Calling All Cybersecurity Experts - creating a cybersecurity corps!

We are pulling together all cybersecurity experts and professionals, from programmers to policy-types, educators to military to create a massive and powerful group in the US. (Others are welcome too!) I want to thank so many of you whom have already reached out via email, cell and inmails! I understand your need for confidential communications, but if you can, comment here. It will help bring your followers, friends and supporters to the post too. And share it, please!

I am a child of the sixties. When we weren't marching on Washington (I was proudly tear-gassed), burning our bras or draftcards, wearing granny-glasses or threatening to blow up buildings on campus, we joined the Peace Corps. We got to see the world, help others and show the world that we were more than a world power. We had heart.

Villages had clean water, children had healthcare and our young people learned so much at the same time. It served a valuable and compelling need at a time the world needed to see that we could do more than throw money at a problem. Those who served served proudly. They came home better people. They became better Americans. And the world, for many individuals, was better because they served.

As Americans, we are never as good at helping our own as we are helping others. Our war against poverty, illiteracy and trafficking is fought harder and better funded when we do it in Asia, Africa and other far regions around the world than if we do it in New York, Texas, Florida or Louisiana. Not sure why, but perhaps fixing things next door isn't as glamorous as fixing them around the world. Perhaps we wear blinders when looking at our own failings in our own country.

Post-election, many promoted various courses, depending on the candidate you supported. Move to Canada. (I am married to a Canadian and have two houses there, if you are looking to buy waterfront property and learn how to play hockey. :-)) Complain. Complain more. Say nasty things about Republicans. Say nasty things about Democrats. Blame Comey, Putin, Twitter, Bill or Brexit.

I humbly suggest that we have another course of action. We do something more. Something better. I suggest we look at our problems here at home and address them. While traveling to far destinations might be more fun, rarely will you find a more valuable way to use your expertise.

I can't dig a well, teach a village to improve their power sources or vaccinate children. But, I am good at bringing people together to address a challenge.

And you can code, decrypt, encrypt, wire, intrude, strategize, analyze policy, develop procedures and design processes, evaluate laws and identify gaps in existing laws, communicate, promote, lobby, build, demolish, forecast, translate and become a diplomat and ambassador for digital best practices, cybersecurity and privacy.

We can work from our current desks, mobiles and kitchens. We can help protect ourselves and our nation against cyberattacks from without and within.

By working together in our own cybersecurity corps we will contribute to our national security and the security of the world. We will address risks of hacking self-driving cars, pacemakers, our financial credentials, our home digital devices, our health records and our power grids. We will prevent attacks and learn from those that get by our defenses. We will stop interference with our electoral process and national integrity.

We expand existing ethical hacker degree programs, set up more camps for girls and for boys to learn to code. We bring in policy experts to help in training cybersecurity professionals. We start by breaking down the silos and ivory towers.

We have the talent. We have the expertise. We have the skills. And we can build greater-capacity and keep ourselves more secure from all intrusions and attacks if we work together. Maybe you take a weekend off to devote your time to helping make the school or hospital networks more secure. Or you teach a course online. Or we create a national campaign to get everyone to use malware blockers and improve password practices. Or we teach each other what we know, so that we will all be safer. Or we point out breaches in websites, networks and devices, and offer to help address them.

This could help many of you develop business, or just be done pro bono. You can build street-cred, hang with the big boys and girls and build a resume or more experience for your career-advancement. You can become a cyber-celeb, or a local mentor. We can do it our own special way, but we work towards a common goal, together!

The "what" is unlimited. The "why" is obvious. Now, we just need to find all the "whos" with the talent and heart to change things. Not for either party. It's not about politics or what divides us. It's about what brings us all together. It's for all of us who live in and love our country and care about our neighbors, our families and freedom.

You are welcome to either email me ([email protected]), inmail me here, or send me an invite to connect (I will accept all cybersecurity-related invites for this). You are also welcome to mention what you do and how you could help right here in a comment or reply. Who knows? Maybe a potential client will see how invaluable you are. Our own Cybersecurity Corps. (Experts from everywhere are welcome.) Heck - we'll design t-shirts!

Many have emailed me, sent me inmails, even called...thanks! but if you are interested in learning more or joining up, it's also good to send me a connection request here on Linkedin. If they ask you for my email to invite me, it's [email protected]. Use any reaon you want to reach out. And thank you all for being so extra-ordinary, wanting to give back, learn more and help!