Local Community Outreach

[Melesse]

So, as I mentioned in another thread, I had been thinking about doing some local community outreach in my town. It's a small town, with a population of about 10,000. It's very rural, and about two hours from DC.

I had some ideas, and did some research, but a search on variants of the terms hacker community outreach didn't bring up anything at all actually related to this subject.

To start off with, here is an outline of what I am planning on doing.

I'm thinking a half hour to one hour presentation on Securing Your Home Computer. It will be free and put on through a local library or community center (I wanted to get the presentation at least roughed out before approaching a venue). It could also be presented at local churches. An hour would be the top most limit, as I'm well aware that would likely tax the most attentive of attendees. This would not be an indepth presentation, more of a quick and dirty how to list of making your pc as secure as possible in an hour or two. I would be providing a hand out with the outline of steps to serve for notes. The presentation would likely be PowerPoint (or rather the Open Office equivalent since I don't own Office lol).

I would consider making the slides available, but I tend to speak off of minimal slides, that are mostly just outlines. No reading off slides for this boy! The presentation would likely consist of 3 parts.

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Part I - Why Your PC Needs to be Secure

Admittedly, the crowd that would come out to an event like this would probably already be interested in fixing their own leaky network, but it might be nice to provide some evidence that they are indeed doing the correct thing. This would also give them something to mention to friends and family when asked why they were bothering. My problem here is how to present the facts without seeming to fear monger. This is not meant to be bashing them over the head with the FEARBat. As I mentioned before, the people who come to this probably already have an idea that maybe they need to be doing more to take care of their computers. Still, a review of the various reasons why you need to lock down your computers is important.

I imagine this would start with a short interactive session, most likely with the question "Why are you here?" or "What dangers on the internet have you heard of?" This might also be a great place to dispel some myths about how viruses are transmitted online, how a computer gets malware installed (stop clicking on everything!), and what criminals can do with your identity. Of course, IANAL, so legal advice would be bad, but maybe a short survey of current law might be in order?

This part would take, ideally, 5 minutes for an interactive opener, 5 minutes to go over reasons to secure your PC, and possibly 5 minutes for some Q&A and Myth Dispelling.

Part II - How to Secure Your PC

The second part would be the nuts and bolts of the presentation. What're some things you can do to your PC that give you the most bang for your buck. I'm not talking about attempting to lock down individual ports, or installing HIDS. Simple things anyone can do. WPA2 on your wireless. Install a freeware AV and firewall. Set up automatic updates. Give out a list of online virus scanners (Housecall). Talk about a maintenance program (scandisk, defrag).

This would also include things like how to tell if an email is spearphishing. Why you shouldn't click on links on facebook or myspace. What is social engineering.

Yes, this is a LOT to squeeze into a short time, but again, it's a high lights thing.

This part would likely take about 15 minutes to go over various software that can be used to secure the PC. The focus would be on freeware or open source as much as is realistic. Another 15 minutes might be focused on anti-spam and phishing. Examples of spearphishing and social engineering calls might be made. I just read in another forum I frequent about their father getting a phone call from someone offering tech help, and gave them a list of steps to do to their computer. I doubt it was helpful information!

Part III - Maintaining Your Secure Posture

This part would be fairly short, and about the importance of maintaining the security once it has been established. Setting up automatic updates, updating AV files when available, etc etc.

This would likely only be 5 minutes.

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There are some other things I would like to include, such as recognizing malware, how to tell if your computer has a virus, P2P problems, and/or fixing current problems (worthless to close the door after the horse is gone!). Some of these fit naturally into part II but my concern is over time.

I can hear you asking yourself, All Well and Good, Mel, but why the hell are you posting it here you scurrilous bastard?

I'll tell you! Two reasons. The first is this is an excellent place to receive feedback on the idea, and additional suggestions. In that spirit, I would highly appreciate any thoughts anyone has on this, or suggestions as to content or presentation.

The second is once I get done with this presentation, and give it a few run throughs to polish and work on it and test it out, and get some insight from others, I'd like to give it out to anyone in the community, with no restrictions on copyright or anything, who would be interested in doing something like this. Obviously this is not an original idea, nor is it a great work, but it might save someone in a Hacker Space some time they would rather spend soldering.

Thanks in advance for reading this very, very long essay lol.

