(ISC)² Blog

The Professional Development Institute Launches Three New Courses

The Professional Development Institute (PDI) is expanding with three new express learning courses: Risk Fundamentals, Forensic Data Acquisitions and Securing the Remote Work Force. These new offerings are self-paced courses separated into two modules that qualify for two CPE credits. The PDI catalog now features 40on-demand courses free for (ISC)² members and associates and available for purchase as individual courses or bundled course access to anyone who is not an (ISC)² member. Let’s take a look at the new offerings: Risk Fundamentals covers the basics of ever-present risks in business and the field of cybersecurity and prepares you to proactively... Read more →

Online Proctor Exam Pilot Results

On February 28, 2021, (ISC)² concluded a pilot test that assessed the feasibility of online proctoring for exams that are an essential part of our nine certification programs. Online examinations for the CAP, CCSP, CSSLP, HCISPP, CISSP-ISSAP, CISSP-ISSEP, CISSP-ISSMP and SSCP certifications were administered February 15, 2021 – February 21, 2021. Online CISSP examinations were administered February 22, 2021 – February 28, 2021. For quality control purposes and anticipated candidate support concerns, we elected to offer all exams via online proctor only to candidates physically present within the United States. Since the conclusion of the pilot test, we have been... Read more →

More Than Likely, Or Less Than Probable: Is a truly quantitative security analysis possible?

The Language of Profit and Loss Security professionals spend a lot of time honing their area of expertise. Your strength could be in packet analysis, or programming…maybe you are at your best in the realm of security engineering, or pentesting. Or, you may have the best technical skills, but when it comes to obtaining a budget for a project or a new security tool, you need to understand and explain the difference between likelihood, and probability. Why is this important? This is important because the language of business is based on profits and loss, and that component is key to... Read more →

These Roles Require Cybersecurity Training

With data breach rates rising and criminal attack methods becoming more sophisticated each day, it is essential for every organization to take security seriously. That means cybersecurity training and education so that key stakeholders understand the risks that businesses are facing, and which strategies are most effective for protection. Who should receive cybersecurity training in your organization? While your immediate reaction might be to think training should stay with the cybersecurity team, there are actually many roles that would benefit from security knowledge and education. Cybersecurity is a shared responsibility and since many companies do not have a formal security... Read more →

Cyber Threats: The Financial System’s Top Risk

With cyber attacks against financial and banking institutions now a daily occurrence, cyber threats have become the biggest risk to the global financial system, according to Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell. During an interview on CBS News’ 60 Minutes, Powell said cyber risks surpass even the types of lending and liquidity risks that led to the Great Recession in 2008. The chances of a financial collapse akin to 2008 are “very low,” he said. “But the world changes, the world evolves, and the risks change as well. The risk we keep our eyes on the most is cyber risk.” If... Read more →

The Delicate Balance of Security Versus Usability

Why Does This Have to Be So Hard? As a security practitioner, how often have you heard the refrain from your colleagues that one of the security protocols that were so carefully thought-out and expertly implemented are just too difficult to deal with? Perhaps you have sighed when you had to adhere to your own security protocol? As a security evangelist, you understand the necessity of adhering to a set of security requirements, but as a normal staff member, you can understand the frustration of your non-security coworkers. Is there ever such a thing as being a “normal” staff member... Read more →

Wanted: Software Developers with a Security Mindset

The modern software developer faces an enormous amount of challenges. From continuously creating innovative apps to ensuring high quality and meeting tight deadlines, developers need to cope with many responsibilities. As a result, security is still one of the last priorities on many developers’ minds during the software development lifecycle. Vulnerable Apps Increase Cyber Threats Despite that the 2020 Verizon Data Breach Investigations Report indicates that most data breaches happen through vulnerable web applications, many developers are still hesitant to adopt a security mindset. Even though the news headlines are filled with the names of companies being compromised every day,... Read more →

Hush – This Data Is Secret

Is There Ever Too Much Data? As a security practitioner, you know that businesses are fuelled not only by people but by data. Years ago, the phrase “Big Data” was a new, innovative way to gain a business advantage. Now, big data is the norm. When we think of all the data that has been gathered, we must stop and wonder about what is contained in that data. Many important, and often private details are stored about the clients of a particular business. Over time, it became clear that this data, if obtained by criminals, could be damaging to an... Read more →

How To Get It Right With Cybersecurity Training

The cybersecurity team can be a challenging one for organizations to keep engaged and happy. Talent is scarce, turnover and burnout rates are high. That’s why employers have to keep existing teams engaged in their profession, and current on the latest threats and defenses. To accomplish this, every organization needs a formal, standards-based cybersecurity training and education program for the employees responsible for securing their critical assets. What are the key components of a training program? Whatever an organization’s unique circumstances, three major tenets must guide any training effort: Security is an obligation, not an option. Evolving technology and constantly... Read more →

How Cloud Security Certification Can Give Your Career a Buzz

Organizations in all industries and sectors are becoming less confident in their cloud security posture because of the complexity involved with multiple cloud environments and the expanded threat landscape. As a result, they seek accredited cloud security professionals to address these challenges. The (ISC)2 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study indicates 40% of industry professionals plan to pursue cloud security training within the next 2 years. Are you among them? Explore how cloud security training and certification can give your career a buzz – and arm you for an intergalactic emergency. Read the Blog Read more →

What Are the Best Free Cybersecurity Webinars?

