Stranger Threats:  Navigating the Upside Down of Higher Ed Cyber Threats - Webinar - presented by CrowdStrike

Where: Webinar/Virtual

When:  Monday, December 15, 2025
11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

This webinar is for NERCOMP members only.

Note: Login instructions will be sent prior to the event directly from Zoom. If you have not received login instructions by 4:00pm the day before the webinar, please check your spam folder, if you still have not received the login details please email nercomp@nercomp.org.

Workshop Organizers:  Grace Bergen of Crowdsrike

Registration Fee:
NERCOMP Member: Free

Event Overview
Higher Education institutions continue to face growing challenges from cyber adversaries. While many have experienced serious disruptions, there are effective ways to build resilience and strengthen protection for critical systems. Join CrowdStrike Executive Strategist, Matt Singleton, for an interactive session exploring recent activity, emerging trends, and their impact across Academia.

We’ll examine why Higher Ed environments are so frequently targeted, the groups most focused on Academia, and the evolving tactics, techniques, and procedures (TTPs) they use. You’ll also learn practical steps that resource-limited organizations can take to better safeguard their constituents, faculty, and operations. Finally, we’ll unpack how social engineering works—and how threat actors use trust, authority, and urgency to gain access and evade even the most advanced security measures.

Drawing on real-world intelligence from CrowdStrike’s 2025 Threat Hunting Report and recent higher-ed incidents, this session deconstructs how attackers identify targets, gather intelligence, build convincing cover stories, and execute operations in minutes. Through case studies like FAMOUS CHOLLIMA and SCATTERED SPIDER, attendees will explore how weaponized AI, deepfakes, and human manipulation are reshaping the cyber threat landscape—and how institutions can strengthen resilience by blending technical controls with behavioral awareness and cross-domain visibility.

Learning Outcomes
 - Dissect the Full Lifecycle of a Social Engineering Attack - Examine each phase of the attack—from target identification and information gathering to execution and impact - highlighting how adversaries exploit cognitive bias, urgency, and digital footprints
 - Recognize AI-Enhanced Deception Techniques - Understand how attackers use generative AI, deepfakes, and synthetic identities to enhance phishing, impersonation, and insider operations within higher education environments.
 - Develop Human-Centric Defense and Response Strategies - Implement layered safeguards (technical, procedural, and educational) to prevent, detect, and respond to social engineering and identity-based intrusions, reducing institutional risk and incident impact.

Accessibility
NERCOMP strives to make its online offerings and In-person workshops accessible for all registrants.  Please contact us should you have an accessibility need. We've worked to provide resources that are accessible to as many people as possible, and if you encounter any issues while attending our events, please contact us at accessibility@nercomp.org or at 860-345-2081 to request assistance.