(ISC)² Blog

(ISC)² Security Congress Goes West – Las Vegas Here We Come!

(ISC)² Security Congress 2021 was a big success with more than 3,000 virtual attendees participating live and viewing 125+ educational breakout sessions on demand as well. During and after the show, we prioritized getting feedback on improving attendees’ conference experience year over year. We heard your feedback and are happy to share that we will host (ISC)² Security Congress 2022 in Las Vegas, NV, October 10-12, 2022, at Caesars Palace and virtually. What’s In the Works for 2022 Star keynotes with marquee value 100+ educational sessions on trending cyber topics CPE credit opportunities Exclusive (ISC)² networking Career guidance and resources... Read more →

Meet Roela Santos, Honoree of the 2021 (ISC)² Julie Peeler Franz "Do It for The Children" Volunteer Award

The Center for Cyber Safety and Education Julie Peeler Franz "Do It for The Children" Volunteer Award recognizes an individual who has significantly contributed to the betterment of internet safety. This year's distinction is awarded to Roela Santos of BAE Systems, Inc. for her long-time support of Center programs and leadership in developing the Raytheon, Engility, and SAIC cybersecurity scholarships, which have awarded $424,000 to 56 students over the past six years. Santos is the Vice President of Communications at BAE Systems, a global leader in defense technology and systems integration for the U.S. government and one of the world’s... Read more →

MEET THE RECIPIENTS OF THE 2021 (ISC)² GOVERNMENT PROFESSIONAL AWARD

The (ISC)² Government Professional Award recognizes government cybersecurity leaders whose commitment to excellence has helped to improve government information security and advance an in-demand workforce. The recognition is given to individuals whose initiatives have improved the areas of technology, process/policy or workforce and has led to significant developments in the security posture of a department, agency or entire government. We had a chance to learn more about the 2021 (ISC)² Government Professional Award honorees and their contributions to a safer and more secure cyber world. Asia-Pacific Region (ISC)² Government Professional Award Honoree Group Captain Amorn Chomchoey, CISSP is Acting Deputy... Read more →

#ISC2Congress - Diversity: The Key to Cybersecurity’s Future

You could say one of the purposes of the annual (ISC)² Security Congress is to deliver an industry status check. How is the cybersecurity industry doing, what could be better, and what are the biggest challenges it faces? This year’s Congress, which took place virtually from October 18 - 20, addressed a host of pressing topics in the industry, from combatting ransomware to zero trust implementation to protecting critical infrastructure against foreign adversaries. One of the biggest challenges though is to attract more diversity into the cybersecurity workforce to counter the shortage of personnel in the field. It was a... Read more →

#ISC2Congress - Critical Infrastructure a Main Focus of Security Congress 2021

Protecting critical infrastructure and associated challenges was a recurring theme during (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, which took place virtually from Monday to Wednesday this week. It was the subject of various sessions and came up during a keynote session delivered by Chris Krebs, former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). Krebs said critical infrastructure needs to be hardened against foreign adversaries that might have an interest in disrupting it at some point. CISA and other agencies are working to come up with standards and practices for infrastructure security. And they are looking for input from the cybersecurity... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Lisa Forte Keynote: Insider Threats A Bigger Challenge Than Ever

In one of the most sobering presentations about the current state of security delivered during (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, security expert Lisa Forte said no matter how many protective measures an organization takes, it can never achieve zero risk. Insider threats are always a possibility. Forte, co-founder of Red Goat Cyber Security, used her keynote speech on the third and final day of Security Congress to drive home the point that insider threats have gotten harder to identify. Not only does technology make it easier to steal data, bad actors also can manipulate insiders into becoming unwitting spies. And that’s... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Lessons Learned from the Baltimore Ransomware Attack

Martin R. Okumu lived through the ransomware attack on the City of Baltimore in 2018, which affected 90% of the municipality’s applications. As the then-director of IT infrastructure for the city, he learned a lot of valuable lessons about defending against and recovering from a ransomware attack. On Tuesday afternoon, he shared those lessons with (ISC)² Security Congress 2021 attendees during a virtual session. He is now the Chief Information Officer for the City and County of San Francisco. In many ways, Okumu said, Baltimore was not prepared for the attack. The city did not have a cyber incident response... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Adam Steltzner Keynote: Perseverance and Ingenuity Will Get Us through the Pandemic

