(ISC)² Blog

CISSPs from Around the Globe: An Interview with AJ Yawn

The Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification is considered to be the gold standard in information security. This is so because of all the doors that certification opens to a CISSP professional. Those doors lead to many different types of positions and opportunities, thus making the information security community dynamic and multifaceted. In this installment, we talk to AJ Yawn. AJ tells us about his motivation for setting it up his own business, his passion for mentoring and opening up pathways into cybersecurity, and why he thinks (ISC)² Chapters are a great place for networking and accelerating your career.... Read more →

Exclusive Resources and Discounts From Your (ISC)² Membership

Your (ISC)² membership comes with more than being a leading industry expert. The “Exclusive Resources and Discounts” page located behind the member login gains you access to discounted event pricing, Member Perks and partner resources. Discounts and deals are commonplace in large corporate settings, but today’s work climate has experienced a shift in traditional roles. InfoSecurity Magazine recently discussed this trend in “The Gig Economy: A New Battleground for Cybersecurity.” Stating that businesses’ increasing tendency to employ independent contractors and freelancers instead of full-time workers is making IT contracting an increasingly common gig economy role. Our 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study's... Read more →

Ensuring Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity in the Cloud

Organizations are experiencing their fair share of ransomware attacks in the cloud. And the reality is, they aren’t always able to recover. Complexity in the cloud doesn’t just prolong recovery efforts. In some cases, it foils them completely. Companies must be able to recover from data destruction events to avoid potential business losses as well as civil penalties. The need for disaster recovery and business continuity has never been stronger. Here’s why and how you can bring cloud-based disaster recovery to the rescue. Read the full article. Want to learn more about CCSP? To learn more about how the CCSP... Read more →

The Importance of Adopting a Risk Management Approach to Security and Privacy

With businesses’ digital transformation initiatives accelerated during the pandemic, cyber risks are no longer an issue of the IT department. Cyber risks are business risks threatening the very existence of highly digitized and interconnected organizations. Companies are compelled to address those risks before they impact their operations. Risk management is the process of identifying, assessing and controlling risks to an organization’s business, assets, revenue, productivity and reliability. Risk management informs decision making on the investments, policies and practices to mitigate threats and minimize their adverse effects. A risk management approach benefits an organization in many ways as it strengthens their... Read more →

CCSP vs. Professional Cloud Security Manager: How Do They Compare?

Cybersecurity isn’t only a national security issue making headlines almost daily — it’s at the top of the list of imperatives for organizations, public and private. In fact, a majority (73%) rate their security readiness only average or below average, according to the 2021 Cloud Security Report by Cybersecurity Insiders. And that unease extends to the cloud. Though cloud-based security solutions offer significant advantages, resistance to migrating to the cloud continues to exist. Those surveyed say staff expertise and training continues to rank as the highest barrier (53%) to cloud adoption. That realization is leading more enterprises and individuals to... Read more →

Ransomware Groups Reinvest Capital to Improve Attack Methods

Ransomware is big business, and it’s getting even bigger. Some successful ransomware groups now operate as efficient organizations, reinvesting the proceeds from ransom payments to grow the business and refine attack methods. Instead of relaunching the same tried-and-true attacks that have generated their handsome profits, ransomware groups are using the money to invest in R&D, an approach resembling series A financing rounds. As reported by SC Magazine, larger ransomware groups are becoming more professionalized, even holding conferences, hiring web design teams and placing want ads to build their businesses. “Ransomware, like any business, is a complex economy,” SC Magazine reported.... Read more →

Is There Really a Shortage in Cloud Security Skills?

Is there a cloud security skills shortage? It depends on who you ask. Prior to the pandemic, the world was immersed in cloud technology – everyone, it seemed, had a migration strategy. Then the global lockdown happened. We collectively added a layer of priority to the cloud as tens of millions of people started to rely on it for work and communications in ways we hadn’t before. Cloud is a highly complex and continually evolving set of technologies and protocols. Finding team members with the right background is a challenge, making it seem like there’s a substantial shortage of skilled... Read more →

CISSP - Tales of the Unexpected

We have all heard the old adage how big surprises can come in small packages. If you are a candidate who is studying for the CISSP exam, or if you are in the early stages of considering studying for the exam, you may be surprised that at all the opportunities that are available from a single certification. However, when taken in context with the benefits of the CISSP credential, very few other certifications carry the same respect and career-boosting potential as the CISSP. It is understandable why one might hesitate at reaching for what is often referred to as the... Read more →

National Small Business Week: 10 Best Practices for Small Business Cybersecurity

A recent survey conducted by CNBC and Momentive found that 56% of small business owners are not concerned about being the victim of a cyberattack in the next year and that only 28% of them have a response plan in place in case of a cyberattack. This does not bode well for their longevity, as other industry data shows that 60% of small businesses that suffer a data breach will be out of business within six months. The high cost of remediation and the potential for reputational damage can be more than most small businesses can withstand. Many times, the... Read more →

Poll: Cyber Pros Say White House Cybersecurity Summit Is a Step in the Right Direction

The Biden Administration held a summit on August 25 with technology, finance, energy and education leaders to discuss ways to bolster cybersecurity, both for individual companies and the nation as a whole. Companies represented included some of technology’s biggest names such as Apple, Amazon, Google, IBM and Microsoft. Some organizations announced commitments to improve security controls and practices across the supply chain and to invest in education. Apple committed to working with suppliers to drive the adoption of measures such as multifactor authentication and event logging. Google plans to invest $10 billion on zero-trust programs, software supply chain security and... Read more →