(ISC)²® Announces Initiation of its 100th Chapter
Clearwater, FL., U.S.A. (PRWEB) August 26, 2013 -- (ISC)²® (“ISC-squared”), the world’s largest information security professional body and administrators of the CISSP®, today announced the official charter approval of its 100th Chapter. The milestone was reached when the San Diego Chapter petition was signed this month. Launched in 2011, the (ISC)² Chapter Program aims to strengthen the global information security professional community through collaboration, education, networking and mentoring. With an emphasis on information security education for professionals and vulnerable publics, the (ISC)2 Chapter program is helping to overcome the information security skills gap and workforce shortage occurring around the world.
Since the Chapter program began, nearly 9,000 aspiring and established cyber security professionals around the globe have broadened their knowledge and their professional and personal networks through (ISC)² Chapters. Chapter achievements from the past year include:
The Colombo Sri Lanka Chapter sent representatives to join the Sri Lankan team that participated in the global CyberLympics finals. The Global CyberLympics is a not-for-profit initiative of the EC-Council Foundation supported by the Geneva-based International Telecommunications Union (ITU). Its goal is to raise awareness toward increased education and ethics in information security through a series of cyber competitions that encompass forensics, ethical hacking and defense.
The Korea Chapter has engaged local universities in an effort to promote information security career and studies. They recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Dongguk University, whereby Chapter members will recommend five CISSPs per semester to pursue information security and technology graduate schools and receive a 20 percent discount off their tuition. Korea Chapter executives are also giving lectures to the students at Dongguk University and Korea Cyber University. They also collaborated with Seoul School of Integrated Science and Technology and Kangwon University to conduct joint research on information security.
The Ethiopia Chapter has embarked on an active public awareness campaign about social issues related to information security. This includes featuring talks on local radio stations about cyber threats and ways to protect the community at large, and participation in the Cyber Security Panel at the recent Innovation Africa Digital Summit 2013.
The London Chapter started a Women in Security (WiS) special interest group in 2012, and in 2013, the development of a mentoring program to help women discover the opportunities that the profession offers and encourage more to join the field. The group has raised awareness of the gender imbalance of women working in information security in the United Kingdom and the particular strengths women bring to the profession. They are focused on helping women develop skills, confidence and their careers and encouraging women to get involved in broader industry initiatives. More information can be found at http://www.isc2chapter-london.co.uk/women-in-security/.
The Manitoba/Saskatchewan Chapter collaborated with CIPS Manitoba, Skull Space, and ISACA to implement a cyber security educational program called the Canadian Cyber Defense Challenge (CDC). The CDC is part of a pilot study that will develop students’ awareness and understanding of cyber security fundamentals.
The New Jersey Chapter has established a “Junior Chapter” membership category, which allows local high school students interested in volunteering for information security community outreach efforts to join the Chapter. The Junior Chapter is currently focused on educating senior citizens on how to safeguard their information and prevent identity theft. The first Junior Chapter member is a 15-year-old high school student who was inspired to help prevent senior citizens from becoming victims of identity theft after an incident occurred with an elderly member of her family. The student developed a step-by-step guide called ‘Not in My Name’ to educate senior citizens on how to prevent identity theft.
The Sacramento Chapter has made great strides in attracting young people to the information security field. Through its members’ participation in the Young Professionals Program, emerging professionals are given a platform to connect with mentors, peers, and job opportunities, and to find their place in the security community. The Chapter also furthered its engagement in the community by helping to expand the (ISC)² Foundation’s Safe and Secure Online Program, teaching 600 children and 25 parents learn how to protect themselves online and become responsible digital citizens.
“The explosive growth of our Chapters is a testament to the passion (ISC)² members have for strengthening and giving back to both their local civic and professional communities,” said W. Hord Tipton, CISSP-ISSEP, CAP, CISA, executive director, (ISC)². “They are the backbone of (ISC)² and a focal point for the global information security community.”
Download the 2012 Annual (ISC)2 Chapter Report to learn about individual Chapter missions, Chapter member benefits, accomplishments and challenges, and their plans for the future.
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About (ISC)²
(ISC)² is the largest not-for-profit membership body of certified information and software security professionals worldwide, with over 90,000 members in more than 135 countries. Globally recognized as the Gold Standard, (ISC)² issues the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSPÒ) and related concentrations, as well as the Certified Secure Software Lifecycle Professional (CSSLPÒ), the Certified Cyber Forensics Professional (CCFPSM), Certified Authorization Professional (CAPÒ), and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCPÒ) credentials to qualifying candidates. (ISC)²’s certifications are among the first information technology credentials to meet the stringent requirements of ISO/IEC Standard 17024, a global benchmark for assessing and certifying personnel. (ISC)² also offers education programs and services based on its CBK®, a compendium of information and software security topics. More information is available at http://www.isc2.org/.
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Michelle Schafer, Merritt Group, 703.390.1525, [email protected]
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