CyberShare 2023 Accomplishments
- Blain Tesfaye, Policy Analyst
Eight broadband providers joined CyberShare bringing the total number of member companies to 96 and individual participants to 282. Participants include up to three employees per company from both NTCA members and other small broadband providers. CyberShare’s value increases every time another small broadband provider joins and shares its experience and expertise with participants.
CyberShare participants learned about a serious vulnerability impacting their equipment before the details were released by the manufacturer. Through the daily threat reports and weekly technical analysis, including time-sensitive, urgent information about data breaches, CyberShare participants received critical information regarding cybersecurity vulnerabilities in software and hardware.
CyberShare launched a new website where participants can access threat assessments, technical reports and other critical resources to enhance their cybersecurity posture.
In the past year, during CyberShare’s twice-monthly calls, participants heard from industry leaders and government experts on critical topics like the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Guidance for Supply Chain Risk Management, the NIST Cybersecurity Framework, ransomware, phishing and distributed denial-of-service attacks, security patching and vulnerabilities, cyber insurance, policy trends and more.
CyberShare partnered with ACA Connects, the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA), NTCA–The Rural Broadband Association (NTCA), the Rural Wireless Association (RWA) and WISPA–Broadband Without Boundaries to host the 2023 CyberShare Summit, marking the first time these organizations, which serve small broadband providers across the country via a variety of technologies, have worked together to provide a forum to discuss cybersecurity best practices and the latest vulnerabilities facing network operators.
During the CyberShare Summit, CISA hosted a half-day cybersecurity tabletop exercise where attendees participated in threat simulation and worked collaboratively in small groups to determine action steps and response plans.