(ISC)² Blog

#CybersecurityAwarenessMonth Mentorship Interview Series: Part 3 – Reverse Mentorship

In the final part of this three-part mentorship series for Cybersecurity Awareness Month we are discussing the advantages and challenges of reverse mentorship. Hear from two members who dared to embark on the complex world of reverse mentorship and shared their experiences with us. Read more about becoming a mentor and mentee in our part 1 and part 2 of this blog series. Chinatu Uzuegbu, CISSP, CEO/Managing Cyber Security Consultant at RoseTech CyberCrime Solutions Ltd. How would you describe reverse mentorship? Reverse mentorship is a process of being trained or mentored by a younger or junior position as a more... Read more →

Latest Cyberthreats and Advisories - October 28, 2022

Tech giant vulnerabilities, menacing malware and child abductions via rideshare apps…. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of October 28, 2022. Threat Advisories and Alerts Daixin Team Ransomware Group Targets U.S. Businesses The FBI and CISA released a joint cybersecurity advisory to warn companies of the cybercrime group Daixin Team. The threat actors are a ransomware and data extortion group that have been actively targeting U.S. businesses since at least June 2022, mostly in the healthcare sector. The group gains access to victims’ systems via virtual private network (VPN) servers, and then moves laterally via Remote... Read more →

Cloud Security and The Portable Career

Over the past two years, the workforce has changed in unimaginable ways. Hybrid work is now the norm, leadership strategies have evolved to encompass the new way of work, and workers are taking the time to decide if they actually like their job. We have witnessed the highest resignation numbers in decades – according to the World Economic Forum, 4.4 million workers left their jobs in September 2021 alone! However, the Great Resignation can be your Great Opportunity, especially if you are pursuing a career in cloud security. The Great Resignation brings Great Opportunities You have probably seen headlines about... Read more →

Proposed Bylaws Amendments – What They Mean

I *The blog.isc2.org platform is having technical difficulties. If you are having trouble reading this blog in its entirety please view here: https://community.isc2.org/t5/Blog/Proposed-Bylaws-Amendments-What-They-Mean/ba-p/54775 (ISC)² has added additional insights to the Bylaws amendment documentation to address specific questions raised by our members. You can review the entire Bylaws packet here, and we are sharing the added rationale for changes below. All members are encouraged to review the Bylaws documentation prior to voting. The Board of Directors recommends a VOTE FOR THE AMENDMENTS.  (ISC)² Board of Directors Chairperson Zach Tudor, CISSP, shared additional insights into the proposed Bylaws changes you can read here. From... Read more →

#CybersecurityAwarenessMonth Mentorship Interview Series: Part 2 – Mentees

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month we are reviewing the three sides of mentorship by speaking with members who are experienced mentors, mentees and those who have taken part in reverse mentorship. Review our part one blog and hear from experienced mentors. In this, our second part of our three-part interview series we will hear from Jean Tam, CISSP, Cybersecurity Manager/Lead, Subject Matter Expert at Lockheed Martin on what the mentee experience is like. What drove you to seek mentorship? I was just out of college and wanted to figure out what I wanted to be when I grew up. What did... Read more →

(ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity and ISACA Cybersecurity Fundamentals: How Do They Compare?

As cyberthreats continue to make daily headlines, the need for security experts is at an all-time high. Yet talent is scarce. Research shows the cybersecurity workforce needs an influx of 2.7 million professionals to meet global demand. Near limitless job opportunities are wide open to problem-solvers with an analytical mindset. How can you start your career in cybersecurity? Working cybersecurity professionals agree, certification is the most important way for career pursuers to enter the field. But with so many cybersecurity certifications out there, how do you choose the one that will help you break into the field and help lead... Read more →

