TikTok is aiming to diversify the cybersecurity industry with its latest initiative. To make it happen, the social media giant has teamed up with Cyversity — a platform that connects minorities and underrepresented individuals to opportunities — for #SeeYourselfinCyber, according to a blog post. Cybersecurity Ventures revealed that there are more than 3.5 million cybersecurity jobs unfilled. With the new initiative, TikTok will work to not only help bring representation but also will educate and empower. “TikTok is helping us tackle the need for more cybersecurity professionals, specifically in the disproportionate underrepresentation of women and minority populations,” said Beverly Benson, Executive Director at Cyversity , according to the blog post. “Individuals from underserved communities will be able to receive training for in-demand security roles through this innovative program.” The program is set to award 50 students with a scholarship that represents “part of the...

This consultant leveled up his career to tap into cybersecurity and wants to kick open the door for more to follow suit. Demond Cook transformed his finances shifting from corporate security at the National Basketball Association (NBA) to cybersecurity. Finding his footing took time and Demond Cook relied on self-study, networking, and trial and error before securing his first green light. While venturing into the field, Cook recognized a striking disconnect between hiring managers and recruiters in the cybersecurity space. This led to the creation of Cook Consulting Group (CCG) in June of 2020 to address the knowledge gaps. Now, Demond Cook operates as a beacon of hope for others, opening the doors for more minorities looking to venture into the field. “I noticed the disconnect between hiring managers and recruiters in cyber security,” Cook told AfroTech. “Most recruiters have no idea what cyber security professionals do for a living, so I started CCG to bridge the gap. This would...

What’s said to be the world’s most trusted solution for protecting and delivering digital experiences has a new face on its board. According to PR Newswire, Sharon Y. Bowen has joined Akamai’s board of directors effective April 2, 2021. Since December 2017, Bowen has been a member of the board of directors of Intercontinental Exchange, Inc. She also serves on the boards of certain New York Stock Exchange U.S. -regulated exchanges and prior to these roles she served as a commissioner of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission. “It is with great enthusiasm that I join Akamai’s board,” said Bowen in an official news release. “Akamai plays a vital role in maintaining a reliable and secure internet. I look forward to contributing to its future success at this critical moment in history.” Bowen’s professional career began as an attorney. Her practice involved corporate, finance, and securities transactions for financial institutions and large global corporations, including mergers...

At just 22-years-old, this hacker became an accidental digital security hero that saved the world from the worst cyberattack it has ever seen. Marcus Hutchins, a British computer security researcher, discovered the WannaCry ransomware attack in 2017 and used a “kill switch” to stop the escalating attack, which at the time was spreading around the globe, according to The Verge . The U.K. media revealed him to be the person responsible for halting the ransomware contagion, but soon after his reputation as a hero was tainted by accusations of Hutchins making and selling the Kronos banking malware, Tech Crunch reports . He was later arrested by the FBI, according to Wired , as a result of his teenage work on a code that was later used in banking trojan software. So much time had passed since the news broke of his astronomical effort that when Hutchins was approached by the authorities he assumed that they wanted to know more about his work on WannaCry. During his interrogation, Hutchins...

Hackers have hijacked dormant Twitter accounts in an attempt to spread Islamic State propaganda, according to reporting from TechCrunch. The hijacks took place ranging from the last few days to the last few months. Hackers were able to get into the accounts using a decade-old flaw in Twitter’s system that did not previously require email or phone number verifications. In November, Twitter removed 9 million bot and spam accounts to prevent those types of accounts from automatically making news ones. “We made progress preventing spammy or suspicious new account creation by requiring new accounts to confirm either an email address or phone number when they sign up to Twitter, and we improved the detection and removal of previously banned accounts who attempt to evade suspension by creating new accounts,” Twitter said in a quarterly filing after removing the accounts. The latest string of hijackers were able to take over by finding older dormant accounts using expired email addresses....