(ISC)² Blog

Survey: CISSP Is the Most Valuable Security Certification for 2021

The (ISC)2 Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) certification has won top marks from a 90,000-member LinkedIn community of cybersecurity professionals. The group selected the certification as the most valuable from a list of 50 leading cybersecurity industry certifications and courses. The Information Security Careers Network (ISCN) asked the LinkedIn community, which is composed of ISCN members, to rate their top certifications in order to compile a list of the top 10 most desirable certifications for 2021. The list included certifications from other associations and vendors, as well as the (ISC)2 Certified Cloud Security Professional (CCSP). Why is the CISSP... Read more →

Cybersecurity Workforce Study: Certifications Boost Salaries by an Average of $18,000

Almost two thirds of cybersecurity professionals (63%) currently are pursuing, or planning to pursue, security-related certifications, according to the (ISC)² 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. Certifications deliver multiple benefits, including increased earning power and better career opportunities. The study found that security certifications on average boost salaries by $18,000, from an average of $67,000 to $85,000. That alone is a significant motivator, although cybersecurity professionals typically don’t limit their choice of employment to earning potential alone. They tend to value attributes such as career advancement opportunities and work/life balance as much or more. Of course, certifications are about more than boosting... Read more →

(ISC)² Supports DOE Competition to Train the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Leaders

The cybersecurity workforce gap of 3.1 million cannot be filled overnight; however, working with schools and encouraging younger generations to join the field will help in improving this number. (ISC)² is proud to support efforts that encourage the growth of the industry, including the U.S. Department of Energy’s CyberForce CompetitionTM. Students participating in 2019 CyberForce Competition. The CyberForce Competition is a realistic cyber defense competition providing a hands-on approach to understanding threats, vulnerabilities and consequences. Participants use interactive, scenario-based events where they solve problems using methods, practices, strategies, policies and ethics. Through the CyberForce Competition, the DOE has worked to... Read more →

Security Predictions for 2021 from the (ISC)² Community of Security Professionals (PART 1)

By Diana-Lynn Contesti, CISSP-ISSAP, ISSMP, CSSLP, SSCP, John Martin, CISSP-ISSAP, and Richard Nealon, CISSP-ISSMP, CISSP, SSCP, SCF, CISM, CISA 2020 was a year of change. It changed the way that folks work and how they interact with each other. Wondering what 2021 might look like for information security professionals? This is the first in a series of posts where we will discuss what we believe 2021 may have in store for information security professionals. Some of the issues faced by security professionals in 2021/2022 will include (but are not limited to) the evolving landscape of privacy, and the ongoing necessity... Read more →

Cybersecurity Consultant: Are More CISSPs Embracing the Gig Economy?

The gig economy has grown rapidly in recent years and now includes more than one third of U.S. workers who describe themselves as consultants, freelancers or self-employed. It isn’t surprising then that 31% of organizations say that consultants and contractors are the top source they tap into for cybersecurity talent, according to the (ISC)² 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study. In fact, this group is the second-most popular talent source overall, just after new university graduates. The largest number of consultants (40%) work with small and mid-sized businesses (SMB), which could include small sole-proprietary businesses (think a self-employed CISSP starting his or... Read more →

A Recipe for Avoiding Software Failures

Have you ever baked something, only to see it fail due to the lack of a key ingredient? For instance, a cake will not rise if you add baking powder after you realize it was forgotten in the original ingredient list. The same is true for many failed endeavors. The addition of a critical component after the project is completed does little to improve the original plan. In many cases, it introduces unintended complexity that sets off a cascading series of problems. As a security professional, you probably can name a list of software that was released too early, requiring... Read more →