Reminder – (ISC)² Bylaw Voting is Open

A reminder to all (ISC)² certified members in good standing as of October 2, voting is now open for the amendments to the (ISC)² Bylaws. Any individual who has earned an (ISC)² certification and is an active member in good standing as of October 2, 2022, is eligible to vote. This includes new Certified in Cybersecurity (CC) holders. Visit your member dashboard to find your voting access. On October 19, members of the (ISC)² Board of Directors – Dan Houser, CISSP-ISSAP, ISSMP, CCSP, CSSLP, Yiannis Pavlosoglou, CISSP and Lisa Young, CISSP – participated in a live webinar, along with (ISC)²... Read more →

LATEST CYBERTHREATS AND ADVISORIES - OCTOBER 21, 2022

Ransomware derails big businesses as the Australian cyberattack spree and student loan forgiveness scam highlight a disturbing week in the cybersecurity world. Here are the latest threats and advisories for the week of October 21, 2022. Threat Advisories and Alerts FBI Warns That Fraudsters May Target Beneficiaries of Student Loan Forgiveness Individuals seeking US federal student loan forgiveness should be cautious of potential scams related to the Student Loan Debt Relief Plan introduced in August of this year. Scammers are using a variety of digital tools – including websites, email, mobile phones and more – to trick victims into giving... Read more →

#CybersecurityAwarenessMonth Mentorship Interview Series: Part 1 – Mentors

This Cybersecurity Awareness Month we are looking at three sides of mentorship from the mentor’s perspective, the mentee’s insights and reverse mentorship. Follow along with us though this three-part interview series highlighting member perspectives from varying industries. In this first blog, we will hear from three experienced mentors sharing their insights and takeaways from years of experience helping to guide the next generation. Chaddrick “Chad” Nevills, CISSP, Service Engineer at Microsoft What motivates you to succeed as a mentor? Seeing someone else succeed using the knowledge from my experiences to their advantage. It is fruitful to see someone from my... Read more →

As the Cybersecurity Profession Grows, So Does the Workforce Gap

The cybersecurity field has become larger than ever, but as the ranks of cybersecurity professionals increase, so does the workforce gap. The 2022 (ISC)² Cybersecurity Workforce Study reveals the workforce has grown to 4.7 million, an 11% increase from a year ago, while the workforce gap is now 3.4 million, up from 2.7 million. “Despite adding more than 464,000 workers in the past year, the cybersecurity workforce gap has grown more than twice as much as the workforce with a 26.2% year-over-year increase, making it a profession in dire need of more people,” the newly published report says. Findings were... Read more →

(ISC)² Collaborates with KISA to Strengthen Cybersecurity Professional Development in Emerging Economies

Many developing countries lack the resources to secure valuable information and data effectively. To strengthen cyber defenses in these economies, additional cybersecurity professionals are needed – with the right skills and knowledge – to defend critical assets. Understanding the challenge and wanting to improve the global cybersecurity ecosystem, today (ISC)² and Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to collaborate and leverage the expertise of our organization, as well as KISA, to nurture the global cybersecurity workforce. The collaboration will expand cybersecurity professional education and training by providing professionals with the necessary knowledge and skills... Read more →

(ISC)² and the UK Cyber Security Council Professional Standards Pilot Program – What It Means for Members

The UK Cyber Security Council, the self-regulatory body for the UK's cyber security profession, today announced the commencement of a pilot project to award professional standards titles to cybersecurity professionals, up to Chartered status. (ISC)² is one of two bodies, along with CIISec, that has been selected by the Council to assess applications from cybersecurity professionals to be placed on the register and to be awarded one of three professional title levels. For (ISC)² members, it means we will be able to process member applications and determine on the Council’s behalf which of the three professional titles the member is... Read more →

(ISC)² Certified in Cybersecurity and CompTIA Security+: How Do They Create a Path to a Career in Cybersecurity?