"Perseverance” and “Ingenuity” aren’t just the names of spacecraft on Mars; they are also the human qualities we need to get us through the post-pandemic world, said Adam Steltzner, chief engineer and mission leader of NASA's Mars 2020 mission. Steltzner, who works at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, CA, was the keynote speaker on the second day of the (ISC)² Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually through Wednesday, October 20. After NASA landed the nuclear-powered “Curiosity” rover on Mars in 2012, the agency worked to send another rover to the Red Planet. That rover, “Perseverance,” landed on Mars... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Panel: DEI Initiatives Come Down To Choosing Talent

Picking up on the theme of diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) that (ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso says is critical to solving the cybersecurity skills gap, a panel discussion on Monday addressed the challenges that get in the way of successful DEI implementations. Several themes emerged during the late-afternoon panel session, which was part of (ISC)2 Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually this week: Don’t expect change to occur immediately Diversity, equity and inclusion requires a step-by-step approach Keep talking about the issue so it stays at the forefront Measure success by looking at numbers within the organization The session, moderated... Read more →

#ISC2CONGRESS - Chris Krebs Keynote Address: Fighting Cyber Adversaries Requires New Thinking and Approaches

The number of connected devices will continue to increase in the next five years, widening the attack surface for cyber adversaries. If we hope to have a fighting chance against them, we need a shift in thinking about defenses as well as increased cooperation between the private sector and government. That was the message delivered by Chris Krebs in the opening keynote of (ISC)2 Security Congress 2021, taking place virtually today through Wednesday. His keynote was the first of about 130 sessions scheduled for the three-day event. Krebs is the former director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA),... Read more →

Meet the Recipients of the 2021 (ISC)² Diversity Global Achievement Awards

The (ISC)² Diversity Award honors individuals who have made significant contributions to building a more diverse workforce in the cybersecurity community. Asia-Pacific Region (ISC)² Diversity Award Honoree Neha Malhotra, CISSP, CCSP is the Vice President, Tech & Cybersecurity Operational Risk Manager at JP Morgan Chase, and was earlier working within Cyber Security Attack Surface Management at Credit Suisse. Neha is an information & cybersecurity professional based in Singapore, with more than 15 years of IT and leadership experience within the BFSI, consulting and manufacturing sectors. Neha was nominated for her advocacy work mentoring and serving as a career advisor for... Read more →

READY for (ISC)² Events of the Future

(ISC)² CEO Clar Rosso recently joined Megan Gavin, director of global events, for a webinar as part of the series Inside (ISC)². The two executives candidly discussed the 2021 (ISC)² Security Congress, taking place October 18-20, as well as the future of all (ISC)² global events. Megan shared that while Security Congress is changing from hybrid to virtual, the agenda, content, number of sessions and speakers will not be impacted, and the shift provides an opportunity for us to provide another world-class virtual conference. “As much as we’re disappointed that we will not see you in person, we are dedicated... Read more →

2021 Q3 Updates from Our Chairperson and CEO: Membership Milestones and More

To provide transparency with the association, (ISC)² provides a quarterly update for members and candidates where we report on the latest developments at (ISC)². Following our board meetings, our CEO, Clar Rosso, and (ISC)² Board of Directors Chairperson, Zachary Tudor, CISSP, recap the latest association developments. The 2021 Q3 update included membership milestones (including 10,000 CCSP members worldwide!), association accreditations and new executive leadership announcements focused on member benefits and advocacy. Zach and Clar also discuss what (ISC)² is doing to continue to address global diversity, equity and inclusion in cybersecurity, as well as the workforce gap. You can view... Read more →

READY To Celebrate Global Achievement Award Winners?

