(ISC)² Blog

Chapter Spotlight: Bangalore

(ISC)² Bangalore Chapter 7th Security Meet The (ISC)² Bangalore Chapter conducted its 7th Security Meet on 17th March, 2018 at Honeywell Technology Solutions. The event offered its fellow security professionals an opportunity to hear from and discuss with security experts from various industries. The chapter has picked up pace and matured with respect to its steadily growing membership count in quality and quantity. Currently at the count of 73 members and counting, this chapter promises to sincerely promote its purpose and vision of building a strong network of security professionals. The half day event featured three major keynote presentations along... Read more →

Ghana Chapter Plays Key Role in Securing Republic’s Digital Journey

Focused on “Securing Ghana’s Digital Journey,” the Republic of Ghana’s Ministry of Communications recently united representatives from multiple international bodies for National Cyber Security Week (NCSW). Members of the (ISC)2 Ghana Chapter played key roles in ensuring the event’s success. Opened by Ghana President H.E. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, the weeklong forum gathered participants from the Council of Europe (GLACY +), the United States/Security Governance Initiative, the United Nations, ECOWAS, African Union Commission, and others. (ISC)2 Ghana Chapter Treasurer Alexander Oppong, CISSP, served on the NCSW Planning Committee responsible for the event’s funding, exhibiting, sponsor selection, and physical/cyber security. Ghana... Read more →

Scholarship opportunities with (ISC)² and The Center for Cyber Safety and Education

Every year, (ISC)² and The Centre for Cyber Safety and Education award a range of scholarships to individuals pursuing, or planning to pursue a degree in cybersecurity or information security. Addressing the cybersecurity skills gap The aim of these initiatives are to help bridge the cybersecurity workforce skills gap - which our research predicts to reach a 1.8 million shortfall in the next four years - and improve diversity within the profession; by providing future information security professionals with Undergraduate, Graduate or Women’s scholarships to assist them in preparing for their rewarding career in this vital sector. How the scholarship... Read more →

Ways to Earn CISSP CPEs

In this ever-changing field, you’re constantly required to learn about new tools, vulnerabilities and threats. We know that time and financial resources may get in the way of participating in CPE offerings that help you sharpen your skills and hone your craft. We are committed to enabling our members to become the most well-rounded and effective cybersecurity practitioners around so we’ve compiled a list of CISSP CPE opportunities that will work for your busy schedule. Online CPE Opportunities: Read InfoSecurity Professional Magazine (and take the quiz) Watch a CPE webinar (including any of our cybersecurity webinar series: ThinkTank, e-Symposium, From... Read more →

Center for Cyber Safety and Education Named Nonprofit of the Year

The Center for Cyber Safety and Education was named the 2018 Nonprofit Organization of the Year by the Clearwater Regional Chamber of Commerce. The Center is the charitable foundation of (ISC)² and was previously known as the (ISC)² Foundation. They are committed to making the cyber world a safer place for everyone, particularly through their Safe and Secure Online program. The children’s materials feature Garfield and friends tackling cyber safety issues, including privacy, the dangers of posting online, online etiquette, cyberbullying and more. “We are deeply honored to receive this recognition, especially in our local community,” said Patrick Craven, director... Read more →

Cyber Security Awareness Month

October is Cyber Security Awareness Month, as well as National Bullying Prevention Month, which means it’s the perfect time to get up-to-date on the activities of the Center for Cyber Safety and Education! Their third lesson of the Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventuresin the Safe and Secure Online program, “Be Kind Online!” launched this month and is now available for purchase on https://www.cybersafetykits.org/ The focus of the episode is on cyberbullying. The Center now offers a new Digital subscription to the cartoon lessons featuring Garfield and his furry friends are available for your family at just $9.99 per year. The Center’s... Read more →

