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Association List
British Computer Society (BCS) / Information Systems Examination Board (ISEB)
The British Computer Society (BCS) is the only Chartered Engineering Institution for Information Systems Engineering. Through the Information Systems Examinations Board (ISEB), the BCS provides industry-recognised qualifications that measure competence, ability and performance in many areas of information security and through its security community provides a platform for voice and debate.
See qualifications and accreditations section for more info.
Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA)
The Information Systems Audit and Control Association (ISACA) was founded in the United States in 1969 as the EDP Auditors Association. It is an international association of professionals involved in information systems audit, control, quality assurance and security, is well known for the computer audit qualification CISA and has chapters all round the globe.
The ISACA provides the following accreditation:
- Certified Information Security Manager (CISM)
See qualifications and accreditations section for more info.
Information Security Awareness Forum - ISAF
Awareness of Information Security Awareness messages within the UK continues to be problematic at both an individual and a corporate level. This is largely due to the lack of coordination across the industry with multiple organisations and associations having activities in security awareness.
This ultimately means that there is the potential for a duplication of effort resulting in missed opportunities and inconsistent messages to end-users and decision takers, from consumers to directors. The Information Security Awareness Forum aims to correct this by creating a co-ordinated cross-industry / cross-institution approach for delivering security awareness messages to large corporations, SMEs, and individuals.
Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP)
The Institute of Information Security Professionals is setting the standard for professionalism in information security, speaking with an independent and authoritative voice. Membership of the Institute is becoming the internationally recognised gold standard qualification for information security professionals. Members will, therefore, gain the considerable support, benefits and status associated with belonging to a professional body.
The principal objective of the Institute is to advance the professionalism of information security practitioners and thereby the professionalism of the industry as a whole. By the year 2010 the Institute aims to provide a universally accepted focal point for the information security profession.
The Institute is an independent not-for-profit body governed by its members, ensuring standards of professionalism - for training, qualifications, operating practices and individuals.
One of its main activities is to act as an accreditation authority for the industry, and Membership and Fellowship of the Institute will be the internationally accepted gold standard for information security professionals.
International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium (ISC)²
(ISC)2 ® is a global, not-for-profit organisation internationally recognized Gold Standard for certifying information security professionals. (ISC)2 main focus is to develop an accepted industry standard for the practice of information security in all of its forms. (ISC)2 develops and maintains the (ISC)2 CBK, a taxonomy of information security topics. The CBK is a critical body of knowledge that defines global industry standards, serving as a common framework of terms and principles that allow professionals worldwide to discuss, debate and resolve matters pertaining to the field.
(ISC)2 was the first information security certifying body to meet the requirements of ANSI/ISO/IEC Standard 17024, a global benchmark for personnel certification. To date, all (ISC)2 credentials have been accredited against this standard, making the (ISC)2 credentialing program a must have in the international business community.
(ISC)2 provides a career path for information security professionals from the beginning of their career until retirement. (ISC)2 offers advanced education, rigorous testing, and the following certifications and specialized concentrations:
- Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP ®)
- Certification and Accreditation Professional (CAPCM)
- Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP ®), and related concentrations:
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- Information Systems Security Architecture Professional (CISSP-ISSAP ®)
- Information Systems Security Management Professional (CISSP-ISSMP ®)
- Information Systems Security Engineering Professional (CISSP-ISSEP ®)
How many members are there currently?
(ISC)2 has certified so far more than 60,000 information security professionals in 135 countries.
Is the membership international?
Yes
Is membership free or does a fee apply?
An Annual Maintenance Fee is applied. Please refer to the website for more details.
Credits/How it works?
All (ISC)2 credential holders must earn CPE (Continuing Professional Education) credits throughout the life of the certification. This ensures that members are continually adding to their depth of knowledge in the field, and keeping current with all new developments. CPE credits can be earned by a variety of methods, including (ISC)2's own industry events, conferences, volunteering and mentoring. For more information, visit www.isc2.org/cpe
What are the benefits to members?
- Free Information Security Education Events
- (ISC) ² eSymposia
- Jobs & Resume Postings
- Discounts on Industry Conferences
- (ISC) ² Receptions/Networking Opportunities
- Affiliated Local Interest Group (ALIG) Program
- (ISC) ² Global Awards Program
- Online Newsletter
- Online Forum
- The (ISC) ² Journal
Information Security Forum (ISF)
The Information Security Forum (ISF) is the world's leading independent authority on information security. By harnessing our world-renowned expertise and the collective knowledge and experience of our members - including 50% of Fortune 100 companies - the ISF delivers practical guidance and solutions to overcome wide-ranging security challenges impacting business information today.
The ISF is an international not-for-profit organisation driven by its Members. Over 300 leading companies and public sector organisations, fund and cooperate in the development of practical research about information security. With more than US million already invested in providing authoritative best-practice material, along with powerful business-driven methodologies and tools, we offer an excellent return on investment by eliminating much of the cost involved in developing your own solutions independently.
As a Member, you will have access to the most comprehensive and integrated set of publications and tools anywhere in the world about information security, while our globally-recognised Standard of Good Practice for Information Security will help you manage every aspect of your information systems.
With information exchange at the heart of the ISF, our international programme of workgroups, meetings, forums and annual World Congress, provides you with a unparalleled opportunity to share experiences and explore security issues in an environment of trust and confidence. You can also take part in our biannual Security Status Survey that offers a unique real-world benchmarking opportunity to measure information risk and impact.
Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)
With active participation from individuals and chapters all over the world, the information Systems Security Association (ISSA) is the largest international non-for-profit association specifically for information security professionals. It provides educational forums, publications and peer interaction opportunities that enhance the knowledge, skill and professional growth of its members. It is also the “preferred partner” for (ISC)2 for CISSP’s and SSCP’s.
Members include practitioners at all levels of the security field in a broad range of industries, such as communications, education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial and government.
The ISSA international board consists of some of the most influential people in the security industry, with representatives from Dell Computer Corporation, EDS, Forrester Research Inc., Symantec and Washington Mutual. With an international communications network developed throughout the industry, the ISSA is focused on maintaining its position as The Global Voice of Information Security.
The primary goal of the ISSA is to promote management practices that will ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information resources. The ISSA facilitates interaction and education to create a more successful environment for global information systems security and for the professionals involved.
Jericho Forum
The Jericho Forum is an international IT security thought-leadership group dedicated to defining ways to deliver effective IT security solutions that will match the increasing business demands for secureIT operations in our open, Internet-driven, globally networked world. Our members include multi-national corporate user organizations, major security vendors, solutions providers, and academics, working together to:
- drive and influence development of new architectures, inter-workable technology solutions, and implementation approaches, for securing our de-perimeterizing world
- support development of open standards that will underpin these technology solutions.
SANS Institute
SANS is a trusted and by far the largest source for information security training and certification in the world. It also develops, maintains, and makes available at no cost, the largest collection of research documents about various aspects of information security, and it operates the Internet's early warning system - Internet Storm Center.
The SANS (SysAdmin, Audit, Network, Security) Institute was established in 1989 as a cooperative research and education organization. Its programs now reach more than 165,000 security professionals around the world. A range of individuals from auditors and network administrators, to chief information security officers are sharing the lessons they learn and are jointly finding solutions to the challenges they face. At the heart of SANS are the many security practitioners in varied global organizations from corporations to universities working together to help the entire information security community.
The SANS Institute provides the following accreditation:
- Global Information Assurance Certification (GIAC)
See qualifications and accreditations section for more info.