White Hat Conference Recap
The 2021 International White Hat Conference was held June 1–2, hosted by Boston University Metropolitan College’s Criminal Justice Graduate Programs and the Center for Cybercrime Investigation & Cybersecurity, and gathering more than 1,300 virtual attendees from across the globe, all dedicated to the cause of ethical hacking and combatting the modern scourge of online crime.
Sponsored by a grant from the US Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance and in collaboration with Utica College, the event was part of a large-scale effort to upskill criminal justice practitioners worldwide with the digital forensics capabilities needed to lead successful investigations and meet the growing threats and challenges of cybercrime.
Now in its second year, the international conference drew guest speakers and cyber specialists from a total of 15 countries—Argentina, Bolivia, Cambodia, Canada, Colombia, Egypt, France, Hungary, Mexico, Peru, Singapore, South Korea, Spain, Switzerland, and the US—each dedicated to connecting higher education resources with the real-world cybersecurity, computer forensics, and digital evidence needs of federal, local, and state law enforcement agencies.
With “The Future of Cybercrime and Its Challenges: Innovative Solutions Against Cybercrime” as the theme, experts from roles across government and private industry shared their key knowledge to combatting the evolving issues, delving into urgent matters like the relationship between private enterprise and government oversight and penalty as it relates to the field.
The conference brought a spirit of collaboration to cyber investigation and prevention, highlighted by a “hackathon.” The White Hat Cybercrime Investigation Competition offered teams of college students, practitioners, and legal authorities the chance to showcase their practical cyber-detective skills over 24 hours. In the controlled cyber forensics case study, designed to reward synchronicity between digital forensics practices and legal considerations, a suspect had hacked into a financial institution using ransomware to demand payments, and teams were given a single machine with which to find their mark.
Working deep into the evening, successful teams probed and treated every piece of information with a healthy amount of suspicion, making sure to utilize all available resources, like tech and case manager support. In the end, nine of the sixteen teams were able to complete the challenge, with teams representing Hungary, Cambodia, and South Korea finishing with top marks.
“They really came on strong also in the wee hours of the night,” explained Ismael Morales, director of the competition and assistant professor of cybersecurity at Utica College. “It showed their grit; their motivation. They stayed with it. And it set an example.”
Providing the keynote address was Sean Donnelly (MET’18), a MET Master of Science in Computer Information Systems graduate recently named to Forbes’ prestigious 2021 “30 Under 30” list of entrepreneurs on the rise and the founder and CEO of modular cybersecurity training firm Resolvn.
Donnelly offered lessons on means for overcoming technical skill gaps, different digital forensics disciplines, and knowledge sources for ongoing security technical information. But perhaps his most resonant message was his observation on what qualities bring success in the field.
“Throughout the hundreds of technical cybersecurity professionals I’ve met and led throughout my career, all of the really good ones shared two character traits: curiosity and motivation,” Donnelly told the audience.
Those qualities were in no short order across the White Hat Conference. Visit here to view the full 2021 International White Hat Conference proceedings.