2024 - 2025 AY SpiderBytes

Published Date(s): 9/12/2024
Title: Welcome Back, Secure Your Tech
Message: Welcome back! The Information Services (IS) Security team welcomes back new and returning Spiders. We wish you a great school year and to secure your tech. Some SpiderSecure tips to secure your tech are the following.

-Use up-to-date software.
-Use multi-factor authentication (MFA).
-Use a VPN, if on public or untrusted Wi-Fi.
-Use a reputable antivirus software.
-Use secure passwords (and a password manager).

Also be on the lookout for upcoming SpiderSecure tips and events.
Website Link: https://is.richmond.edu/infosec/cybersecuritybasics/index.html

Published Date(s): 9/19/2024
Title: Pause, Think, Act
Message: Have you ever been phished? It’s okay, you’re not the only one. Phishing is the most common form of cyber crime, with an estimated 3.4 billion spam emails sent every day. What to do if you think you are a victim? Take a pause. Does the message convey urgency to do something or else something bad will happen? Do you recognize the sender? If you think it is phishing (email-based), smishing (txt-based), or vishing (call-based) do not respond. Block the sender and report the message to the appropriate resource. For more information check UR’s security webpage.
Website Link: https://is.richmond.edu/infosec/spidersecure-training-program/phishing_smishing_vishing.html

Published Date(s): 9/19/2024
Title: September Flash Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is running its monthly flash Capture the Flag (CTF) event this Thursday, September 19th, from 5:00PM EDT to 7:00 PM EDT. This competition will last 2 hours, and there will be 5 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/sep2024

Thanks to Antisyphon Training and TCM Security, the prize pool includes gift cards, a TCM Academy subscription, Antisyphon Cyber Range access, and more.
Participation is individual and free, and you will get a certificate for participating. Solutions will be released immediately after the CTF is over.
Hope to see you there! Let us know if you have any questions.
Companies, schools, and other organizations, feel free to fill out this form for a private scoreboard: https://forms.gle/yiptaFMBm7B2oQry6.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.
Website Link: https://mctf.io/sep2024

Published Date(s): 9/26/2024 | 9/30/2024
Title: SpiderSecure Scavenger Hunt Kickoff
Message: Information Services (IS) Security team is kicking off Cybersecurity Awareness Month with a SpiderSecure scavenger hunt. Throughout the month there will be a number of SpiderSecure events and tips shared through Spiderbytes. Some will have codes attached to them, so be sure to read them all and collect the 5 codes.

Published Date(s): Every Thurs starting on 10/3/2024, ONLY 10/3/2024 published w/ the code
Title: Signup for Capture the Flag Challenge
Message: Are you interested or curious about cybersecurity? Then sign up for UR’s 2024 Capture the Flag challenge. The four-day challenge runs from Friday, October 25th 4PM EST to Monday, October 28th 4 PM EST and can be played at your own pace. More information and resources to prepare for this exciting event can be found on the 2024 Capture the Flag website.
 
Who - UR Faculty, Staff, & Students
What - 2024 Capture the Flag Challenge & Win Prizes
Where - Online
When - Friday, October 25th 4PM EST to Monday, October 28th 4 PM EST
Why - To have fun & learn more about cybersecurity
 
Prizes TBD and will be awarded to the categories below.
-First Place Student Team
-First Place Faculty/Staff
-Raffle Winners. All participants (excluding CTF winners) will be entered and three names will be drawn to receive prizes.
Code#1 53706964
Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag website

Published Date(s): 10/10/2024
Title: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month
Message: October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month. The University of Richmond joins other institutions of higher education in raising awareness of the vital role cybersecurity plays in a protecting the UR community. This year’s theme is “Secure Our World”. Throughout the month we will be communicating awareness about the importance of cybersecurity and exercising good cybersecurity hygiene. Even more, we will hosting a number of SpiderSecure events, including a Cybersecurity Awareness Fair, the 2024 Capture the Flag Challenge, and a SpiderSecure Scavenger Hunt.
Code#2 65725365
Website Link: https://is.richmond.edu/infosec/events/ncsam/index.html

Published Date(s): 10/17/2024 - Publish w/ Code| 10/22/2024
Title: Cybersecurity Awareness Fair
Message: Come join us at the Heilman Dining Center (HDC) lobby area on Tuesday, October 22, 2024 from 11:30 AM to 1:30 PM to celebrate National Cybersecurity Awareness Month! We will provide cybersecurity recommendations and tools to help you secure your digital life as well as have our popular password strength testing station. Additionally, we will be sharing information on how you and your friends can compete in the 2024 Capture the Flag challenge. Stop by our booth to get some security stickers and candy! Bring a friend, learn something new, and keep being Spider Secure!
Code#3 63757265
Website Link: https://is.richmond.edu/infosec/events/ncsam/index.html