Mel

[Thorn]

Re: Local Community Outreach

I, for one, would be interested in seeing and hearing how this goes. I've toyed with the idea of doing something similar for the local community.

[streaker69]

Re: Local Community Outreach

I too have considered it from time to time, now I just don't have the time.

[AgentDarkApple]

Re: Local Community Outreach

I really like your idea. Maybe it will catch on and you will be asked to continue it at several locations. I wouldn't mind doing a presentation like that at the local library as well.

[Thorn]

Re: Local Community Outreach

The Vermont Infragard Chapter did a project they called "VT INFOSAFE: 'Information Security Awareness for Everyone'" in 2004 and 2005. While some of the info is a bit outdated, the presentations may be of interest to people involved in this thread.

http://www.vtinfragard.org/vtinfosaf...entations.html

[Melesse]

Re: Local Community Outreach

Thanks Thorn. Looks like exactly the same thing I'm trying to do, but with a different slant. It's in a lot more detail (and thus correspondingly longer) at 55 slides. I'd say that probably ends up an hour and a half or so long, assuming questions (and there are always questions). Still, there are a couple of things that I didn't think of. For example, kids on the internet. That would definitely be worth at least a slide.

I am now sorely torn. I had wanted to keep it down to 45 minutes for the reasons of attention span and scheduling (easier to fit into a busy night, therefore more people likely to come), but now I want to include more detail and lengthen it. Nah, my original reasons were good I think. I almost think there is too much detail in there for one single presentation. It's good detail, and I like the examples used. But I'm thinking back to the glazed eyes of students in class, and fighting off my own boredom in 85 minute classes back in college. It's hard to stay focused for that long.

I don't see how it would be possible (in terms of equipment), but if I wanted to do a presentation of that length and detail, I would prefer to do it in a computer lab, starting with stock images of a windows install, and then install firewalls, av, etc with everyone at the same time so as to give them a little experience with it. I can't imagine anyone locally allowing a bunch of strangers that much access to their systems or willing to donate the time to reset a bunch of computers, then make them useful to themselves again.

Mel

[Thorn]

Re: Local Community Outreach

Thanks Thorn. Looks like exactly the same thing I'm trying to do, but with a different slant. It's in a lot more detail (and thus correspondingly longer) at 55 slides. I'd say that probably ends up an hour and a half or so long, assuming questions (and there are always questions). Still, there are a couple of things that I didn't think of. For example, kids on the internet. That would definitely be worth at least a slide.

I am now sorely torn. I had wanted to keep it down to 45 minutes for the reasons of attention span and scheduling (easier to fit into a busy night, therefore more people likely to come), but now I want to include more detail and lengthen it. Nah, my original reasons were good I think. I almost think there is too much detail in there for one single presentation. It's good detail, and I like the examples used. But I'm thinking back to the glazed eyes of students in class, and fighting off my own boredom in 85 minute classes back in college. It's hard to stay focused for that long.

I don't see how it would be possible (in terms of equipment), but if I wanted to do a presentation of that length and detail, I would prefer to do it in a computer lab, starting with stock images of a windows install, and then install firewalls, av, etc with everyone at the same time so as to give them a little experience with it. I can't imagine anyone locally allowing a bunch of strangers that much access to their systems or willing to donate the time to reset a bunch of computers, then make them useful to themselves again.

Mel

You're welcome. I was thinking that the general content was applicable to what we'd been discussing here, and possibly adaptable to different "local" audiences such as small businesses, general home users, and families with children.

You're right about the length. I always shoot for 45-50 minute sessions tops, no matter what the subject. Even if it's multiple hours long, you must break it up or the audience will either become catatonic or they'll revolt.

[sintax_error]

Re: Local Community Outreach

I've approached the organizers of a local "computer expo" that rolls into town every so often on doing something along those lines. Turns out they have someone do it already, the guy is as monotone as you can get and really seems to think that Norton is the only thing you need. I've come to the conclusion that telling average Joe User otherwise is a somewhat futile attempt, they just don't want to hear it.

[Thorn]

Re: Local Community Outreach

My first community presentation will be around the first week of February. I pitched the idea to the local Business and Professional Association (i.e. "chamber of commerce") for co-sponsorship, and they loved it. Of course, the fact that I'm a member of the board probably didn't hurt. My business and the association will be the co-sponsors. The presentation will be geared toward the small business owner in the area, but home computer users will be welcome, too. One of the local banks has even offered to hand out fliers to all their SMB customers.