Workforce Study: Reviewing Cybersecurity’s Pandemic Response

In a year that presented so many challenges – a global pandemic, social unrest and an economic downturn – one success is worth noting: When cybersecurity professionals were called upon to secure remote environments in a hurry, they stepped up. As many companies were forced to shift to a work-from-home model because of COVID-19 for most or all employees, cybersecurity teams went to work on securing both these newly created remote environments and existing corporate networks. Data from (ISC)²’s 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study shows respondents believe those efforts were largely successful. Even though 30% of cybersecurity professionals had a deadline... Read more →

Study: Certifications Boost Salaries Substantially

While skills shortages remain a major challenge in cybersecurity, those who work in the field have ample opportunities to boost their salaries. And one sure way to get better pay is by earning certifications, according to a new study by training services provider Global Knowledge. “Learning a new skill or earning a certification can result in a raise upwards of $12,000 a year,” according to the Global Knowledge 2020 IT Skills and Salary Report. The figure applies to IT professionals as a whole but is especially relevant to cybersecurity professionals considering that the report says, “cloud computing and cybersecurity certifications... Read more →

#ISC2Congress: Recruiter: COVID Had a Minimal Impact on the Cybersecurity Job Market

The COVID-19 pandemic delivered a serious blow to the global economy, but plenty of job opportunities remain in the cybersecurity field, according to Kris Rides, CEO of cybersecurity staffing company Tiro Security. There were cybersecurity layoffs, Rides said, but in much smaller numbers than in industries such as travel and entertainment, which have taken the brunt of the pandemic’s economic impact. Cybersecurity “is one area where companies couldn’t really afford to lay off people,” Rides said, during a virtual presentation as part of the (ISC)2 2020 Security Congress taking place this week. Kris Rides, CEO of Tiro Security The pandemic’s... Read more →

2020 (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study: Skills Gap Narrows in an Unusual Year

For the first time since (ISC)2 started tracking cybersecurity workforce numbers in 2004, we have seen a decrease in the skills gap, from 4.07 million in 2019 to 3.12 million. According to the 2020 (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, the workforce increased 25% from 2019 to a total of 3.5 million professionals worldwide. The numbers reflect an increase in new entrants to the field – 700,000 of them – but that doesn’t tell the whole story. Another contributing factor is an apparent reduction in demand as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has had significant economic impacts around the world.... Read more →

How Do Security Controls Help Implement a Corporate Security Policy?

A corporate security policy is the cornerstone document of a company’s risk management. Does your business have the appropriate security controls in place to implement the policy, or is the policy a forgotten document in a dusty drawer? Although most companies have established security policies at the strategic level these are not always enforced, because they lack foundational support at the tactical level. The key to solving this is knowledgeable and skilled security practitioners who can take the lead and implement security controls aligned to the policy’s goals. Many security incidents may have been avoided if the proper security controls... Read more →

The HR Manager's Guide to Mitigating Cyber Attacks in Healthcare

by Anastasios Arampatzis Cyberattacks in the Healthcare Industry are Increasing The use of technology in the healthcare sector can be both life-saving and life-threatening. Advancements in technology, like 3D printing, virtual reality, robotics, and Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), improve the ability of healthcare organizations to provide better care for their patients. At the same time, criminals leverage this new technology to execute their malevolent causes by either stealing protected health information (PHI) and other sensitive data or disrupting the operation of healthcare providers. The recent COVID-19 pandemic serves as a good example of the attack vectors criminals are using.... Read more →

Insufficient Staffing Hindering States’ Cybersecurity Efforts

Inadequate cybersecurity staffing is the second-largest barrier faced by state governments in their attempts to overcome cybersecurity challenges, according to a newly released Deloitte study. Insufficient budget was the biggest barrier reported, and interestingly, the lack of availability of cybersecurity professionals was cited as the fifth largest barrier. Inadequate staffing has been a prevalent issue for years. (ISC)2’s 2019 Cybersecurity Workforce Study estimates the shortage of needed skilled professionals is more than 4 million worldwide. This creates challenges for CISOs as they focus on protecting their organizations. The Deloitte study, which is based on responses from 51 U.S. states and... Read more →