Published Date(s): 10/17/2024
Title: October Flash Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is running its monthly flash Capture the Flag (CTF) event this Thursday, October 17th, from 5:00PM EDT to 7:00 PM EDT. This competition will last 2 hours, and there will be 5 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/oct2024

Thanks to Antisyphon Training and TCM Security, the prize pool includes gift cards, a TCM Academy subscription, Antisyphon Cyber Range access, and more.
Participation is individual and free, and you will get a certificate for participating. Solutions will be released immediately after the CTF is over.
Hope to see you there! Let us know if you have any questions.
Companies, schools, and other organizations, feel free to fill out this form for a private scoreboard: https://forms.gle/yiptaFMBm7B2oQry6.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.
Website Link: https://mctf.io/oct2024

Published Date(s): 10/23/2024
Title: Have you Signed Up Yet?
Message: One more day until the 2024 Capture the Flag challenge.  Are you interested or curious about cybersecurity? Would you like to learn new skills and become more confident in pursuing opportunities in the cybersecurity field? Then sign up for UR’s 2024 Capture the Flag challenge. We are hosting a fun, cybersecurity challenge-based event for players of all skill levels. The four-day challenge runs from October 24th to October 28th and can be played at your own pace. All you need to participate is a computer, access to internet, and a team of up to four members. If you are looking for more information and resources to prepare for this exciting event, check out the How to "Capture-the-Flag" webinar on our 2024 Capture the Flag website.
Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag website

Published Date(s): 10/25/2024
Title: Ready, Set, Capture the Flag Event
Message: Today is the day to get ready, set, and capture some flags! The 2024 Capture the Flag Challenge begins at 4PM today. You and your team (up to a total of 4 members) can begin solving and capturing flags. If you have not signed up yet, you can register at any point during the event. The first-place student team and the first-place faculty/staff team will each receive individual Spider Secure t-shirts as well as a security swag bag in recognition. All faculty, staff, and students who participate and complete at least one challenge will receive a Certification of Completion and be eligible to be entered into a raffle to win some cybersecurity goodies. Good luck this weekend and have fun!
Code#4 20537069
Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag website

Published Date(s): 10/30/2024
Title: Capture the Flag Winners
Message: Wow, you are awesome! Congratulations to all who participated in this year’s 2024 "Capture the Flag" event. We had 28 Spiders across 15 teams participate in the 4-day event from Friday, October 25th to Monday, October 28th. The breakdown of the winning teams along with the raffle winners are below.
 
First place student team - DAND
Team members - Daniel Garay Garay Sierra , David Nathanson, Andy Quach, Natalie Small
Prize - Member(s) receive athletic long-sleeve shirt, waterproof JBL speaker, Rapid7 prize kit, sticker packs
 
First place faculty/staff team - UR Badger
Team member(s) - Pavel Perinka
Prize - Member(s) receive athletic long-sleeve shirt and CamelBak water bottle
 
Raffle Winners - Prateek Bhakta, Toni Wu, John Paul Atehortua
Receive an Airtag
 
All CTF users who solved at least one problem will receive a Certificate of Completion.
Congratulations again to everyone who participated and stay Spider Secure!
Code#5 64657273
Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag website

Published Date(s): 11/1/2024
Title: Scavenger Hunt Winners
Message: Congratulations to our SpiderSecure scavenger hunt winners. Throughout the month there were a number of SpiderSecure events and tips shared through Spiderbytes. Five of the SpiderBytes had hexadecimal codes. Put them together and they decode to say a special message below.

Student winner - Trang Nguyen
Faculty/staff winner - Ilia Pittrell
Special message
Hexadecimal Code - 5370696465725365637572652053706964657273
String Message - SpiderSecure

Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag Website

Published Date(s): 11/13/2024 | 11/20/2024
Title: Capture the Flag (CTF) Awards Ceremony
Message: You are invited to the 2024 Capture the Flag (CTF) Awards Ceremony. We will be presenting awards to the first-place student team, DAND, and the first place faculty/staff team, UR Badger. The event will will be held on Wednesday, November 20th from 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM in the Adams Auditorium (Boatwright Memorial Library).
We hope to see you there and stay SpiderSecure!

Event: CTF Awards Ceremony
Date/Time: Wednesday, November 20th | 5:00 PM to 5:30 PM
Location: Boatwright Memorial Library - Adams Auditorium (Rm 205)
Teams being awarded:
First place student team - DAND
Team members - Daniel Garay Garay Sierra , David Nathanson, Andy Quach
First place faculty/staff team - UR Badger

Team member(s) - Pavel Perinka

Website Link: 2024 Capture the Flag Website

Published Date(s): 11/18/2024
Title: Travel & Tech Tips
Message: Happy Monday Spiders! As you prepare for holiday travels here are some cybersecurity tips we recommend especially for international travel. These tips are an overview and more information can be found at UR’s Travel & Tech website.