With the ongoing threat of data breaches and cyberattacks in our increasingly connected world, organizations everywhere need professionals to protect their operations, data and critical assets. Yet talent to fill these vital roles is scarce. Near limitless job opportunities in cybersecurity are wide open to problem-solvers with an analytical mindset. How can you break into cybersecurity? Working cybersecurity professionals agree, certification is the most important way for career pursuers to enter the field. But with so many cybersecurity certifications out there, how do you choose the one that will help you break into the field and help lead you to... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2022: Highlighting the Need for Collaborative Defense

A common theme that permeates (ISC)² Security Congress each year is the need to work collaboratively against cyber adversaries. This year was no different, as speaker after speaker during the event in Last Vegas stressed the importance of collaboration, information-sharing and teamwork. The theme emerged early on, as (ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso made her opening remarks. Referring to the cybersecurity workforce shortage, which now stands at 3.4 million vacant positions, Clar called for a new way of thinking to build cybersecurity teams. “And it starts with you,” she asserted “It starts with this community coming together. We can close this... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2022: Ian Bremmer - Is Technology the New World Order?

A new world order is taking shape as private enterprise, in the form of technology companies, start playin a decisive role in geopolitical events, said Ian Bremmer, the president and founder of Eurasia Group. Speaking to an audience gathered in Las Vegas for the 2022 (ISC)² Security Congress, Bremmer posited that in the not-too-distant future technology companies may supplant governments in making decisions because they control the digital world. “What if governments start fundamentally failing in being able to deliver the kinds of security that are required for their people,” Bremmer said. A window into the role of private enterprise... Read more →

No work experience? Don’t let that stop you from pursuing a career in cybersecurity

With the current threats to cyber stability around the world, there’s never been a greater urgency for cybersecurity professionals than now. Organizations are investing more time, money and talent to detecting and mitigating cyberattacks. The result is a boom in demand for skilled cybersecurity professionals. What’s the best way to break into cybersecurity when you have no experience in the field? It depends on where you are in your career, what you want to do and where you see your future. If you thrive on solving problems, are driven to help people and are excited at the prospect of working... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS 2022: Panel: Why Apprenticeships Matter

The cybersecurity community grew by 11% over the past year to 4.7 million professionals around the globe, but so did the skills gap. In fact, the gap widened at the faster pace of 25%, leading to 3.4 million vacancies, according to (ISC)² research. (ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso shared these statistics during her opening remarks at Security Congress, taking place this week in Las Vegas. She said no single solution exists to close the gap. As (ISC)² has argued in the past, closing the gap will take a multipronged approach that involves attracting people from outside the industry, working with academia,... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2022: Effective Cybersecurity Takes Collaboration

The approach to cybersecurity historically has revolved around self-interest. It’s time to change that to think about the collective, according to Ciaran Martin, founder of the U.K.’s National Cyber Security Centre. “We're all interested in cybersecurity because we're professionals, but we're all interested in it for ourselves, for our own financial and economic and other interests,” Ciaran said in a keynote he delivered to open the second day of (ISC)²’s Security Congress 2022. The event is taking place this week in Las Vegas. Understandably, everyone wants to protect their families and organizations, Ciaran said. But to get cybersecurity right, he... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2022: Approach Cybersecurity as a Science

In a thought-provoking presentation during Security Congress, Walmart’s chief security architect challenged cybersecurity professionals to take a more scientific approach to their work. Ira Winkler urged organizations to implement comprehensive behavioral cybersecurity programs that use statistical analysis to understand human actions. With this approach, he argued, you can better address bad habits that contribute to security vulnerabilities. It also allows you to learn and address the needs and wellness of cybersecurity teams. Too often, he says users get wrongly blamed for security issues. “If you have a user that creates harm, the harm is a result of a poorly designed... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2022: Lessons from a Ransomware Attack

When an organization suffers a ransomware attack, how well they can respond comes down to preparedness. An up-to-date, comprehensive incident response plan (IRP) can make a big difference, said Joseph Carson, Chief Security Scientist and Advisory CISO at Delinea. Joseph spoke about ransomware response on Monday as part of the annual (ISC)² Security Congress, taking place through Wednesday in Las Vegas. To illustrate the importance of being prepared when responding to an attack, Joseph walked his audience through an experience he had with a client. The company’s security team was notified of an attack by the hackers through email and... Read more →