New Jersey Security Community

Each week, we’ll highlight a major city in the US and cover the places and events you can go to in that area to get your security information fix. This post is part of the information security communities.

Aside from Springsteen and a notorious reality show, there’s a lot more to New Jersey than the usual cliches. A significant presence of local professional groups is found across the state and they often (but not always) work alongside their counterparts in New York.

• OWASP New York/New Jersey Local Chapter – 2011 meetings are already booked until November. A lot of them are looking for sponsors and participants. You can join the mailing list or go check the link for additional details.
• New Jersey ISSA – Already have a meeting scheduled for March 23. Click on the link for details, go here for contacts, or fill up this membership form to join.
• ISACA New Jersey Chapter – With up to a thousand members, this award winning chapter maintains a very busy schedule, though nothing has been booked for March yet. Find them on LinkedIn for updates or keep tab via their RSS feed. There’s also a newsletter.
• New Jersey Infragard – A statewide chapter that has a significant membership. There’s an upcoming two-day course this March that Infragard will be involved in. Go here for details and registration.

Let’s not forget to mention the local meetings.

• DC201 – A New Jersey wide group whose next meeting is on March 3. Click on the link for details and info on the group.

Here are the hackerspaces you can get in touch with and visit.

• Thebarn – Founded 12 years ago but there’s very little info available on them, not even an official blog.
• Fubar Labs – Based in Highland Park. A very close knit and active groups with a lot of small events (i.e. documentary nights) scheduled on a regular basis.
• E Street Hackers – Are found at central Jersey Shore and are a newly formed group (still looking for members, in fact) that will soon open their doors to like minded hackers.

Last, below are the big security events on the horizon.

• SANS New Jersey – To be held in Morristown for six days this May. The almost week long course is extensive and focuses on computer forensics.

There might be a few groups and events we missed. If so, feel free to chime in at the comments.