CISSP trends strong with BrightTALK webinar viewers. BrightTALK, our primary webinar platform, identifies the most popular and trending topics out of more than 100,000 security and technology talks. We recently noticed that cybersecurity is holding strong and ranked number one in the most popular category, but we were excited to see that CISSP was ranked number two in the trending category, outranking a wide array of popular interests. During the year when a pandemic halted travel and training budgets, many people turned to webinars to help sustain their professional development goals. (ISC)² Think Tank webinars and Security Briefings experienced a... Read more →

Technology and the New Frontier of the Healthcare Industry (The Internet of Medical Things)

The New Face of Healthcare Healthcare is currently undergoing a digital transformation that rivals the development of autonomous vehicles in the automobile industry. In fact, there are connections between improved healthcare and autonomous vehicle development. Digital transformation is a buzzword that evokes many grand ideas. In healthcare, one article succinctly articulated it: “Digital transformation in healthcare is the positive impact of technology in healthcare”. Some of the positive outcomes of digital transformation in healthcare include the rise of telemedicine, the development of internet-enabled medical devices, and medical practice and education via virtual reality technology. These developments are enhanced by the... Read more →

Garfield Teaches Hawaii Students how to be Safe and Secure Online

The nonprofit Center for Cyber Safety and Education (Center) is providing 1,300 local elementary students with a Garfield-led online safety education program, thanks to a donation from area cybersecurity professionals. With the gift from the (ISC)² Hawaii Chapter, media specialists serving the seven elementary schools at the Leilehua Complex will conduct the award-winning Garfield’s Cyber Safety Adventures lesson with students before they go on spring break. The online instructor-led lesson allows students to learn digital citizenship through interactive storybooks, online class discussions, and engaging Garfield cartoons via their home computer. “It’s rewarding to collaborate with professional organizations that want to... Read more →

How Small Businesses and Big Enterprises Structure Their Cybersecurity Teams

When it comes to cybersecurity, bigger may not always be the best indicator of effectiveness. (ISC)2 research reveals organizations of all sizes have similar strategies when it comes to structuring their cybersecurity teams. Set aside bigger technology budgets for a moment and focus on people; Look at how small and midsized businesses (SMBs), and enterprises align their cybersecurity talent by functional roles within their organizations. What you’ll find are striking similarities. These findings – based on the (ISC)2 2020 Cybersecurity Workforce Study – suggest size has little bearing on how organizations structure their cybersecurity operations. Furthermore, study participants by and... Read more →

Using a Crisis Wisely

Upskilling in times of uncertainty and change is a prudent career decision By Tony Vizza, CISSP, CCSP The saying “everything happens for a reason” is often invoked as a message of support during times of hardship or adversity. While it may be difficult to apply to a crisis on the scale and impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, the resiliency that we as individuals develop during such difficult times can make us stronger and better prepared for whatever comes next. A crisis comes with danger, but it also comes with opportunities. While the tourism, travel and retail sectors have been devastated... Read more →

Addressing the Human Element of Security: Awareness & Training Programs

Did you ever hear the story about the hyphen that cost 80 Million dollars? In the infancy of the United States’ space program, a programming error resulted in a forced abort of a rocket early in its flight to prevent possible injury along its crash path. Or how about the time a pilot miscalculated the required fuel for a flight from Montreal to Edmonton? These are both fatal examples of how human error can have serious consequences. In our hyper-connected world, our errors can have damaging consequences. Sometimes, the harm can be minor, such as the “Melissa” macro virus of... Read more →

(ISC)² Cybersecurity Webinars Available On-Demand on BrightTalk

Going forward, all (ISC)² webinars, recorded and live, will be available on the BrightTALK platform. All recorded Solutions Summits from 2020 have moved from BlueSky to BrightTALK. This consolidation will provide a seamless viewing experience for you on one platform and with one login. Members who are logged in will automatically receive CPE credits when viewing live or recorded webinars. Free Cybersecurity Webinars. Earn CPE Credits. Solutions Summits are typically three-part webinar series which provide three CPE credits. Check out these archived Solutions Summits from 2020: Top Cybersecurity Threats Every Online Business Should Know Online businesses are particularly vulnerable to... Read more →

How Access Control and Network Segmentation Can Protect Your Assets

Businesses are increasingly dependent on emerging technology and reaping its benefits to provide better quality of services, change the way they collaborate and interact with employees and customers. Corporate data is being moved to multi-cloud environments, while the adoption of containers helps the fast and agile development of applications. IoT devices and sensors provide businesses with an abundance of data useful for timely and accurate decision making. An Expanding Threat Landscape However, businesses are not the only ones taking advantage of this technology. Criminals, as well, are following suit. According to the Verizon DBIR 2020 report, cloud assets were involved... 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 →

Top Webinars of 2020

This year presented us all with challenges we never could have expected. Our vacations were cancelled, our parties were virtual, and most of us started living at work. Isn’t that what working from home feels like sometimes? Beginning in March, conferences started to get postponed, cancelled or eventually pivoted to a virtual format. Our own (ISC)² Security Congress happened last month online and while we were excited to welcome our largest group of attendees yet, we know that many cybersecurity professionals weren’t able to find the time, or budget, for a conference, even a virtual one. As cybersecurity professionals, you... Read more →