(ISC)² Blog

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 →

#ISC2CONGRESS ‘We Got This:’ Adaptability Is Nothing New to Cybersecurity

During her (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020 keynote speech, Juliette Kayyem used three words that tidily sum up the can-do spirit of the cybersecurity community: “We got this.” Kayyem, a former assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security, was speaking within the context of society’s ability to adapt, learn and build resilience during the COVID-19 crisis. Still, her remarks reflect the general ethos of the cybersecurity profession. Cybersecurity professionals recognize that if they can’t say, “we got this,” the alternative is too alarming to fathom. Cybersecurity workers have to adapt – all the time. Just like what society at large... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS: Post-Incident Reviews As Prevention

If there is one thing adversity can teach you, it’s how to avoid bad situations in the future. Or so you would think. But when it comes to incident response, most organizations fail to conduct a post-incident review (PIR) or when they do, it tends to be ineffective, according to Faranak Firozan, who works in Incident Response for NVIDIA. As part of the (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020, Faranak delivered a presentation on PIR components and goals. She stressed the importance of PIRs in determining the causes of a security incident, its effects and the lessons an organization can learn to... Read more →

Until Further Notice: #ISC2Congress Keynote Prescribes Adaptive Recovery and Resilience in Cybersecurity to Deal With Ongoing Pandemic

For anyone hoping the COVD-19 crisis will come to a quick end, former Homeland Security Assistant Secretary Juliette Kayyem offered some sobering words today: The virus will be with us for the foreseeable future. “I have to be blunt and tell you this period is going to exist until further notice. We are going to have to learn to live with the virus. Once you get your head around that, then the solution becomes clear,” Kayyem said. She delivered her remarks virtually as the third and final keynote speaker at (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020. Kayyem focused her talk on what... 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 →

#ISC2Congress: Light Bulb Moment: The Job of Cybersecurity Professionals Is About Assessing Risk

Cybersecurity expert Joseph Carson, CISSP, learned a valuable lesson after conducting a penetration test at a power station that took him four months of preparation: How you communicate your findings to an organization’s leadership makes all the difference in how they decide to act on the information. During a virtual presentation as part of the (ISC)2 2020 Security Congress, Carson, who serves as Thycotic’s chief security scientist and advisory CISO, said he was shocked when the power utility’s board essentially shrugged off his findings. After all, he thought the findings were pretty damning. Get this: After spending a morning inside... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS – Tuesday Keynote: Protecting Yourself During the Pandemic

Graham Cluley Despite the substantial increase in remote working since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, security breaches have stayed about the same for the vast majority of people and businesses, according to security expert Graham Cluley, an award-winning blogger who provided the Tuesday keynote speech at this year’s virtual (ISC)2 Security Congress. Only one in 10 businesses say they have experienced a dramatic increase in attacks, Cluley said, before quickly adding that attacks don’t always result in breaches. As a matter of fact, research shows breaches increased by only one percentage point over the past 12 months, to 16%... Read more →

#ISC2Congress Panel: Finding The Balance Between Skill and Usability

When does technology become too easy to use? And when does simplicity start working against you? These were among the many the questions tackled by a group of panelists during a 2020 (ISC)² Security Congress virtual session called “Easily Deployed and Sold Short.” At issue was whether easy-to-use user interfaces on complex security tools make it more difficult for cybersecurity team leaders to figure out what skills their team members have mastered. Timothy Robnett, vCISO at Wavefront Consulting, made no bones about it: “A simple UX makes it harder to promote somebody,” he said. Simplicity of use, he said, doesn’t... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS 5G Security: Two Sides of One Coin

5G is coming, bringing with it speedier connections and higher bandwidth. But what about security? As with most things related to technology, there’s good and bad, according to Kevin McNamee, director of threat intelligence at Nokia. It’s a two-sided coin. 5G is inherently more secure than previous wireless standards, but also vastly increases the attack surface as Internet of Things (IoT) devices proliferate, McNamee said. Monitoring, automation and secure communications will be essential to securing 5G investments, he added. His remarks came during a breakout session as part of (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020, taking place virtually this week. Kevin McNamee,... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS Opening Keynote Speaker: Policy and Technology Must Work Together

Bruce Schneier The relationship between technology and public policy is the defining challenge of the current century, according to Bruce Schneier, the keynote speaker at (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020, taking place virtually this week. “Today technology is deeply intertwined with society. It’s literally creating our world. It’s no longer sustainable for technology and policy to be in different worlds,” said Schneier, a security expert, best-selling author and Fellow at Harvard University’s Berkman-Klein Center for Internet & Society. When the internet was first commercialized, governments didn’t want to stifle the development of an important and profitable industry. As a result, the... Read more →

Virtual Engagement Activities at #ISC2Congress

Like most things this year, (ISC)² Security Congress looks a little different. This year’s virtual event might not have you gathering with thousands of colleagues in Orlando, but you can still enjoy many of the fun activities we’ve offered over the years. Be sure to log into https://securitycongress.brighttalk.live/networking-engagement/ using your BrightTALK credentials. Escape Room A crowd pleaser at past Security Congress conferences, Living Security is back this year with their Virtual CyberEscape Room. Play online with colleagues in this team-based, engaging and FUN exercise. Sign your team up. Panoply Another Security Congress classic is the Panoply competition. This network assessment... Read more →

