Leigh Anne

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So far Leigh Anne Blackwell has created 16 blog entries.

CyberLaunch Virtual Qualifiers- Important Info

CyberLaunch Logo 2025

Join our ARCS Range team to learn about the CyberLaunch Virtual Qualifiers platform and ask questions about the online event.

Wednesday, October 29, 2025

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM (Eastern)

Microsoft Teams – Meeting Link

Meeting ID: 225 949 323 634 1

Passcode: BJ295xV9

Dial in by phone

+1 813-694-2079,,777123966# United States, Tampa

Phone conference ID: 777 123 966#

Make sure your school/district whitelists the following domains in order to get access to the Virtual Qualifiers and receive communication about the events.

*simspace.com

*cyberflorida.org

Include the wildcard asterisk to allow subdomains.

CyberLaunch Virtual Qualifiers- Important Info2025-10-07T12:32:16-04:00

Capture the Flag Competition – FL’s 18th Congressional District

Capture-the-Flag Competition for students in Grades 6-12 in Florida’s 18th Congressional District

Where: Florida Polytechnic University

When: Tuesday, October 21, 2025 

Time: 9:30 AM -1:00 PM ET

Register Below

Capture the Flag Competition – FL’s 18th Congressional District2025-09-05T12:54:34-04:00

Unified Response Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise 10-27-2025

Join us for a state-level tabletop exercise.

Simulating a large-scale cyber incident impacting city, county, and state-level organizations.

October 27, 2025

9:00 AM to 3:00 PM (Eastern Time)

Tallahassee State College Center for Innovation

Participants will work through real-world coordination challenges, decision points, and resource requests across multiple jurisdictions. The exercise will help identify logistical, administrative, and operational gaps in authorities, policies, and command & control (C2). This is a unique opportunity to strengthen partnerships, validate response processes, and improve readiness before a real incident occurs. 

Registration is currently closed. Please email FirstLine@cyberflorida.org with questions or to request information on upcoming opportunities.

 

Appropriate Participant Roles (Leadership / Coordination Focus) 

  • Elected or Executive Leadership (Mayor, County Administrator, City/County Manager) 
  • Chief Information Officer (CIO) / Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) 
  • Emergency Management Leadership (EOC Manager, Operations Section Chief, Planning Section Chief) 
  • Public Information Officer (PIO) / Joint Information Center (JIC) Lead 
  • Law Enforcement Command Staff (Police Chief, Sheriff, or designee) 
  • Legal Counsel / Risk Management Lead 
  • Continuity of Operations (COOP) / Business Continuity Coordinator 
  • State Agency Liaisons (Cybersecurity, Emergency Management, Fusion Center) 
  • Critical Infrastructure Liaisons (as applicable, leadership level) 
  • Public Safety Agency Leadership (Fire/EMS chiefs, if relevant to scenario) 
Unified Response Cybersecurity Tabletop Exercise 10-27-20252025-10-16T10:51:31-04:00

Virtual Cyber Workshop for Critical Infrastructure, Aug 27, 2025

Virtual Cybersecurity Workshop for Critical Infrastructure

August 27, 2025 | 8:30am – 12 Noon

Cyber Florida’s Critical Infrastructure Protection (CIP) Workshop brings together public-sector leaders, IT professionals, and emergency managers to tackle real-world cyber threats facing Florida’s essential services. These hands-on sessions deliver practical tools, expert insights, and interactive scenarios designed to help SLTT agencies strengthen their cyber resilience and readiness.

  • Receive actionable recommendations for enhancing compliance with Florida Statute 282.318
  • See an overview of Cyber Florida’s no-cost solutions and services to strengthen your organization’s cyber defenses.
  • Engage in an exciting tabletop exercise hosted by the National Cybersecurity Preparedness Consortium (NUARI), offering hands-on experience in responding to cyber incidents.

Whether you’re securing water systems, transportation networks, or municipal services, these workshops are your front line in building a safer Florida. Don’t miss this chance to improve your cybersecurity posture and resilience!

