(ISC)² Blog

(ISC)2 Named as Finalist for Best Professional Certification Program Award

This week, SC Media released its list of Finalists for the 2019 SC Awards and (ISC)2 is once again in consideration as the best professional certification program in the cybersecurity industry. Winners will be announced at the SC Awards dinner, a gala evening convening hundreds of the industry’s brightest luminaries to network, toast the winners, and celebrate the best the cybersecurity community has to offer. The event takes place on March 5 at the InterContinental Hotel in San Francisco during the week of RSA Conference. Tickets can be purchased here. Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: Ramana Krothapalli

Name: Ramana Krothapalli Title: Consultant - Information Security & GRC Employer: Self-Employed Location: Hyderabad, India Education: M.Sc., PGDCA Years in IT: 7 Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 17 Cybersecurity certifications: CISSP, HCISSP, CISA, CISM, ISO 27001 LA How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? It’s rather a chance than a choice. As the chief information security officer (CISO) of a software development firm, I was tasked to implement information security and privacy in multiple healthcare development projects. I am happy that I could contribute to security of healthcare. Why did you decide to pursue your... Read more →

CISSP and (ISC)² Membership Recognized by the NCSC

The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) has outlined new rules of the road for earning its Certified Cyber Professional (CCP) specialist certification. The new pilot program for the certification commences in 2019 and focuses on assessing two main areas of specialism: risk management and security architecture. Why is this of interest to you? The NCSC has outlined three ways in which candidates can demonstrate foundational cybersecurity knowledge in order to qualify for the scheme. One of those ways is to hold a CISSP certification and a full (ISC)2 membership. This is yet another signpost that highlights the industry recognition of... Read more →

(ISC)² Presents to NICE Working Group

Our own John McCumber, director of cybersecurity advocacy for North America, was provided a great opportunity this week to present the findings from our recent 2018 Cybersecurity Workforce Study to the National Initiative for Cybersecurity Education Working Group (NICEWG) at its monthly meeting. As you may well know – or can guess – this working group covers the NICE Framework published by the National Institute for Standards and Technology (NIST) and brings together a diverse group of public and private sector cybersecurity experts to discuss ways to advance cybersecurity education, training and workforce development. To be invited to present to... Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: Shawn O’Reilly

Name: Shawn O’Reilly Title: Information Security Officer Employer: SUNY Upstate Medical University Location: Syracuse, New York Education: Master’s in Information Management, Syracuse University Years in IT: 25 Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 20 Cybersecurity certifications: CISSP, CCSP, HCISPP, CISM, CISA How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and privacy? The opportunity to move into a healthcare security and privacy career presented itself about 15 years ago when I was searching for a new job. I was previously employed by a Big 4 accounting firm, where I got my start as a cybersecurity consultant. I was looking to... Read more →

Report: Cyberattacks Pose Big Business Risks Around the Globe

Cyberattacks rank as the number one risk of doing business in North America, Europe and the East Asia-Pacific region, according to a World Economic Forum report, Regional Risks of Doing Business. While business leaders in other areas of the globe are more concerned about unemployment, unstable governments and oil prices, cyber risks rank as the fifth highest worldwide. The concern about cyberattacks shows just how critical cybersecurity has become, ranking even higher than terrorism in the global top 10. Not surprisingly, cyber risks are a bigger concern among the most industrialized areas of the globe such as North America, where... Read more →

HCISPP Spotlight: George Chacko

Name: George Chacko Title: Senior Manager, Information Security Employer: New York Blood Center Location: New York, NY, U.S. Education: State University of New York at Buffalo Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 14 Cybersecurity certifications: CISSP, HCISPP How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? After starting my career in financial services as an information security professional, I knew that the healthcare industry was an area in which experienced resources were needed due to the rise in major breaches of medical records and personal healthcare information. I had many family and friends in different roles in healthcare... Read more →

Giving Tuesday

The holidays are a great time to give back to your local community. November 27 is known as Giving Tuesday, a global day of giving. This year, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education is adding some “cattitude” to Giving Tuesday. Sign up for the Center’s “Round-Up” program from November 1 to November 27 and you will be entered for the chance to win a Jim Davis autographed holiday-themed Garfield print. Once enrolled, the program “rounds up” your change on every day purchases and donates them to the charity of your choice. Another way to give back is at the... Read more →

Deep Dive into CISSP Salary Data

(ISC)² is most widely known for the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification. Holding your CISSP certification means something. It means you are experienced, well-trained, dedicated and constantly working to stay up to speed on the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity. There are more than 125,000 certified CISSPs around the world working at Fortune 100 companies, start-ups and as independent contractors. Certification Magazine surveyed a group of CISSPs and discovered they remain among the highest compensated security professionals, with an average U.S. salary of $131,030. To learn more about CISSP salary information, including job satisfaction and experience levels, read the... Read more →

So You Think You Can Cyber?

The 2018 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, recently released by (ISC)2, reveals that 63% of organizations currently don’t have enough cybersecurity staff. The number is hardly surprising considering the worldwide cybersecurity workforce shortage is nearly 3 million. Employers have an acute need to build their cyber teams with the requisite skills and experience. Their priorities in looking for candidates include: relevant work experience – 49% understanding of advanced cybersecurity concepts – 47% cybersecurity certifications – 43% extensive cybersecurity work experience – 40% strong non-technical/soft skills – 39% If you’re seeking employment in a cybersecurity role, keep these priorities in mind. They provide... Read more →