Some of the world’s leading nonprofit cybersecurity firms have joined to launch ‘Nonprofit Cyber,’ as a first-of-its-kind coalition of global organizations to enhance joint action to improve cybersecurity.

All nonprofits, the coalition members serve the public interest by developing, sharing, deploying, and increasing the awareness of cybersecurity best practices, tools, standards, and services.

“I applaud that this consummate consortium of nonprofits has formed to actively protect us against security threats to our digital infrastructure and uphold our open internet, combining their knowledge, skills, and tools for the greatest effect,” said Govind Shivkumar, director of responsible technology at Omidyar Network.

Nonprofit Cyber’s initially focus will address two priorities:

• Building awareness of the work of cybersecurity nonprofits globally, and

• Aligning their work to achieve the greatest effect

Envisioned as a “collaboration-of-equals,” each member organization has committed to work in coordination to better serve Internet users globally.

Coalition members must be a 501(c)(3) or 501(c)(6) nonprofit if organized under U.S. law or hold an equivalent status if organized under the laws of another country.

Nonprofit Cyber is aimed at focusing its efforts on these organizations, rather than lobbying or policy development and advocacy organizations, or industry associations.

The twenty-two founding members of Nonprofit Cyber are as follows:

• The Anti-Phishing Working Group

  • The Anti-Phishing Working Group (APWG) is the international coalition unifying the global response to cybercrime across industry, government, and law-enforcement sectors, and NGO communities. Learn more at https://apwg.org.

• The Center for Internet Security

  • The Center for Internet Security (CIS) makes the connected world a safer place for people, businesses, and governments through our core competencies of collaboration and innovation. Learn more at https://cisecurity.org.

A strong #cyberdefense program is critical in protecting your organization from outside threats, and we’re here to help! #cybersecurity https://t.co/jGZ4NTgEYK

— Center for Internet Security (CIS) (@CISecurity) February 24, 2022

• The Center for Threat-Informed Defense

  • The Center for Threat-Informed Defense (CTID) is a non-profit, privately funded research and development organization whose mission is to advance the state of the art and the state of the practice in threat-informed defense globally. Learn more at https://ctid.mitre-engenuity.org/.

• The Cloud Security Alliance

  • The Cloud Security Alliance (CSA) is the world’s leading organization dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Learn more at https://cloudsecurityalliance.org.

In 2021, a set of extremely critical vulnerabilities affecting SAP applications was collectively dubbed ICMAD (Internet Communication Manager Advanced Desync). In this blog by Onapsis Research Labs, read an overview of the #cloudsecurity report: https://t.co/C7T4pk53pT

— CloudSecurityAlliance (@cloudsa) February 24, 2022

• Consumer Reports

  • Consumer Reports (CR) is an independent, nonprofit member organization that works side by side with consumers for truth, transparency, and fairness in the marketplace. Learn more at https://www.consumerreports.org.

• CREST International

  • CREST International is an international not-for-profit accreditation and certification body that represents and supports the technical information security market. Learn more at https://crest-approved.org.

CREST have developed CMAGE – Cyber Security Maturity Assessment of the Global Ecosystem.

Learn more about using CMAGE, and how the research can help improve a country’s cyber security.

Register for the webinar here: https://t.co/ndiBi3C0WY

— CREST (@CRESTadvocate) February 25, 2022

• The Cyber Defence Alliance

  • The Cyber Defence Alliance (CDA) is a not-for-profit members organization based in London working on behalf of financial institutions to proactively share threat intelligence and expertise to prevent and disrupt cyberattacks, liaise with Law enforcement agencies to target cybercriminal networks, and apprehend the most prolific offenders.

  • The CDA works on a cross-sector basis and with like-minded organizations on an international basis to address the global threat from cybercrime. The CDA also provides a 24/7 incident response capability to support the member organizations and the UK Financial Services Cybercrime Collaboration Centre (FSCCC) during major cyber incidents.

