(ISC)² Blog

#ICANDOCYBER: Denise Murtagh-Dunne

by Denise Murtagh-Dunne, Information Security Manager, PWC Ireland From my early childhood, I developed a passion for unravelling the mysteries of how machines worked. My father was a mechanic and, as a child, he would let me help taking car engines apart. This is where I first developed a fascination with getting “under the hood” of machines and understanding their inner mechanics. At school, I then took a computer module which triggered my interest in computing and I chose to study Computer Programming in college. I survived the period of the dot-com bubble bursting and landed an IT technical support... Read more →

Chapter Spotlight: SSDC

On May 7th and 8th, (ISC)² hosted its annual Secure Summit D.C. (SSDC) cybersecurity conference. (ISC)² Secure Summit DC evolved from (ISC)² CyberSecureGov to assemble the best minds in cybersecurity for two days of insightful discussions, workshops and best-practices sharing. Three local (ISC)² Chapters were represented at the event: Quantico Chapter, National Capital Region (NCR) Chapter, and the NOVA Chartering Chapter. The chapters each hosted a table at the event, where 850+ attendees were able to ask questions, learn more about the (ISC)² Chapter Program, and even express interest in joining a local chapter. The (ISC)² National Capital Region (NCR)... Read more →

Cloud Security Concerns Grow as Incidents Rise

As investments in public cloud computing continue to grow, so do cloud-related security incidents. Over the past 12 months, 18 percent of organizations have experienced a cloud security incident, double the number reported in the previous 12-month period, according to a recent report. Not surprisingly, concerns over cloud security also are rising, with more than nine out of 10 cybersecurity professionals – 91 percent, to be exact – saying they are worried about it. This, too, represents an increase from the previous polling period, when 81 percent of cybersecurity professionals expressed similar fears, and reverses a multiple-year downward trend. The... Read more →

Attacks Happen. Be Ready.

A data breach hits headquarters at 3 a.m. Are your critical assets secure? Hire (ISC)²-certified cybersecurity professionals to prepare for, prevent and recover from attacks. Read more →

Is the CISO Well Positioned to Mitigate Operational Risk?

by Tamer Gamali, CISSP, CISO Mashreq Bank, and member of the (ISC)² EMEA Advisory Council Is the CISO well positioned to mitigate operational risk? (ISC)² will be asking this probing question of Security leaders at the kick-off session for Infosecurity Europe’s Leaders Programme in London next month. A round table discussion conducted under the Chatham House Rule, the session creates an opportunity to offer up frank comment and illuminate the challenges currently hampering companies from appreciating and truly gaining control of cyber risks. Infosecurity Europe’s Leaders Programme is open to CISOs and Heads of Information Security, who are the final... Read more →

SSCP Spotlight: Kreesan Govender

Name: Kreesan Govender Title: Information Security Risk and Compliance Specialist Employer: MiWay Insurance (Santam Group) Location: Johannesburg, South Africa Education: National Diploma Computer Network Engineering Years in IT: 5 Years in Cybersecurity: 4 Cybersecurity certifications: SSCP How did you decide upon a career in cybersecurity? I have always found hacking and data breaches interesting since my days at campus, and when I was given the opportunity to start my career within the cybersecurity field, I jumped at the opportunity. Since starting my career in cybersecurity, I have enjoyed every bit and have never looked back. How did you decide to... Read more →

Looking Back: Secure Summit DC

Nearly 900 cybersecurity professionals attended Secure Summit DC at the beautiful MGM National Harbor hotel. The two-day training event included more than 35 sessions in four tracks. Keynote speakers covered topics from resourcefulness to security culture, sociology to workforce development and beyond. A noteworthy theme evolved throughout the event, as speakers from both the private and public sectors – including many from the (ISC)² Board of Directors – acknowledged the need for a greater understanding of the cybersecurity basics both inside and outside the industry. “We’re in the golden age of threats,” said John McCumber, director of cybersecurity advocacy at... Read more →

What Gender Gap? Female and Male Cybersecurity Pros Have More in Common than Not

By and large, female and male cybersecurity professionals share the same workplace values, priorities and aspirations. Both place about the same level of importance on matters such as salary and working close to home – and both apply roughly the same skills to their work and view protecting people and data as their primary function, according to recent (ISC)2 research. In a survey of 250 cybersecurity professionals, (ISC)2 also discovered the number of men and women looking for new employment is exactly the same: 85 percent of cybersecurity workers are open to new employment opportunities, including 14 percent who are... Read more →