What we learned from this month’s European GISWS report

What is the GISWS? Since its first release in 2004, the biennial (ISC)²® Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS) has been gauging the opinions of information security professionals; and in turn, providing detailed insights into the important trends and opportunities within this increasingly crucial profession. This year, the study conducted its largest-ever global survey of cybersecurity professionals, with over 19,000 individuals taking part (3,694 of which hailing from Europe), further allowing it to ascertain an even clearer and progressively more complete profile of the information security workforce; with stronger understandings of areas and issues such as pay scales, skills gaps,... Read more →

The Great Divide: Women in Cybersecurity Infographic

According to the latest research from the Center for Cyber Safety and Education™ and the Executive Women’s Forum on Information Security, Risk Management & Privacy (EWF), conducted by Frost & Sullivan, women continue to comprise only 11 percent of the information security workforce. That number, despite women making up approximately half of the global population, has remained stagnant since 2013. This information is detailed in the latest infographic created using data from the 2017 Women in Cybersecurity report, which was part of the Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS), sponsored by Booz Allen Hamilton. The study found that women in... Read more →

Are Women the Answer to the Cybersecurity Skills Gap?

Information security is one of the most important and fastest growing professions in the world, possessing a near-zero unemployment rate, but also a worker shortfall that grows larger every year. Most organisations admit that bridging the industry’s skills gap, while attracting women into cybersecurity is crucial; yet female participation has remained static since I began working with our Global Information Security Workforce Study programme in 2004. When we first began benchmarking the development of the cybersecurity workforce, analysts projected a double-digit growth that has since been realised. Today we forecast a skills gap projected to reach a shortage of 1.8... Read more →

5th Annual CyberSecureGov Brings Together World-Renowned Experts To Educate the Workforce in Cyber

We are excited to announce the final speaker agenda for our 5th annual CyberSecureGov training event being held May 9-11, 2017, at the Marriott Wardman Park in Washington, D.C. This year, we are offering a 3-day event, which means more great sessions and more CPEs! “If you work for the U.S. government – either as a contractor or direct hire – cybersecurity is now your job,” said Dan Waddell, CISSP, CAP, PMP, managing director, North America Region, and director of U.S. government affairs, (ISC)². “More and more, government agencies are requiring good cyber hygiene practices in contracts, job descriptions, performance... Read more →

GISWS Results – Women in Cybersecurity

The 2017 Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS) Women in Cybersecurity report, co-authored by the Center for Cyber Safety and Education and the Executive Women's Forum on Information Security, Risk Management & Privacy, and presented by PricewaterhouseCoopers, LLC focuses on the unique attributes, as well as the challenges facing women in this industry. A few of the highlights from this year's Women in Cybersecurity report include: Women comprise only 11 percent of the information security workforce. Women reported higher levels of education than men. Women in cybersecurity earn less than men. A special thank you to the co-authors of this... Read more →

Cybersecurity Workforce Shortage Projected at 1.8 Million by 2022

The results from the eighth Global Information Security Workforce Study (GISWS) have been released this week. The workforce gap is estimated to be growing, with the projected shortage reaching 1.8 million professionals by 2022. While the gap is not news, the fact that it is growing is of great concern to an already exhausted workforce. The question of how to fill the gap has been answered, and millennials are an integral part of the plan. “For years, we’ve known about the impending shortage of the information security workforce, as evidenced by our study year over year,” said David Shearer, CEO,... Read more →

The (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study is Back!

RSA Conference is less than a week away! The annual information security event will be held at the Moscone Center, February 13-17, in San Francisco, CA. On Thursday, February 16, (ISC)² will release the first in a series of reports from its’ 2017 Global Information Security Workforce Study. Focusing on the millennial workforce, a panel session entitled “Empower, Encourage, Recruit: Changing our Approach to Building the Workforce” will take place from 1:30-2:15 p.m. PST in Room 130 in Moscone North. Since its first release in 2004, the bi-annual study gauges the opinions of information security professionals from around the world,... Read more →

