AQ'S Corner

There are moments in your journey when things shift not just emotionally, but strategically. This week, AQ’s Corner had one of those moments.

I received an official response from the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). Not a bounce-back. Not an automated message. A real response, from a real person, about a proposal I created to address one of the most under-recognized digital threats of our time: online job scams.

What Happened

If you haven’t read the first article where I introduced the SP 800-TRUST framework and explained why I created it, I encourage you to start here: I wrote a national framework to combat job scams and sent it to NIST

On June 12, 2025, at 8:20 AM, I emailed a cybersecurity policy framework to NIST, the federal agency that sets the bar when it comes to national cybersecurity standards. The framework, titled SP 800-TRUST, outlines Trusted Recruitment Standards for the hiring process, aimed at protecting job seekers from online scams.

Just four days later, at 8:35 AM on June 16, 2025, I received a direct response from the NIST CSRC Inquiries Team. My submission was formally forwarded to the NIST Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) team for further review.

Screenshot of official NIST response acknowledging the SP 800-TRUST proposal submission and forwarding to the Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA) team: 

Let that sit for a second.

AQ’s Corner just opened a line of communication with the most trusted cybersecurity authority in the U.S. That’s more than a milestone, it’s a statement. Right now, as I type this second article on the topic, job scam emails are still hitting my inbox. Fake recruiters. Cloned companies. Text messages impersonating HR reps. This is real life. And it’s happening every single day to job seekers, parents, students, veterans, and small business owners. The need for a policy-driven, cybersecurity-informed response is urgent.

That’s why I built the TRUST Framework.

It isn’t just theory. It’s rooted in lived experience, professional expertise, and a clear vision for what digital protection should look like in the hiring space.

What This Means for AQ’s Corner

This isn’t just a personal win. This is a power move for AQ’s Corner. Our mission has always been about digital safety education for families, communities, and small businesses. But now, we’re showing that we don’t just teach cybersecurity, we contribute to it. This acknowledgement from NIST validates the direction we’re heading:

• Creating original cybersecurity content
• Contributing to national-level conversations
• Bringing cybersecurity advocacy and expertise to communities most often left out of the conversation: everyday job seekers, parents, and small business owners.

When we say we build tools to protect people online, this is what we mean.

What Comes Next

Maybe this leads to a discussion. Maybe it sparks a pilot program. Maybe it helps plant the seed for something much bigger than AQ’s Corner. But one thing is clear: we took the shot, and it landed. And now we’re taking steps to contribute to the very frameworks that could help protect millions from job scams: one proposal, one submission, one bold step at a time.

If you’re looking for a partner in digital trust, innovation, and protection, AQ’s Corner is already in the room. Wherever this goes next, we know we’re walking in the right direction.

💬 Want to Support This Mission?

If you believe we need stronger cybersecurity protections for job seekers, and you want to see frameworks like this adopted and implemented, here’s how you can help:

📧 Email NIST at:
nccoe-zta-project@list.nist.gov

📝 Subject Line:
Proposal Submission: NIST SP 800-TRUST Framework – Trusted Recruitment Standards

Let them know Project TRUSThire matters to you.

About NIST

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) is a U.S. government agency under the Department of Commerce. It’s responsible for advancing measurement science, standards, and technology, including the cybersecurity frameworks used by governments, banks, hospitals, cloud providers, and more.

Learn more at: https://www.nist.gov

Thank you for standing with us. Thank you for reading. Thank you for believing in the power of small businesses to create a big impact. We’re just getting started.

AQ’s Corner is building what’s next. 🔐