The Need For Eyes Everywhere – Asset Security

A Playing Field Without Any Boundaries Have you ever been assigned the task of asset security in an organization? At first glance, asset security seems pretty simple, almost boring. After all, what’s the big deal tracking some laptops and mobile phones. However, once you dive into the details of what an asset is, you may quickly find yourself with the feeling that the entire earth has become overtaken by quicksand. The asset security responsibilities of an information security professional can be so vast, as to leave one feeling that they have no firm footing. Assets are anything that imparts value... Read more →

The Digital Future Needs Cybersecurity Leaders

We’re sure you have heard this before: the rate of technological change is accelerating. It is unpredictable and unprecedented. As the World Economic Forum acknowledges, the fourth industrial revolution brings “developments in previously disjointed fields such as artificial intelligence and machine learning, robotics, nanotechnology, 3D printing and genetics and biotechnology [that] are all building on and amplifying one another.” This unprecedented disruption of society by technology introduces many changes in the workforce as well. In the words of the World Economic Forum “more than a third of the desired core skill sets of most occupations will be comprised of skills... Read more →

The Human Element of Zero Trust

One weak link in a chain is all that’s needed to topple a cyberdefense. Sometimes this comes down to an errant line of code in a hastily developed API, inadequate penetration testing, or old, unpatched, exploitable code hidden deep within a legacy system. But more often than not, it’s because of the actions of an individual – a single person who clicks on a malware payload within a phishing email, or who allows someone to physically access a workplace unchallenged, or whose work-from-home office features a Wi-Fi router that was never properly secured. Effective cybersecurity demands a zero trust platform.... Read more →

Not All Life Savers Wear White Coats

by Anastasios Arampatzis During the COVID-19 public health crisis, cyber criminals took advantage of people’s growing need for information about the pandemic to launch an increased number of attacks against healthcare providers. The exponential growth of these cyberattacks is posing a considerable threat to civil society, government institutions, and most particularly, the healthcare sector. Despite a wake-up call following the WannaCry crisis, healthcare cybersecurity still lags. As a result, in this time of emergency, cyberattacks may not only have an economic and reputational cost, they may also have an impact on human life. To help healthcare organizations focus on the... Read more →

Positive View of Cybersecurity Professionals And How To Attract People to the Field

The cybersecurity profession is suffering from a peculiarly positive perception problem: People outside the industry view the job with such high regard that it seems beyond their reach as a viable career option for themselves. The newly released 2020 (ISC)² Cybersecurity Perception Study, which polled 2,500 people across the U.S. and the U.K. who are not working in the cybersecurity field, found that the traditional image of cybersecurity professionals as mysterious characters working in the shadows has been replaced by one of smart, talented people and the “good guys fighting cybercrime.” It’s a welcome change for those in the industry... Read more →

Remote Working Underscores the Need for Qualified Cybersecurity Professionals

Remote working is here to stay The COVID-19 pandemic has brought many changes to our lives: social distancing, face masks, and WFH (work from home). Based on health scientists’ advice to protect society and driven by the need to maintain business continuity, private and public sector organizations have directed their employees to work from home. The change in work habits is enormous: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, only 29 percent of Americans were able to work from home before the COVID-19 era. However, remote working is here to stay. According to a recent Gartner survey, 74% of enterprises... Read more →

Keeping Your Cup From Overflowing

As published in the July/August 2020 edition of InfoSecurity Professional Magazine By Michael M. Hanna, CISSP Defenders of the cyber domain carry a significant weight because of the demands placed upon them. In addition to the technical skills needed to protect companies and entire communities, cybersecurity professionals must have the know-how to protect information systems and data that support national security requirements, critical infrastructure and/or sensitive customer details. Our actions directly serve to protect and sup-port our families, significant others, friends and colleagues. These responsibilities surely carry a weight for us all and incur considerable stress. How could they not?... Read more →