• Travel abroad w/ a loaner laptop
• Upon return clean your devices
• Access secure Wi-Fi connections
• Backup your data
• Keep your devices near you (if feasible)
• Enable Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA)
• Utilize hotel safes
• Checkout travel alerts on the State Department’s website
• Sign out of accounts
• Check your destination voltages

By using these tips, you will make it harder for cyber criminals to ruin your holiday spirit!

Website Link: https://is.richmond.edu/infosec/spidersecure-training-program/traveltech.html

Published Date(s): 11/21/2024
Title: November Flash Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is running its monthly flash Capture the Flag (CTF) event this Thursday, November 21st, from 5:00PM EDT to 7:00 PM EDT. This competition will last 2 hours, and there will be 5 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/nov2024. Thanks to Antisyphon Training and TCM Security, the prize pool includes gift cards, a TCM Academy subscription, Antisyphon Cyber Range access, and more. Participation is individual and free, and you will get a certificate for participating. For practice, you can access the challenges and solutions from our previous Flash CTFs at https://mctf.io/practice.

Hope to see you there! Let us know if you have any questions.

Companies, schools, and other organizations, feel free to fill out this form for a private scoreboard: https://forms.gle/yiptaFMBm7B2oQry6.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.

Website Link: https://app.metactf.com/join/nov2024

Published Date(s): 12/18/2024 | 12/20/2024
Title: December 4-Hour Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is hosting a 4-Hour Capture the Flag (CTF) event on Saturday, December 21st, from 12:00PM EST to 4:00 PM EST. Unlike previous editions, this competition will last 4 hours and feature 10 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/dec2024

This CTF has even bigger prizes! You can win a ticket to the last-ever Shmoocon Conference or a ticket to the Right of Boom conference in Las Vegas.

We also have gift cards, vouchers for the Simply Cyber Academy GRC Analyst Master Class, Red and Blue Team Fundamentals Exam from CCA, TCM Academy subscriptions (as well as an additional prize pool for TCM subscribers), Antisyphon Cyber Range access and more. At least the top 10 participants will receive something.

Participation is individual and free, and you will get a certificate for participating.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.

Website Link: https://mctf.io/dec2024

Published Date(s): 1/23/2025
Title: January Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is hosting its next Flash CTF will take place this Thursday, January 23rd, starting at 5pm EST (22:00 UTC). This competition will last 2 hours, and there will be 5 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/jan2025

Participation is individual and free, and you will get a certificate for participating.

We have a variety of prizes including Amazon gift cards and vouchers from Simply Cyber Academy, TCM Academy, Antisyphon, Spearphish General Store, and more.

For practice, you can access the challenges and solutions from our previous Flash CTFs at https://mctf.io/practice.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.
Website Link: https://mctf.io/jan2025

Published Date(s): 1/28/2025
Title: Is Your Data Private?
Message: This week is Data Privacy Awareness Week from January 27th to January 31st. The National Cybersecurity Alliance (NCSA) has declared this year’s theme to be, “Take Control of Your Data”. All your online activity generates a trail of data. Websites, apps, and services collect data on your behaviors, interests, and purchases. This can even include personal information such as health or financial. Below are some ways you can take control on how your data is shared.

Manage your privacy settings.

Limit what your share online.

Enable multi-factor authentication (MFA).

Regularly review downloaded apps to “keep” or “delete”.

Remember, your data is important and valuable, and you deserve to be selective about who you share it with!
Website Link: https://www.staysafeonline.org/

Regularly review downloaded apps to “keep” or “delete”.

Published Date(s): 2/25/2025
Title: February Capture the Flag Event
Message: MetaCTF is hosting its next Flash CTF will take place this Thursday, February 27th, starting at 5pm EST (22:00 UTC). This competition will last 2 hours, and there will be 5 challenges covering a range of difficulties and topics. Sign up at https://mctf.io/feb2025

Participation is individual and free, and you will receive a CPE certificate for competing. Solutions will be released immediately after the CTF is over.

We have a variety of prizes including Amazon gift cards and vouchers from Simply Cyber Academy, TCM Academy, Antisyphon, Spearphish General Store, and more.

For practice, you can access the challenges and solutions from our previous Flash CTFs at https://mctf.io/practice.

Private scoreboard codes from previous Flash CTFs have been copied over.
Website Link: https://mctf.io/feb2025