CyberHarbor

In an era today where digital technology is central to business operations, small businesses face challenges in cybersecurity that might never be experienced by them.  With around 2,220 cyberattacks each day, that equates to over 800,000 attacks each year.  Out of those cybersecurity threats, Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks play a significant role.  Cloudflare said it mitigated more than 5.2 million HTTP DDoS attacks consisting of more than 26 trillion requests in 2023. While that's a 20% decline compared to 2022 levels, mitigated network-layer DDoS attacks surged 85% to 8.7 million incidents in 2023, the company said.  These attacks, aimed at overwhelming systems and disrupting service, can have deadly effects on small businesses, ranging from financial loss to repetitional damage.  That's exactly the reason why we started Cyber Harbor, where we emerged as a beacon of hope, offering comprehensive, free DDoS protection tailored for the small business sector.

Let’s take a look at what we think are the top methodologies that might work to solve the problem.  By harnessing Kaggle’s DDoS datasets, we could take advantage of Machine Learning to produce a comprehensive DDoS detection model and deploy it to forestall any potential DDoS threat factor. The detector is responsible for monitoring incoming network traffic and responding to that traffic with the corresponding prediction for DDoS. If a server manager is hired to organize and recognize malicious requests instead of using Artificial Intelligence, the human errors of omitting can be devastating. On the other hand, hackers in other countries use the time difference to launch DDoS attacks on servers in the early hours of the morning, when people are already resting. At this time, the server is very vulnerable due to insufficient awareness. On the contrary, Artificial Intelligence can easily address human instinctive issues. Additionally, the alternative effective method to fortify network security is to activate a Web Application Firewall (WAF). A Web Application Firewall serves as a proactive defense mechanism by “sanitizing” incoming traffic and filtering out malicious requests before they even reach the targeted server. By implementing a WAF, organizations can significantly reduce the risk of DDoS disruptions. WAF acts as a shield that deflects malicious traffic and allows traffic from legitimate users. However, they have limitations when compared to ML methods. Firewalls operate based on predefined static rules and signatures. It makes them effective at blocking known attack patterns but less adaptive to evolving attacking threats. They also generate more false positives, block legitimate traffic, and struggle to detect complicated and dynamic DDoS attacks.

With the acknowledgment and deep consideration, Our solution comprises two key components: a state-of-the-art, AI-based DDoS detection and mitigation tool, and a comprehensive educational program. The AI tool, developed using advanced algorithms and a robust dataset, provides real-time monitoring and protection against DDoS attacks. Complementing this technology, our educational program offers workshops, webinars, and resources designed to enhance the cybersecurity literacy of small business owners and their employees, empowering them to recognize and respond to cyber threats proactively.

Additionally, our AI detector has been tested and refined using real-world data, ensuring its efficacy in diverse business environments.  Here is our project prototype link that is already available on GitHub, https://github.com/Jonathan-good/DDoS-detector.

Our target population consists of small business owners across various industries who currently lack adequate access to cybersecurity resources and protection against DDoS attacks. These startups entrepreneurs often face significant challenges in safeguarding their digital assets due to limited budgets, technical expertise, and awareness of cybersecurity risks.  Many small businesses are underserved in the realm of cybersecurity, as traditional solutions are often complex, expensive, and tailored for larger enterprises. This leaves smaller organizations vulnerable to cyber threats, including DDoS attacks, which can disrupt their operations, compromise sensitive data, and tarnish their reputation.  Our solution, CyberHarbor, addresses the needs of these underserved small businesses bbay providing accessible and comprehensive DDoS protection at no cost.
        By leveraging Al technology and offering user-friendly tools, educational resources, and ongoing support. CvberHarbor empowers small business owners to detect. mitigate, and prevent DDoS attacks effectively. This proactive approach not only safeguards their digital assets but also fosters a culture of cybersecurity awareness and resilience within the small business community. Ultimately, CyberHarbor aims to level the playing field for small businesses in the digital age, enabling them to thrive securely in an increasingly interconnected world.