The presentation will be in a meeting room at the local town offices, and the town is waiving the use fee, since this will be open to the public. It looks like we'll do two sessions on one day; one at around lunchtime, and the other in the evening.

I'm still working on the details of the slide show, so if anyone has any further suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

[streaker69]

Re: Local Community Outreach

My first community presentation will be around the first week of February. I pitched the idea to the local Business and Professional Association (i.e. "chamber of commerce") for co-sponsorship, and they loved it. Of course, the fact that I'm a member of the board probably didn't hurt. My business and the association will be the co-sponsors. The presentation will be geared toward the small business owner in the area, but home computer users will be welcome, too. One of the local banks has even offered to hand out fliers to all their SMB customers.

The presentation will be in a meeting room at the local town offices, and the town is waiving the use fee, since this will be open to the public. It looks like we'll do two sessions on one day; one at around lunchtime, and the other in the evening.

I'm still working on the details of the slide show, so if anyone has any further suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Busy week, Shmoo is that week too. (hope you didn't forget about that)

[Thorn]

Re: Local Community Outreach

Busy week, Shmoo is that week too. (hope you didn't forget about that)

Nope, I didn't forget. It may be the night before I leave. Depending on which meeting room is available and my schedule it might be the week after, too.

[Club81]

Re: Local Community Outreach

Very cool. We do something very similar for area high school students. We have a "mobile lab" with netbooks, switches, FTP server, Wireshark, and some other goodies that we take into willing high school classrooms to talk about general computing security. We use it as a way to recruit interested students into our degree program, but everybody gets a dose of security best practices out of the deal.

Let us know how it goes!

[Melesse]

Re: Local Community Outreach

Right after I decided to start this, I got sent on a work trip to Colorado Springs, and another to Tennessee. *sigh* I'll be home for three weeks though over xmas, so I'm hoping to get mine done over that time. I'd love to compare notes though, when I'm finished.

I would love to do a more hands on approach like that, but resources, resources. Want to bring that whole thing over to the East Coast and let us get our hands on it?

And man, Shmoocon one month, PAX East the next, NotACon the next (I'm going this year, I bailed at the last minute last year due to financial issues), gonna be a busy spring!

Mel

[valkyrie]

Re: Local Community Outreach

My first community presentation will be around the first week of February. I pitched the idea to the local Business and Professional Association (i.e. "chamber of commerce") for co-sponsorship, and they loved it. Of course, the fact that I'm a member of the board probably didn't hurt. My business and the association will be the co-sponsors. The presentation will be geared toward the small business owner in the area, but home computer users will be welcome, too. One of the local banks has even offered to hand out fliers to all their SMB customers.

The presentation will be in a meeting room at the local town offices, and the town is waiving the use fee, since this will be open to the public. It looks like we'll do two sessions on one day; one at around lunchtime, and the other in the evening.

I'm still working on the details of the slide show, so if anyone has any further suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

Thorn --

Absolutely delicious! I wish you much success on your presentation and may you be asked back for more. I know you to be a thoughtful and relevant speaker.

You asked for ideas or further suggestions so here we go:

I have been giving community presentations regarding personal information/internet security to local groups for close on to five years now. The public library system here is awesome and when it was pitched to them they fell in love with it (APLS provides free internet access at many locations for job seekers, etc.) I tiered my presos - basic, intermediate, advanced. I have tested several student level presos (elementary, mid-school, high-school) in the past 18 months.

My best suggestion to anyone embarking on an endeavor of this nature is not to get caught up in the weeds. Present the basics and give plenty of room for questions, as you mentioned you will do. Oh, and don't do what I did the first year (and the second year, and part of the third...) and attempt to "be all things to all peoples." Mr. Google and the library are your student's friends. :-)

Melesse: for the training you envision, sounds like you are talking about a hacker space or JC that will allow you to use their lab and that will probably take some negotiation on your part. I don't know what to suggest to you regarding that. You seem creative, so you will figure it out. :-) Start out slowly and grow it.

Regards,

Valkyrie
_____________________________________
sapere aude

[Melesse]

Re: Local Community Outreach

valkyrie,

That's just a wee little pipe dream in the back of my head, I'm happy to be starting small right this moment. My area is too rural and small for anything of size.

Mel