Virtual Cyber Workshop for Critical Infrastructure, Aug 27, 20252025-09-05T12:57:52-04:00

OpK12 Virtual Session – April 17, 2025 @ 5pm EST

Join us on April 17, 2025 at 5:00 pm EST

Virtual CyberLaunch debrief: Exploring trends and takeaways from the 2025 Capture the Flag competition

Did you bring students to CyberLaunch and/or want to learn more? Join Cyber Florida and EC Council as we review the results and takeaways from CyberLaunch, the nation’s largest state-wide cybersecurity competition. Together, we will review general results/trends, examine individual scores, answer questions about the competition, and explore future teaching/learning opportunities for your classroom.
OpK12 Virtual Session – April 17, 2025 @ 5pm EST2025-03-14T10:26:40-04:00

OpK12 Virtual Session – March 27, 2025 @ 5pm EST

Join us on March 27, 2025 at 5:00 pm EST for a virtual session just for cyber teachers.

Are you teaching high school cybersecurity in Florida next year? Join Cyber Florida and UTeach to explore instructional resources and an exciting scholarship available for summer professional development. Potential teacher scholarship includes: $500 stipend, professional development ($1,000 value), curriculum licenses ($950 value), on-demand support, and Codio platform accounts!
OpK12 Virtual Session – March 27, 2025 @ 5pm EST2025-03-14T10:07:14-04:00

Pinellas County Tabletop Exercise

Registration is closed for this event. If you would like to participate in a future event, please reach out to us – https://cyberflorida.org/connect

April 10, 2025 cybersecurity tabletop exercise tailored for Pinellas County

Participants will engage in an exciting tabletop exercise hosted by the NUARI, offering hands-on experience in responding to cyber incidents. A free lunch will be provided, along with opportunities to network with cybersecurity experts and industry peers.

Don’t miss this chance to improve your cybersecurity posture and resilience!

Pinellas County Tabletop Exercise2025-04-02T09:13:47-04:00

Key Requirements & Resources for Cybersecurity Compliance

Florida Statute 282.3185 outlines important cybersecurity requirements for local governments. The table below highlights key focus areas and provides valuable resources to support compliance efforts.

Florida Statue Requirement Resources
282.3185(3)(a)1 Develop a basic cybersecurity training curriculum for local government employees. All employees with access to the local network must complete training within 30 days of employment and annually thereafter. Florida Digital Service Locals-Resource-Packet-2023v1.1.pdf

Cyber Florida’s FirstLine Flexible No-Cost Training Options
282.3185(4) Adopt cybersecurity standards consistent with best practices, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Cyber Florida’s NIST CSF 2.0 Risk Assessment
If your organization doesn’t have on-staff expertise, Cyber Florida will connect you with an expert who can help you complete the assessment. Attend a Cyber Florida virtual or in-person workshop. Email outreach@cyberflorida.org for upcoming dates and times.Attend a Cyber Florida virtual or in-person workshop.

18 Feb 2025 Virtual Workshop

14 March 2025 In-person Workshop
282.3185(4)(d) Notify the Florida Digital Service of your progress on cybersecurity standards. Florida Digital Service Attestation Form

These resources are designed to make meeting the requirements straightforward and achievable. Cyber Florida’s expertise and tools can help you identify opportunities, develop strong practices, and ensure your cybersecurity goals are aligned with our state’s cybersecurity goals.

If you have any questions or need further support, please don’t hesitate to contact Cyber Florida at https://cyberflorida.org/connect/ or email outreach@cyberflorida.org.

Thank you for your ongoing efforts to strengthen cybersecurity!

Key Requirements & Resources for Cybersecurity Compliance2025-02-05T12:11:21-05:00

CONTACT US

Cyber Florida at USF
4202 E. Fowler Avenue, ISA7020
Tampa, FL 33620

Office meetings by appointment only

PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright 2024 The Florida Center for Cybersecurity at the University of South Florida. Information on this website is made available for general educational purposes only and should not be used in lieu of obtaining competent legal advice from a licensed attorney or cybersecurity professional with sufficient expertise necessary to address your specific needs. Use of this website does not create any special or fiduciary relationship between you and the Florida Center for Cybersecurity or the University of South Florida.