Our team is uniquely positioned to deliver the CyberHarbor solution to the target population of small businesses due to our intimate understanding of their challenges and needs. As high school students, we have experienced the struggles of cyber threats, including DDoS attacks.  For example, USACO, a famous computer science competition we have competed before, has been attacked by DDoS, which brings a huge negative impacts on competitors.  Those past experiences enables us to empathize with small businesses’ concerns and tailor our solution to address their specific pain points.
      Our Team Lead and team members are representative of the small business community in various ways. We studied and researched diverse backgrounds and industries, reflecting the breadth of experiences and perspectives within the small business sector. This diversity allows us to approach problem-solving from multiple angles and ensures that our solution considers the needs of different types of businesses.  
          Throughout the design and implementation process of CyberHarbor, we have actively engaged with the small business community to gather input, ideas, and feedback. We have make a lot of research to understand their priorities and concerns regarding cybersecurity. This community-driven approach has guided the development of CyberHarbor, ensuring that it aligns closely with the agendas and aspirations of the businesses we serve. 
     By placing the community at the center of our decision making process, we are confident that CyberHarbor will effectively meet the needs of small businesses and empower them to protect themselves against DDoS attacks. Our commitment to inclusivity, collaboration, and responsiveness ensures that our solution remains relevant and impactful for the communities we aim to serve.

As high school students, our team has built and tested a prototype of the CyberHarbor solution, focusing on developing an Al-based DDoS detection model.  We have successfully trained and evaluated the model using simulated DDoS attack scenarios and real-world datasets sourced from platforms like Kaggle. Additionally, we have conducted internal testing to assess the model's performance metrics, including accuracy, precision, and recall.  We have now published our model to GitHub(link: https://github.com/Jonathan-good/DDoS-detector), and we wish to gain feedback from our users to make further improvements.  

As high school students, we applied to SOLVE for 4 main reasons.  

1. Cultural and Market Understanding: As young innovators, we may have limited understanding of the cultural and market dynamics affecting small businesses, particularly in the cybersecurity domain. Solve could facilitate connections with industry experts, business mentors, or potential users to gain valuable insights and guidance.
2. Financial Barriers: We may lack access to funding for further development, testing, and scaling of our solution. Solve could provide us financial support or resources to advance our project without solely focusing on fundraising.
3. Technical Challenges: Developing and implementing a comprehensive cybersecurity solution requires technical expertise and resources that may be beyond our current capabilities. Solve could facilitate partnerships with technical experts or organizations that can offer mentorship, guidance, and support in refining our solution.
4. Legal and Regulatory Hurdles: Navigating legal and regulatory frameworks related to cybersecurity can be complex, especially for high school students. Solve could provide access to legal experts or advisors who can help us understand and comply with relevant laws and regulations.

Our solution, CyberHarbor, introduces several innovative elements to address the challenge of DDoS attacks on small businesses: 

1. Free Access for Small Businesses: One of the key innovations of CyberHarbor is its commitment to providing free DDoS protection services to small businesses. By removing cost barriers, we ensure that even the smallest enterprises can access robust cybersecurity solutions, leveling the playing field and promoting digital inclusivity.
2. Communitv-Centric Approach: CvberHarbor takes a communitv-centric approach b activelv engaging with small businesses and stakeholders to understand their unique needs and challenges. This collaborative approach not only ensures that our solution is tailored to the specific requirements of our target population but also fosters trust and partnership within the small business community.
3. Powered DDoS Detection: CyberHarbor leverages advanced artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms to detect and mitigate DDoS attacks in real time. Unlike traditional DDoS detection methods that rely on static rules or signatures, our Al model can adapt and learn from evolving attack patterns, resulting in more accurate and proactive threat detection.
4. Comprehensive Educational Program: In addition to Al-based detection, CyberHarbor offers a comprehensive educational program designed to enhance cybersecurity literacy among small business owners and employees. By proving workshops, webinars, and resources, we empower users to recognize and respond to cyber threats effectively, fostering a culture of cybersecurity awareness and resilience.

In the future, our solution will 

• Increased Awareness and Preparedness: By offering free access to Al-powered DDoS protection and educational resources, CyberHarbor can significantly increase awareness of cybersecurity threats among small businesses and equip them with the knowledge and tools needed to defend against attacks.

• Reduced Financial Losses: With proactive DDoS detection and mitigation, CyberHarbor helps small businesses minimize downtime, financial losses, and reputational damage caused by DDoS attacks. This can have a ripple effect on the broader economy by preserving the stability and viability of small businesses.

Our theory of change for CyberHarbor is straightforward: by providing small businesses with free access to Al-powered DDoS protection and comprehensive cybersecurity education, we aim to mitigate the immediate threat of DDoS attacks while fostering a culture of cbersecurit awareness and resilience.