• The CyberPeace Institute

  • The CyberPeace Institute is a nongovernmental organization whose mission is to reduce the harms emanating from cyberattacks on people’s lives worldwide, provide assistance to vulnerable communities and call for responsible cyber behavior, accountability, and cyber peace. At the heart of the CyberPeace Institute’s efforts is the recognition that cyberspace is about people. Learn more at https://cyberpeaceinstitute.org.

.@NonprofitCyber member @CyberpeaceInst Institute is tracking how cyberattacks and operations related the Ukraine are, and have been, targeting critical infrastructure and civilian objects. https://t.co/RupLkWtFgU

— Nonprofit Cyber (@NonprofitCyber) February 25, 2022

• The Cyber Readiness Institute

  • The Cyber Readiness Institute (CRI) mission is to empower small and medium-sized enterprises with free tools and resources to help them become more secure and resilient. Learn more at https://cyberreadinessinstitute.org.

• The Cyber Threat Alliance

  • The Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA) is working to improve the cybersecurity of our global digital ecosystem by enabling near real-time, high-quality cyber threat information sharing among companies and organizations in the cybersecurity field. Learn more at https://www.cyberthreatalliance.org.

• The Cybercrime Support Network

  • The Cybercrime Support Network’s (CSN) mission is to serve individuals and small businesses impacted by cybercrime. Learn more at https://cybercrimesupport.org.

According to the FTC, in 2020, reported losses due to romance scams reached $304 million, a 50% increase from 2019. If you or someone you know has been impacted by a romance scam, register for our upcoming session here: https://t.co/9ggs79qhsz #FightCybercrime #RomanceScam pic.twitter.com/GM3kzxmKyx

— Cybercrime Support Network (@cybersupportnet) February 23, 2022

• The CyberGreen Institute

  • The CyberGreen Institute (CyberGreen) is dedicated to mobilizing a global community of experts, business leaders, and policymakers to revolutionize cybersecurity through the development of a science of Internet Public Health. Learn more at https://www.cybergreen.net.

• The FIDO Alliance

  • The FIDO Alliance is an open industry association with a focused mission: authentication standards to help reduce the world’s over-reliance on passwords. The FIDO Alliance promotes the development of, use of, and compliance with standards for authentication and device attestation. Learn more at https://fidoalliance.org/.

Article: SIM Swapping Attacks Are Soaring, Be on Guard @lifewiretech – #FIDO’s @andrewshikiar explains why using SMS for multi-factor #authentication may be to blame and explores other authn methods consumers should consider for greater security online. https://t.co/50tP0GbiXe

— The FIDO Alliance (@FIDOAlliance) February 25, 2022

• The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams

  • The Forum of Incident Response and Security Teams (FIRST) aspires to bring together incident response and security teams from every country across the world to ensure a safe internet for all. Learn more at https://www.first.org.

• The Global Cyber Alliance

  • The Global Cyber Alliance builds practical, measurable solutions and tools that are easy to use, and works with partners to accelerate adoption around the world. Learn more at https://www.globalcyberalliance.org/.

Today, in collaboration with @PIRegistry, we are excited to announce the GCA Cybersecurity Toolkit for Mission-Based Organizations! This set of free tools, guidance, & training will help organizations take key steps to improve their security. https://t.co/gyirvkfW8R pic.twitter.com/orcEriX3CA

— GlobalCyberAlliance (@GlobalCyberAlln) February 1, 2022

• The National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance

  • The National Cyber Forensics and Training Alliance (NCFTA) was established in 2002 as a nonprofit partnership between private industry, government, and academia. The NCFTA provides a neutral environment for operational collaboration in the ongoing effort to identify, mitigate, and disrupt cybercrime. Learn more at https://www.ncfta.net.

• The National Cybersecurity Alliance

  • The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCA) advocates for the safe use of all technology and educates everyone on how best to protect ourselves, our families, and our organizations from cybercrime. Learn more at www.staysafeonline.org.

