Jocelyn Becerril, MS Cybersecurity, CSM, SSM

🎙️ ISC2 New Jersey Chapter's New Episode of Unencrypted Chatter — Stan Mierzwa on Building Cyber Talent How do we prepare the next generation of cybersecurity professionals for a world where human skills matter just as much as technical ones? In this episode, host Aaron Kraus 🍪 talks with Stan Mierzwa, Ph.D., CISSP, Director of the Center for Cybersecurity at Kean University, about his journey from IT support to higher education and how he’s shaping tomorrow’s cyber talent. They discuss the importance of communication, composure, and adaptability — the non-technical skills that can make or break a cybersecurity team — and what the rise of quantum computing could mean for the field. 🎧 Now streaming live on Spotify and YouTube! 👉 Watch here: https://lnkd.in/e76YhzzF #UnencryptedChatter #CyberTalent #CyberEducation #KeanUniversity #HumanFactor #CyberSkills #CybersecurityPodcast #LeadershipInCyber #ISC2ChapterNJ #BoldlyForward

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The stories coming out of Black Hat 2025 remind us that cybersecurity is bigger than any one career path—it is a community. Challenges like bias, imposter syndrome, and underrepresentation are real, but so is the opportunity to lift each other up. Sharing knowledge, mentoring, and creating spaces for connection strengthens the entire field. The more we support diverse voices, the stronger and more resilient our cybersecurity community becomes. 🔗 https://lnkd.in/e4XdQDSj #DiversityInCybersecurity #Inclusivity

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Most people don’t struggle in their careers because they lack talent. They struggle because they lack visibility. This week, I had the privilege of speaking at Northeastern University at their "Spring 2026 Industry Leader Speaker Series", about something I deeply care about, Cybersecurity Careers. And here’s the truth I shared with them: When I was graduating, I didn’t even know cybersecurity was a real, viable, powerful career path. No one explained: • How broad the field really is • How you can pivot into it • How valuable security thinking becomes in every industry • How resilient it is — especially in uncertain markets Right now, students are navigating one of the most unpredictable job markets in recent years. Layoffs. Hiring freezes. AI disruption. Noise everywhere. In times like this, clarity becomes leverage. Cybersecurity isn’t just “another tech job.” It sits at the intersection of business risk, engineering depth, and strategic decision-making. Organizations can pause product launches. They can slow hiring. They cannot ignore security. What made this session even more meaningful was the feedback. The engagement was thoughtful. The questions were sharp. And the energy in the room was incredible. It was reassuring to see so many students curious, proactive, and willing to explore a path that isn’t always visible during graduation. If even one student walked away realizing, “There’s a path here for me”, then it was worth it. To everyone navigating uncertainty right now — especially students: You don’t need perfect timing. You need informed direction. And sometimes, exposure changes everything. I am grateful to Erin Macri, Dr. Maricla Pirozzi Quartey ,CALC, Dr. Kal Bugrara, and Northeastern University for the opportunity — and for the amazing feedback that made it even more special. #Cybersecurity #CloudSecurity #InformationSecurity #SecurityEngineering #DevSecOps #CyberCareers #TechCareers #Students #EarlyCareer #STEMCareers #Mentorship

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ICMYI: Earlier this week, DFS released cybersecurity guidance addressing the risks associated with third-party service providers. This guidance clarifies existing obligations for regulated entities and establishes best practices for mitigating cyber risks.   Details from PYMNTS: https://lnkd.in/dJNBt_SJ

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📢 [News Release] The Public Can Now Test Public-Facing State of Maryland IT Systems With New Vulnerability Disclosure Program Today, the State of Maryland has implemented a new cybersecurity program that gives security researchers and the general public a legal pathway to report cybersecurity vulnerabilities in web-facing State of Maryland IT systems and websites. Vulnerability Disclosure Programs (VDPs) are widely used by the federal government and private sector to identify vulnerabilities before threat actors use them to breach IT systems and websites. While some state governments have limited VDPs, the State of Maryland’s is one of the most aggressive state government VDPs in the nation. Most state VDPs cover specific agencies–Maryland’s covers all state and local systems and domains on networkMaryland™, the State’s fiber optic network, which currently has 137 public sector subscribers, including state, county, and local government organizations. “Threat actors are constantly expanding their arsenal of tools and tactics to breach state and local systems–the State of Maryland must be proactive and aggressive in our response,” says Maryland Department of Information Technology Secretary Katie Savage. “This VDP will help us find vulnerabilities across our state and help us keep the State of Maryland’s systems, services, and data secure.” Security Researchers and the general public must follow specific instructions within the program to report vulnerabilities legally. The program has restrictions and disclosure guidelines that protect Marylanders' security and privacy. This VDP applies to all web-facing systems and services that are publicly accessible and either: Use state-managed domain names like *.maryland.gov, *.md.gov, or *.state.md.us Connect to the state’s secure government network, networkMaryland™. This includes: Executive Branch state agencies Several local governments, commissions, and public entities across Maryland Certain eligible non-state organizations that use state IT infrastructure or domains “If you see something, say something,” says Acting State Chief Information Security Officer James Saunders. “The State of Maryland welcomes all good-faith security researchers to test our systems. Thank you in advance for using your expertise, ingenuity, and for helping protect the State of Maryland and our people.” The public can access the State of Maryland VDP here: https://lnkd.in/eiysxcbp #SeeSomethingSaySomething #VDP

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