1. Immediate Outputs:

• Al-Powered DDoS Protection: Through our Al detection and mitigation tool, small businesses will have real-time monitoring and protection against DDoS attacks, reducing the likelihood of service disruptions and financial losses.
• Cybersecurity Education: Our workshops, webinars, and resources will empower small business owners and emplovees to recognize and respond to cyber threats proactively, enhancing their cybersecurity literacy and preparedness

2. Short-Term Outcomes:

• Reduced DDoS Incidents: By implementing Al-powered detection, small businesses can detect and mitigate DDoS attacks more effectively, resulting in fewer incidents of service downtime and financial losses.
• Increased Awareness and Preparedness: As small businesses engage with our educational program, they will become more aware of cybersecurity threats and better equipped to defend against them, reducing their vulnerability to cyber attacks

3. Long-Term Outcomes:

• Resilient Small Business Community: Over time, the combination of Al-powered protection and cbersecurity education will contribute to the development of a more resilient small business community that is capable of detecting, mitigating, and preventing cvber threats independentlv.
• Elevated Cybersecurity Standards: By setting a precedent for accessible and community-driven cybersecurity solutions, CyberHarbor will inspire broader shifts in the industry towards more inclusive and innovative approaches to cybersecurity, benefiting businesses of all sizes.

Our impact goals for CyberHarbor are centered around empowering small businesses to defend against DDoS attacks and fostering a culture of cybersecurity resilience.

1. Reduction in DDoS Incidents: Our primary impact goal is to significantly reduce the number of DDoS incidents experienced by small businesses. We aim to achieve a measurable decrease in the frequency and severity of DDoS attacks, as evidenced by a decline in reported incidents among our user base.
2. Increase in Cybersecurity Literacy: We aim to enhance the cybersecurity literacy and preparedness of small business owners and employees through our educational program. Our goal is to see a measurable improvement in participants' knowledge and skills related to identifying, mitigating, and preventing cyber threats.
3. Community Resilience: Ultimately, we seek to cultivate a more resilient small business community that is capable of independently detecting, mitigating, and preventing cyber threats. Our goal is to foster a network of small businesses that actively share cybersecurity best practices and support one another in building a stronger defense against cyber attacks.

To measure our progress towards these impact goals, we will track several key indicators:

• Number of DDoS Incidents: We will monitor the frequency and severity of DDoS attacks reported by our user base, aiming to see a consistent decrease over time
• Participation Rates in Educational Programs: We will track the number of small businesses participating in our workshops, webinars, and other educational resources, as well as their level of engagement and satisfaction.
• Pre- and Post-Education Assessments: We will conduct assessments of participants' cybersecurity knowledge and skills before and after participating in our educational programs to measure improvements.



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To ensure that our team minimizes barriers to opportunity and provides a welcoming environment for all members, we have implemented several strategies and goals:

1. Open Communication and Feedback: We will cultivate a culture of open communication and feedback, where team members feel comfortable sharing their perspectives, concerns, and ideas. We regularly solicit feedback from staff through surveys, meetings, and one-on-one discussions to ensure that everyone's voice is heard and valued.
2. Community Engagement: We will actively engage with diverse communities, both internally and externally, to build connections and partnerships that reflect the rich diversity of our society.

Our business model at CyberHarbor revolves around providing comprehensive DDoS protection services to small businesses, with a focus on delivering both impact and sustainability. Here's how our business model works:

1. Target Customers: Our primary customers are small businesses across various industries that lack access to robust cybersecurity resources. These businesses face significant risks from DDoS attacks, which can disrupt their operations and result in financial losses.
2. Products/Services: We offer a suite of DDoS protection services tailored specifically for small businesses. This includes access to our Al-based DDoS detection and mitigation tool, which provides real-time monitoring and protection against DDoS attacks. Additionally, we offer educational programs, workshops, and resources designed to enhance the cybersecurity literacy of small business owners and their employees.
3. Value Proposition: Small businesses choose our services because we offer user-friendly, effective, and completely free DDoS protection solutions. Unlike many cybersecurity services that are complex and cost-prohibitive, CyberHarbor provides a simple vet powerful solution that addresses the immediate need for DDoS protection while fostering a long-term cybersecurity culture among small businesses.
4. Revenue Model: While our core services are offered for free to small businesses, we generate revenue through strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and grants. We will collaborate with larger corporations, cybersecurity firms, tech companies, to secure funding or resources in exchange for data insights, branding opportunities, and community engagement.

At CyberHarbor, we have devised a multi-faceted approach to bring in revenue to fund our work and ensure the sustainability of our operations. Here's how we plan to generate income:

1. Strategic Partnerships: We aim to collaborate with larger corporations, cybersecurity firms, and technology companies that share our commitment to enhancing cybersecurity for small businesses. These partnerships can involve financial contributions, in-kind resources, or joint initiatives aimed at improving cybersecurity infrastructure.
2. Sponsorships: We seek sponsorship opportunities from tech companies, financial institutions, and other organizations interested in supporting initiatives that promote cybersecurity and small business development. Sponsorship agreements may include financial support, branding opportunities, or participation in community events and workshops.