.gov.

The New Jersey Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Cell observed multiple attempts to deliver “infostealers” – information-stealing malware – to New Jersey State employees. Cyber criminals use infostealers on computers and phones to locate and exfiltrate data. The malware is then delivered through phishing emails that contain malicious links or attachments. They also employ non-phishing methods, including malvertising campaigns, search engine optimization poisoning and brute force attacks. In one recent campaign, threat actors attempted to deliver AgentTesla malware using a PDF document that purports to be an unpaid invoice for Drake Software, a legitimate tax software company. The PDF contains a link that, if clicked, initiates multiple scripts to download and execute the infostealer. The NJCCIC advises users to refrain from clicking links or opening attachments in unexpected emails. If unsure of the legitimacy of a message, contact the sender using a separate means of communication, such as by phone, before taking action. Visit the NJCCIC’s website for more information, including additional campaigns.

Cell phones, televisions and radios in New Jersey and across the country will sound off Oct. 4. The widespread notification is a test of the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Federal Communications Commission’s Emergency Alert System and Wireless Emergency Alert. The EAS portion of the two-part test will begin at 2 p.m., affect televisions and radios and last about a minute with the following message: “This is a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System, issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, covering the United States from 14:20 to 14:50 hours ET. This is only a test. No action is required by the public.” During the WEA notification to cellphones, users will receive one test text in either English or Spanish with the message: “This is a Test of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.” Broadcast towers will carry out the tests for about 30 minutes. The government is testing the systems to determine their effectiveness in sending nationwide messages in the event of an emergency. Should widespread severe weather or another significant event occur, the testing will take place Oct. 11.