• The Open Web Application Security Project

  • The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a nonprofit foundation that works to improve the security of software. Through community-led open-source software projects, hundreds of local chapters worldwide, tens of thousands of members, and leading educational and training conferences, the OWASP Foundation is the source for developers and technologists to secure the web. Learn more at https://owasp.org.

He’s BACK! Join @a0xnirudh for this 100% hands-on deep dive into the #OWASP Security Testing Guide and relevant items of the OWASP Application Security Verification Standard (ASVS). This course covers and goes beyond the OWASP Top Ten! REGISTER NOW https://t.co/Z9m2wdDBTN pic.twitter.com/fVkOYwksSc

— owasp (@owasp) February 25, 2022

• SAFECode

  • SAFECode is a global industry forum where business leaders and technical experts come together to exchange insights and ideas on creating, improving, and promoting scalable and effective software security programs. Learn more at https://safecode.org.

• The Shadowserver Foundation

  • The Shadowserver Foundation’s (Shadowserver) mission is to make the Internet more secure by bringing to light vulnerabilities, malicious activity, and emerging threats. Learn more at https://shadowserver.org.

• Sightline Security

  • Sightline Security is a nonprofit security organization whose mission is to equip, empower, and support global nonprofits to navigate and embed cybersecurity into their organizations with confidence—founded to address the lack of cybersecurity adoption in the nonprofit sector by offering a holistic, business, and community-centric approach designed to embrace cybersecurity best practices. At Sightline, there is a world where nonprofits have the confidence, knowledge, and business acumen to stay protected in a digital world. Learn more at https://sightlinesecurity.org.

Sightline Security is proud to be a part of @NonprofitCyber, a first-of-its-kind coalition of global nonprofit organizations to enhance joint action to improve cybersecurity! pic.twitter.com/gbZi9CG04x

— Sightline Security (@Sightline_Sec) February 23, 2022

• #ShareTheMicInCyber

  • #ShareTheMicInCyber (#STMIC) is an online movement to address issues stemming from systemic racism in cybersecurity. The social media campaign highlights the experiences of Black practitioners in this field, catalyzes a critical conversation on race in the industry, and shines a light on Black practitioners’ accomplishments to showcase them as experts in their fields all while creating professional opportunities and bringing the cyber community together. Learn more at www.sharethemicincyber.com.

Philip Reitinger, President & CEO of the Global Cyber Alliance (GCA) and Tony Sager, Senior VP & Chief Evangelist, Center for Internet Security (CIS) will serve as co-chairs as the organization begins operations.

“A large number of nonprofits that focus on cybersecurity implementation are working within their own areas of action toward the joint goal of improving cybersecurity, but the lack of coordination and communication among them can lead to inefficiency and duplication of effort,” explained Reitinger.

“Better communication and collaboration among these groups will enable programmatic and opportunistic action to improve cybersecurity.”

“Cybersecurity nonprofits create and sustain essential resources that touch every enterprise and every person,” added Sager.

“And many are natural ‘integration engines,’ bringing together people and ideas across the public and private sectors, technical disciplines, industry sectors, and national borders.”

“Our goal with Nonprofit Cyber is to collaboratively align our individual strengths into a collective force for good, taking positive action for the entire cyber ecosystem.”

Key stakeholders were quick to welcome the creation of Nonprofit Cyber.

“At CISA, we know that government has an important role in building our collective defense and that we can’t do it alone; cyber is a team sport and we look forward to partnering with Nonprofit Cyber on this mission,” said Kiersten Todt, Chief of Staff for the U.S. federal agency, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

“The launch of Nonprofit Cyber is an important step in aggregating the tools and resources of global non-profits and making them available to organizations of all sizes, especially small businesses, which are often the target of malicious actors.”

“CISA looks forward to collaborating with Nonprofit Cyber to help our nation, and the world, raise the cybersecurity baseline and promote global resilience.”

“Non-profits have an important role to play in helping set expectations in cyber security hygiene and providing tools that can help organisations of all sizes,” said the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) Technical Director Dr Ian Levy.

