(ISC)² Blog

What Is Different About Cloud Security?

The principles of data protection are the same whether your data is stored in a traditional, on-premises data center or in a cloud environment. What is different is the way that you apply those principles. Moving data to the cloud introduces novel cybersecurity risks, challenges, and the threat surface. This novelty requires a new approach to data security. Cloud security is the protection of data, applications, and infrastructures involved in cloud computing environments. Traditional security controls are not adequate to mitigate and protect against the new threats in cloud environments. Establishing and sustaining a robust and effective cloud security posture... Read more →

#ISC2Congress - Critical Infrastructure a Main Focus of Security Congress 2021

Protecting critical infrastructure and associated challenges was a recurring theme during (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, which took place virtually from Monday to Wednesday this week. It was the subject of various sessions and came up during a keynote session delivered by Chris Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Krebs said critical infrastructure needs to be hardened against foreign adversaries that might have an interest in disrupting it at some point. CISA and other agencies are working to come up with standards and practices for infrastructure security. And they are looking for input from the cybersecurity... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Lisa Forte Keynote: Insider Threats A Bigger Challenge Than Ever

In one of the most sobering presentations about the current state of security delivered during (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, security expert Lisa Forte said no matter how many protective measures an organization takes, it can never achieve zero risk. Insider threats are always a possibility. Forte, co-founder of Red Goat Cyber Security, used her keynote speech on the third and final day of Security Congress to drive home the point that insider threats have gotten harder to identify. Not only does technology make it easier to steal data, bad actors also can manipulate insiders into becoming unwitting spies. And that’s... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Lessons Learned from the Baltimore Ransomware Attack

Martin R. Okumu lived through the ransomware attack on the City of Baltimore in 2018, which affected 90% of the municipality’s applications. As the then-director of IT infrastructure for the city, he learned a lot of valuable lessons about defending against and recovering from a ransomware attack. On Tuesday afternoon, he shared those lessons with (ISC)² Security Congress 2021 attendees during a virtual session. He is now the Chief Information Officer for the City and County of San Francisco. In many ways, Okumu said, Baltimore was not prepared for the attack. The city did not have a cyber incident response... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Adam Steltzner Keynote: Perseverance and Ingenuity Will Get Us through the Pandemic

"Perseverance” and “Ingenuity” aren’t just the names of spacecraft on Mars; they are also the human qualities we need to get us through the post-pandemic world, said Adam Steltzner, chief engineer and mission leader of NASA's Mars 2020 mission. Steltzner, who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA, was the keynote speaker on the second day of the (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually through Wednesday, October 20. After NASA landed the nuclear-powered “Curiosity” rover on Mars in 2012, the agency worked to send another rover to the Red Planet. That rover, “Perseverance,” landed on Mars... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Panel: DEI Initiatives Come Down To Choosing Talent

Picking up on the theme of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that (ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso says is critical to solving the cybersecurity skills gap, a panel discussion on Monday addressed the challenges that get in the way of successful DEI implementations. Several themes emerged during the late-afternoon panel session, which was part of (ISC)2 Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually this week: Don’t expect change to occur immediately Diversity, equity and inclusion requires a step-by-step approach Keep talking about the issue so it stays at the forefront Measure success by looking at numbers within the organization The session, moderated... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Chris Krebs Keynote Address: Fighting Cyber Adversaries Requires New Thinking and Approaches

The number of connected devices will continue to increase in the next five years, widening the attack surface for cyber adversaries. If we hope to have a fighting chance against them, we need a shift in thinking about defenses as well as increased cooperation between the private sector and government. That was the message delivered by Chris Krebs in the opening keynote of (ISC)2 Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually today through Wednesday. His keynote was the first of about 130 sessions scheduled for the three-day event. Krebs is the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA),... Read more →

#ISC2Congress - CEO Welcomes Virtual Attendees and Urges Them to Focus on Strong Team Development

(ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso kicked off Security Congress 2021 this morning and wasted no time addressing two of the industry’s most pressing topics – the workforce gap and the need for diversity in cybersecurity. This year’s Congress, taking place today through Wednesday, is once again virtual as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. In welcoming attendees to the yearly event, Rosso had some praise for the cybersecurity community. “You’ve proven yourself ready for any challenge,” she said. “For almost two years, in the midst of an ongoing pandemic and unrelenting threats, you continue onward, defending our critical assets and keeping... Read more →

(ISC)² Addresses the Cybersecurity Workforce Gap with New Entry-Level Cybersecurity Certification Pilot Program

In an effort to introduce more talent into the cybersecurity workforce, make cybersecurity a more accessible, inclusive and diverse profession, and close the cybersecurity skills gap, (ISC)² will pilot a new entry-level cybersecurity certification exam as part of its portfolio of industry qualifications. The entry-level certification will provide students, new entrants and career changers with clear and attainable professional development and career pathways from day one. In addition, it will give employers the confidence that new entrants into the sector have a solid grasp of the right technical, ethical and operational practices on which to build and learn. As a... Read more →

Meet the Recipients of the 2021 (ISC)² Diversity Global Achievement Awards

The (ISC)² Diversity Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to building a more diverse workforce in the cybersecurity community. Asia-Pacific Region (ISC)² Diversity Award Honoree Neha Malhotra, CISSP, CCSP is the Vice President, Tech & Cybersecurity Operational Risk Manager at JP Morgan Chase, and was earlier working within Cyber Security Attack Surface Management at Credit Suisse. Neha is an information & cybersecurity professional based in Singapore, with more than 15 years of IT and leadership experience within the BFSI, consulting and manufacturing sectors. Neha was nominated for her advocacy work mentoring and serving as a career advisor for... Read more →