Virtual Networking Lounges and Engagement Activities at #ISC2Congress

One of the biggest draws to (ISC)² Security Congress is networking and engaging with other experts in the cybersecurity industry. Despite the lack of gathering together in-person, #ISC2Congress 2020 will not be lacking in the opportunities for connecting with others, learning best practices and providing career enhancement in five networking lounges throughout the conference. With more than 4,500 attendees registered, there is something for everyone at all career levels. Each of the five topic-specific lounges will allow attendees to participate in a discussion forum, access resources, view presentations, ask questions and even earn CPEs for attending. Attendees and Members Lounge... Read more →

CPEs for CISSPs at #ISC2Congress

(ISC)² Security Congress is virtual for the first time this year making it even easier for CISSPs, and all certified (ISC)² members, to earn CPEs. Taking place November 16-18, we’ll been presenting 3 expert keynotes, a Town Hall meeting, virtual expo hall and networking opportunities, along with nearly 50 hours of educational breakout sessions. To attend, you’ll need to create an account and purchase your pass for the conference. Member pricing is U.S. $395 for an All Access Pass which is your best value for price and CPEs. Keynote sessions will be available on-demand for 60 days after the event.... Read more →

Center Names 2020 Volunteer and Partner of the Year

As the charitable arm of (ISC)², the Center for Cyber Safety and Education relies heavily on the support of volunteers and business partners to continue its mission of making it a safer cyber world for everyone. As a global foundation, these external forces, help the Center grow its message and impact worldwide. Without their commitment and passion, the Center wouldn’t be where it is today. To acknowledge the efforts of those who have gone above and beyond, each year the Center chooses an individual for its Julie Peeler Franz “Do It For The Children” Volunteer Award and a company for... Read more →

#ISC2Congress Recap: Sessions to Catch Up On (Part 4)

Last month we announced our keynote speakers for Security Congress – Bruce Schneier, Graham Cluley and Juliette Kayyem – and now the full agenda has been released! As you get excited for the first ever virtual Security Congress, let’s take a look back at a few of our top sessions from 2019. Getting Started with SDL Steven B. Lipner, CISSP, who is the Executive Director for SAFECODE, shared how practitioners can use the security development lifecycle (SDL) if they’re operating in small-to-midsized organizations. The Future of Digital Identity in the Era of Digital Transformation With digital transformation being a top... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2019: Sessions to Catch Up On (Part 3)

As we look forward to (ISC)² Security Congress 2020 on November 16-18, we are continuing to highlight a few of last year’s sessions to review so you know what to expect for the upcoming digital conference. You can also earn CPEs for viewing these sessions if you weren’t able to attend last year’s conference. Trends in Cloud Security: Where We're Going, We Don't Need Roads Cloud security remains one of the most popular tracks at Security Congress. In this session, Liz Tesch from Microsoft examines the current state of security in a hybrid cloud environment, discusses cloud security tools and... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS 2019: Sessions to Catch Up On, Part 2

As we look forward to (ISC)2 Security Congress 2020 on November 16-18, we are continuing to highlight a few of last year’s sessions to review so you know what to expect for the upcoming digital conference. You can also earn CPEs for viewing these sessions if you weren’t able to attend last year’s conference. Preparing for Cyber War: Learnings from Responding to Disruptive Breaches Charles Carmakal and Jermey Koppen, both from Mandiant, share real world case studies of threat actors and their motivations of money, fame and power. They share the importance of investigating attacks by both internal and external... Read more →

#ISC2Congress 2019: Sessions to Catch Up On

We recently announced that this year’s (ISC)² Security Congress will take place entirely virtually. The decision was made as COVID-19 cases continue to surge around the globe in the interest of safety of attendees, speakers, sponsors and staff. This year’s event will include three days of sessions from top security experts November 16-18. We’ll announce the sessions – including the timing of the programming – soon, but in the meantime, many sessions from the 2019 event are available online completely free. Get a taste of what Security Congress 2020 will have to offer, while getting ahead on your CPEs by... Read more →

It’s Official: (ISC)2 Security Congress Will Be Virtual This Year

As COVID-19 continues to surge across the globe and corporate travel restrictions put in place, (ISC)² has announced its decision to make its Security Congress for 2020 a virtual conference. The renowned three-day conference, focused on industry discussion and continuing education for security professionals of all levels, will be held online from November 16-18. This decision is in recognition of the fact that many training budgets have been reallocated due to the economic impact of COVID-19. As such, (ISC)² Security Congress 2020 is offering a heavily discounted Early Bird pricing to (ISC)² members and associates of just $295 for an... Read more →

2020 Global Achievement Awards Open for Nominations

Earlier this week, (ISC)2 announced that nominations are now being accepted for the 2020 (ISC)2 Global Achievement Awards. This awards program replaces the former (ISC)2 Awards Program, which had included the Information Security Leadership Awards (ISLA). The new program creates a unified, global platform for recognition of the most outstanding annual achievements in the field of cybersecurity. For years, (ISC)2 has honored and celebrated deserving cybersecurity professionals from around the world with its awards program, highlighting best practices and those who have gone above and beyond to inspire a safe and secure cyber world. The four categories now open for... Read more →