“I’m really happy to see these great organizations coming together under ‘Nonprofit Cyber’ to be better coordinated and to maximize the impact they can have in helping the global cyber security mission.”

“Public-private-nonprofit cooperation, including internationally, is at the core of the NCSC-Netherlands’ work,” said Hans de Vries, Director of the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-NL) in the Netherlands.

“We, therefore, welcome this initiative, for it can help to bolster the fabric of understanding, sharing, and cooperating during incidents and in general improve cyber governance.”

“We will seek to support this new initiative from day one.”

“When it comes to cyber security, collaboration is key. Government, industry, academia, and non-profits all have a part to play, and the more we coordinate with each other, the more effective we will be,” said Sami Khoury, Head of the Canadian Centre for Cyber Security (Cyber Centre).

“The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security supports the stated goal of Nonprofit Cyber which will undoubtedly help raise the cyber security bar across Canada, and around the world.”

“A key part of the Office of the National Cyber Directors’s core mission is to improve federal coherence in cyber policy, action and doctrine, and to promote future resilience in the cyber ecosystem,” said Chris Inglis, Director of the U.S. Office of National Cyber and advisor to the President of the United States on cybersecurity.

“Given its importance to the entire cyber ecosystem, it is very encouraging to see this nonprofit community’s initiative to promote coherence and align their work for the benefit of all.”

“With the unprecedented rise in cybercrimes associated with greater use of technology during the pandemic, the need for expert support for users to defend themselves has never been greater,” said Kelly Born, Director of the Cyber Initiative at the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation.

“There are great nonprofits working to support cyber defense, and too often their efforts go uncoordinated due to lack of resources. Nonprofit Cyber is a much needed step in the right direction of enabling greater collaboration in this critical field.”

“Everyone must be able to protect themselves, their family, and their businesses from cyber threats,” said Craig Newmark, founder of craigslist and head of Craig Newmark Philanthropies.

“Nonprofits play a critical role in ensuring that is possible, filling the gaps between what governments and companies do.”

“Aligning the activity of these organizations is an important step toward protecting society and human rights.”

“There is a huge cybersecurity non-profit ecosystem attempting to educate the general public about the need of protecting their data, as well as bring more people to this career field,” said Ron Gula of the Gula Tech Foundation.

“Coordination of the efforts of cybersecurity nonprofits by Nonprofit Cyber will dramatically increase the effectiveness and impact of this critical endeavor.”

Nonprofit Cyber welcomes applications for new members that work to implement best practices and solutions at scale, and information on joining Nonprofit Cyber can be found at nonprofitcyber.org.

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American Security Today’s Annual ‘ASTORS’ Awards is the preeminent U.S. Homeland Security Awards Program, and now entering its Seventh Year, continues to recognize industry leaders of Physical and Border Security, Cybersecurity, Emergency Preparedness – Management and Response, Law Enforcement, First Responders, as well as federal, state and municipal government agencies in the acknowledgment of their outstanding efforts to Keep our Nation Secure.

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• PWPORG (Preparedness Without Paranoia) is a 501(c)(3) built by law enforcement and security industry practitioners and educators to provide educational resources to kids, families, and communities on safety and emergency preparedness.

• PWPORG is proactively taking action to introduce the children and families in our communities, to skills and educational resources on safety and emergency preparedness, that when learned and practiced, will last for a lifetime.

• Guided by Dr. Kathleen Kiernan, a 29-year veteran of Federal Law Enforcement and President of NEC National Security Systems, the nonprofit PWPORG was created to educate, engage and empower families and kids on issues of preparedness and resiliency to create a safer world, free of active threats and human traffickers.

(Learn about how YOU can Make a Difference in the lives of our Nation’s Children and Families. Be a Superhero, Make a Donation and Make a Difference by helping to support Preparedness Without Paranoia and Parents with Preparedness Magazine. Courtesy of Kiernan Group Holdings and YouTube.)