The (ISC)² Global Achievement Awards (GAA) recognize individuals who have significantly impacted the cybersecurity community. Recognizing these winners and learning about their contributions helps to inspire a safer and more secure cyber world. In addition to being recognized here on the (ISC)² blog, in a press release, and in our InfoSecurity Professional magazine, winners will also be celebrated at (ISC)² Security Congress 2021 and receive exclusive benefits while attending the conference. The early-bird registration discount is available for all attendees until August 13; register today to save $200! We are proud to announce the winners of the 2021 Global Achievement... Read more →

READY for What’s New at (ISC)² Security Congress in 2021?

READY for What’s New at (ISC)² Security Congress in 2021? Cybersecurity professionals are facing some of the toughest challenges of their careers. The shift to remote work has been sudden and wide-ranging. Only about half (53%) of respondents to the 2020 (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study say they were “very prepared” for remote work. It’s time to assess and reset. We are looking forward to our first-ever hybrid (ISC)² Security Congress on October 18-20. This year’s event will have something for everyone, whether you decide to attend virtually or in person at the Hyatt Regency Orlando. Based on your feedback, we... Read more →

Are you READY for (ISC)² Security Congress?

Last year was a first for (ISC)² Security Congress, as our conference took place entirely virtually. The COVID-19 pandemic forced nearly all events in 2020 to go virtual and we’re excited to take the experience from that event and use it to deliver an even better one for you this year. Whether you’re a first-timer or a returning attendee, you’re going to love the first-ever hybrid Security Congress. This year, the All Access Pass offers the in-person experience that so many of us have missed over the past year and a half, plus the option to attend sessions virtually. We... Read more →

It’s Official: (ISC)² Security Congress is Back for the 11th Year in a Row!

Registration for the 11th annual (ISC)² Security Congress is now open! The renowned global three-day conference, focused on continuing education for cybersecurity professionals and information security specialists, will be hosted as a hybrid event for the first time in 2021. Engaging in-person sessions, discussions, and networking events will be held at the Hyatt Regency in Orlando, FL from October 18-20, and will also be accessible online. (ISC)² members are eligible for a special discount of $300 off all pass types. Including an optional two days of pre-conference certification-focused education on October 16-17, (ISC)² members can earn as many as 40... Read more →

Deadline is Extended for 2021(ISC)² Global Achievement Awards Nominations!

Haven’t had a chance to nominate a colleague, peer or mentor yet for the Global Achievement Awards? Great news, the deadline has been extended to April 23! There are a few updates to the awards this year. With so many awards to choose from, let’s take a look at a few of them. These awards are similar in that they recognize individuals who have made a significant impact on the security industry during the past year. (ISC)² Government Professional Award This award recognizes regional government information security leaders who have made significant security developments at the federal, state or local... Read more →

So Many Awards, So Little Time Left to Nominate. Complete Your Global Achievement Award Nomination Today!

So Many Awards, So Little Time Left to Nominate. Complete Your Global Achievement Award Nomination Today! Do you have a colleague or perhaps a mentor who has accomplished something exceptional and worthy of recognition? Nominate them for the Global Achievement Awards before the deadline of April 9! Winners of these awards receive recognition throughout the (ISC)² Security Congress event and recognition during the exclusive VIP awards reception and the attendee networking night, as well as in the InfoSecurity Professional magazine. Each award winner and their nominator will receive a complimentary pass to attend Security Congress. A few reminders as you... Read more →

Women Leaders Offer Tips For Building a Cybersecurity Career

On March 8, 2021, in celebration of International Women’s Day, five accomplished female security professionals met for a wide-ranging and spirited panel discussion on how to encourage more women to join the cybersecurity field, and provided highlights from their own journeys in the profession. The panel was moderated by Sharon Smith, CISSP, cybersecurity strategy and advisory consultant, and included the following security industry leaders: Clar Rosso, CEO, (ISC)² Aanchal Gupta, CISSP, vice president of Azure Security, Microsoft Lori Ross O’Neil, CISSP, senior ICS cyber security researcher & project manager, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, vice chairperson, (ISC)² Board of Directors Megan... Read more →