The Chicago Housing Authority (CHA) is one of the nation's largest public housing authorities, providing affordable housing to over 63,000 households across the city of Chicago. CHA's mission is to leverage affordable housing as a platform for helping families achieve self-sufficiency and remain stably housed.
Internet, Internal and Wireless Security Penetration Testing
Social Engineering Phishing Exercise
Comprehensive Cybersecurity Assessment
Scope Summary
CyBourn conducted a thorough cybersecurity assessment for CHA over a 3-month period. This included external and internal penetration testing of CHA’s internet-facing systems and internal networks, as well as an on-site wireless security review. Additionally, CyBourn conducted a social engineering phishing campaign targeting up to 1,500 CHA employees to gauge susceptibility to email-based attacks.
Key Issues and Challenges
- Ensuring testing did not disrupt CHA’s critical operations supporting thousands of housing residents
- Coordinating with multiple stakeholders across various CHA departments to gain necessary approvals
- Tailoring penetration testing to accurately reflect CHA’s unique OT/IT environment
- Conducting phishing campaign realistically while preventing legitimate data exposure
Results and Deliverables
- Provided detailed remediation guidance to address identified vulnerabilities
- Conducted controlled phishing campaign with report on email/user vulnerability metrics
- Delivered comprehensive cybersecurity assessment detailing critical risks and strategic recommendations
- Presented executive briefing to CHA leadership on findings and proposed 3-year security roadmap