Author: Amanda Fortner

Amanda Fortner is the managing editor of the United States Cybersecurity Magazine. Ms. Fortner has edited the Magazine since January 2015, and has written 10 articles. While not a tech person by training, cybersecurity and technology have long been a pet interest, and she has experience providing IT support to small enterprise environments. Ms. Fortner graduated from Bryn Mawr College in 2013 with an honors degree in English, and now lives in Baltimore.

From the Fall 2016 Issue

Counting Down from Zero

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

“Zero-day.”  The word is enough to strike fear into the hearts of even the most seasoned cyber-warriors. If a zero-day vulnerability has been uncovered in the system they’re supposed to be defending, all of their training and preparation, their work hardening the network to attacks, has been rendered null and void. There’s no point in … Read more

From the Summer 2016 Issue

Eyes on the Inside: Combating the Insider Threat

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Jim Mazotas would never forget the call. His company was doing a vulnerability audit for a medium-sized university which suspected its admins of misconduct. The work had started on a Friday, and would continue for the entire weekend; he got the call on Sunday night. “[My team] said, ‘You need to come over here,’” Mazotas … Read more

From the Spring 2016 Issue

What’s Next for Cybersecurity in Maryland?

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

When asked about his recent transition from Garrison Commander at Fort George G. Meade to Director of Cyber Development in the Maryland Department of Commerce (previously the Maryland Department of Business and Economic Development), Ken McCreedy laughed and said, “It’s been a whirlwind.” The retired U.S. Army colonel has taken on this prestigious role in … Read more

From the Spring 2016 Issue

Read This Before You Get Hacked Again

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Review: Hacked Again, Scott N. Schober, 2015 The cover of Scott N. Schober’s book, Hacked Again, informs us that “It can happen to anyone – even a cybersecurity expert”. While this tagline is clearly meant to grab a potential reader’s attention, it also happens to be true. The recent wave of high-profile data breaches confirms … Read more

From the Winter 2016 Issue

Swipe Right for Cyber

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

It’s beginning to be a universally acknowledged truth that cybersecurity is a necessity for every organization, from top-secret government bureaus to local bars. Thanks to its harmonious convergence of government agencies, top-notch educational institutions and booming business development efforts, Maryland is uniquely positioned to succeed in the cybersecurity arena. All it needs is a little … Read more

From the Winter 2016 Issue

Building a Cyber Lifecycle: The CyberTexas Foundation

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

The creation of a cyber warrior involves every element of an individual’s community: the schools that train them, the businesses that hire them, and the government that develops, enables, and protects the infrastructure necessary to sustain this evolution. But it’s not some neat assembly-line process, each budding cyber expert moving from school to work to … Read more

From the Fall 2015 Issue

California Gold: Cybersecurity’s Emerging Epicenter

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

A Truth Universally Acknowledged  That cybersecurity is a necessity for individuals, organizations, and governments across all nations and walks of life is easy enough to agree upon. “Cybersecurity has no boundaries,” explained Alberto Yepez, a Managing Director at Trident Capital and member of the California Cybersecurity Task Force’s Economic Development Subcommittee. “It’s a global problem. … Read more

From the Fall 2015 Issue

Securing Social: ZeroFOX’s Approach to Cybersecurity in the Facebook Age

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

What’s the most populous country in the world? China, with 1.36 billion people? India, with 1.25 billion? If you answered either of those countries, you’re wrong. The most populous country boasts 1.49 billion people, has only been around since 2004, and you yourself are probably a citizen.1 Guessed it yet? It’s Facebook. According to the … Read more

From the Summer 2015 Issue

BRIDGING THE CYBER TALENT GAP, IASCA

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Passionate about a Problem Montana Williams has been described before as a cyber-evangelist, and after only a few minutes of speaking to him it’s easy to see why. His passion for cybersecurity, technology, and workforce development has taken him from a pivotal role in our nation’s nascent stages of cyber-warfare and cybersecurity to becoming one … Read more

From the Spring 2015 Issue

Small Business Big Threats: Cybersecurity in Small Enterprise EnvironmentsUnited

Author(s):

Amanda Fortner, Managing Editor, United States Cybersecurity Magazine

Megan Clark, Help Desk Technician, Bryn Mawr College

Cybersecurity may not seem like a priority for many small enterprise environments – after all, you’re small. Who would want to hack, phish, or spam you? But small enterprise environments face just as much, if not more, threat as large corporations. You need only look at recent news to see why small businesses may be … Read more