ISACA International President: Introducing Cybersecurity Nexus

Today marks one of the most meaningful milestones of my tenure as ISACA international president. Today ISACA introduces Cybersecurity Nexus.

Developed in collaboration with chief information security officers and cybersecurity experts from leading companies around the world, Cybersecurity Nexus—CSX—fills an unmet need for a single, central location where security professionals and their enterprises can find cybersecurity research, guidance, certificates and certifications, education, mentoring and community.

This is a groundbreaking program. This is a critical time.

Several universities have good cybersecurity programs in place, but even these are not enough. With every employee and endpoint at risk of being exploited by cybercriminals, security is everyone’s business. At the root of ISACA’s new, comprehensive CSX program is the knowledge that there is a great need to make cybersecurity education and ongoing training as accessible as possible to the next generation of defenders and those already in the field.

Student interest in cybersecurity careers is strong. A recent global poll of ISACA student members found that 88 percent plan to work in a position that requires some level of cybersecurity knowledge. However, fewer than half say they will have the adequate skills and knowledge they need to do the job when they graduate. CSX aims to help address this imbalance.

CSX marks the first time in ISACA’s 45-year history that the association will offer a security-related certificate. The association’sfour certifications—including the Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) credential—require both an exam and proof of work experience. The Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate is different. It is ideal for recent university graduates and IT professionals seeking to change fields because it requires applicants to pass a knowledge-based exam that provides objective proof of subject mastery to potential employers. This certificate will empower young professionals while providing assurance to employers that they are hiring knowledgeable individuals.

In addition to the Cybersecurity Fundamentals Certificate, CSX includes career-development resources, frameworks, community and research guidance such as Responding to Targeted Cyberattacks and Transforming Cybersecurity Using COBIT 5. There is guidance for cybersecurity professionals at all stages of their careers.

And there are exciting offerings in the near future, including a mentoring program, a practitioner-level cybersecurity certification, SCADA guidance, training courses, implementation guidance related to the US Cybersecurity Framework developed by NIST and the EU Cybersecurity Strategy, and teaching materials for professors.

This is a comprehensive program and I am excited to be involved with it. I invite you to explore the many facets of CSX, consider ways that you can take advantage of offerings within, view related news and graphics, and share your thoughts with me in this space.

Tony Hayes, CGEIT, AFCHSE, CHE, FACS, FCPA, FIIA
International President, ISACA and the IT Governance Institute

[Source: ISACA]