Cayman Islands Government Cyber Threat Intelligence Manager, Mr. Shemar Lindsay recently had the opportunity to address the youth of the Cayman Islands at the 2024 CaymanTech Youth Conference & Hackathon, held on July 17th and 18th.
Held at the new Signal House at Cayman Enterprise City, Mr. Lindsay’s engaging session, marked by a memorable interview with 13-year-old Ms. Sierra, captivated the audience and highlighted the importance of cybersecurity awareness.
The two-day event offered a comprehensive array of engaging opportunities, including:
• Educational Sessions: Industry experts shared insights on emerging technologies such as blockchain, AI, and cybersecurity.
• Workshops: Hands-on workshops provided practical skills and knowledge in various tech fields.
• Hackathon: Participants collaborated to brainstorm, develop, and pitch innovative solutions to real-world problems, competing for exciting prizes.
• Networking: Attendees connected with professionals, mentors, and peers to explore potential career paths.
During his session, Shemar addressed several crucial cybersecurity topics for the younger audience including:
1. How Hackers Access Social Media Accounts:
o Lindsay illustrated common tactics, such as weak passwords and the lack of two-factor authentication, which hackers exploit to take over accounts.
2. Understanding Two-Factor Authentication:
o He explained this additional security layer that generates a code, changing every few minutes, typically sent via text or an app.
3. Safe Online Posting Practices:
o Lindsay warned against sharing sensitive information like current locations, inappropriate photos, and personal documents, emphasizing the potential risks, including robbery or kidnapping.
4. Handling Suspicious Links:
o He advised against clicking unknown links and recommended using the site www.virustotal.com to verify their safety, or manually searching for the information using a secure browser.
5. Risks of Public WiFi:
o Lindsey cautioned that public WiFi, even with a password, is unsafe due to potential hacker access. He recommended using a client VPN software, to protect against such threats.
The session concluded with a quiz, rewarding students who correctly answered questions about two-factor authentication, safe online posting practices, and the use of security tools such as, client VPN and open-source checks on the legitimacy of a website.
Reflecting on his experience, Mr. Lindsay shared, “I really enjoyed the interview. The kids were engaged and had lots of intelligent questions to ask around the topics discussed. The Cayman Enterprise City Signal House was a beautiful facility and I was pleased to see the kids having access to it. Special thanks to Kendra Okonski, Kathryn Corkish, and Rhonda Eldridge for the invitation and their assistance with preparation for the interview.”
Director & Chief Information Security Officer, Pamela Greene, shared this about the event, “The adoption of digitization and technology has significantly improved how our Government delivers services to the public and businesses. Our continued adoption of new and emerging technologies, such as Generative AI, Internet of things (loTs), and more, will undoubtedly provide exciting career opportunities for young Caymanians. Thank you to the conference organisers and the young attendees - we hope you will consider careers in Technology and Cyber Security, which is essential for safeguarding our digital future.”
The 2024 CaymanTech Youth Conference & Hackathon was a resounding success, inspiring the next generation of tech enthusiasts and providing them with the tools and knowledge to navigate the ever-evolving digital landscape safely and effectively.
About Cyber Security Office:
The Cyber Security Unit protects, defends and strengthens the Cayman Islands Government’s cyber security capability, its online services and digital assets. Maintains and promotes trust and confidence in the jurisdiction globally, and increases awareness and understanding of cybersecurity in the community.
For information on cybersecurity best practices, we encourage you to visit: www.gov.ky/cybersafe/ .
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