2016 Harold F. Tipton Memorial Scholarship Recipient

Cybersecurity professionals are in high demand and it’s projected to stay that way for the foreseeable future. Part of the mission of the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, (formerly the (ISC)² Foundation), is to provide scholarships to undergraduate and graduate students who are pursuing careers in the field of information security. In 2016, the Center awarded scholarships to 44 students worldwide. The undergraduate recipients were invited to apply for the Harold F. Tipton Memorial Scholarship, which is awarded to an aspiring information security student, to help provide a pathway to the profession. The prestigious scholarship was named after the... Read more →

(ISC)² at RSA Conference

In one month, the world will talk security at RSA Conference in San Francisco, CA. The annual information security event will be held at the Moscone Center February 13-17. (ISC)² team members can be found on the exhibit floor in booth S-342. Stop by to pick up a copy of the March/April issue of InfoSecurity Professional magazine, printed exclusively for RSA Conference. We will also have 2017 member pins, CISSP® t-shirts, lightsabers (yes, that’s right) and more. The times and dates of demonstrations at our booth – including Vulnerability Central sessions – can be viewed online. (ISC)² members who register... Read more →

12 Tips for a Safe and Secure Holiday Season

Securing an organization’s data is an around the clock task for cybersecurity professionals. But keeping your family safe and secure is just as important. According to the Children’s Internet Usage Study, 90 percent of children surveyed have either a cell phone, tablet or computer in their bedroom. Beyond games and apps, there are more smart toys than ever that tout connectivity as a feature – but rarely acknowledge the risk. The Center for Cyber Safety and Education has 12 tips to help keep you and your family cyber safe this holiday season: Change default passwords on devices. Disable geotagging on... Read more →

(ISC)² Security Congress EMEA Opened a Window to Our Future

A view from the Conference Chair, Dr. Adrian Davis, CISSP, Managing Director (EMEA) (ISC)² From an examination of how augmented humans will live, work and play, to policy commitments from the Irish government, (ISC)²’s Third Annual Congress EMEA delegates gained a comprehensive view of the changing world to be faced by cybersecurity professionals. The international community of 250 members and information security professionals started to gather the evening before the event for our member reception and Town Hall Q&A. These events presented a well appreciated opportunity to hear from four serving members of our Board of Directors from outside the... Read more →

2016 (ISC)² Security Congress Takeaways

The sixth annual (ISC)2 Security Congress started Sunday evening, September 11, with a Town Hall members-only meeting and reception in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. David Shearer, CEO of (ISC)2, introduced key members of the organization leadership in an interview-style conversation. Among them were Patrick Craven, director of the Center for Cyber Safety and Education [formerly the (ISC)2 Foundation]; Mirtha Collin, senior manager of education; Dr. Casey Marks, director of examinations and customer experience; and Dan Waddell, managing director North America. Steven Hernandez, vice chair of the Board of Directors, was also a member of the panel.... Read more →

From Town Hall to Margaritaville: Security Congress Member Events

The sixth annual (ISC)2 Security Congress is just a few weeks away. The event, colocated with ASIS Seminar and Expo, will take place at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida from September 12-14. The annual (ISC)2 Town Hall Meeting will be held from 5:00-7:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 11. The member-only meeting will consist of remarks from (ISC)2 CEO, David Shearer, on what to expect at the Congress event, as well as in the coming year for members. As in previous years, members are able to submit questions for (ISC)2 Management and Board of Directors to address. These... Read more →

Center for Cyber Safety and Education Supports Future Female Cybersecurity Leaders with Scholarships

The Center for Cyber Safety and EducationTM has announced the 2016 recipients of its Women’s Cybersecurity Scholarships. The scholarships, totaling US$40,000 in awards, will be provided to seven women from around the world in various levels of study to help them advance their cybersecurity careers. The Center is the nonprofit charitable foundation formed by (ISC)² in 2011 to empower students, parents, teachers and the general public, across all age groups and demographics, to secure their online lives with cybersecurity education and awareness programs. According to the 2015 (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study, women represent only 10 percent of the... Read more →