To ensure the CISSP exam remains up-to-date and relevant to the industry, we are constantly working on the exam items (aka “questions”), and that process is 100% member-driven!  (ISC)² spoke with Lisa Vaughan, CISSP, about her experience in a recent Item Writing Workshop. Lisa is the Chief Information Officer for the Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality and it was her first-time volunteering as an item writer. She was a participant in a CISSP Item Writing Workshop that took place in Tampa, Florida. The workshop spans three days, taking these dedicated member volunteers away from their jobs and family for a short time. Lisa didn’t know what to expect going in, as it was her first time, but felt more at

Name: Debi CarrTitle: CEO and Consultant Employer: D. K. Carr and Associates, LLC Location: Christmas, FL, U.S.A. Years in IT: 28 years Years in cybersecurity and/or privacy: 20 years Cybersecurity certifications: HCISPP, CAHIMS How did you decide upon a career in healthcare security and/or privacy? As a practice manager of a healthcare practice, I was appointed the “Privacy and Security” Officer when HIPAA went into effect. I was also responsible for overseeing the technology in the practice through the years. As a result, I began educating myself on security and privacy protocols.     Why did you decide to pursue your HCISPP? Practices and doctors would ask me to assist them to implement a paperless office. I soon found that

There’s no question cybersecurity professionals are busy people, but what takes up their time at work? According to recent (ISC)2 research, the skills they most employ each day are network monitoring, security analysis and security administration, while forensics and penetration analysis rank at the bottom. But if you ask those who are actively looking for a new job, the daily task that comes up most often is user awareness training. Some 38% of respondents who said they’d be starting a job search within six months revealed they conduct user training every day, while 31% do it two to three times a week and 15%, two to three times a month. Among those already actively pursuing a job, 56% said they

Non-white cybersecurity workers outnumber their white counterparts in advanced education degrees (master’s and higher), but they are still underrepresented in managerial positions. As a group, minority professionals also get paid less than Caucasians, according to a new report from (ISC)2. The report, Innovation Through Inclusion: The Multicultural Cybersecurity Workforce suggests ethnic and racial minority professionals face barriers to advancement that don’t seem to apply to Caucasians. The same is true when it comes to salaries, as Caucasian workers significantly out-earn their multicultural peers. Minority workers make up 26% of the U.S. cybersecurity workforce, just five points above the overall minority workforce (21%) and two points below the share of the U.S. population composed of ethnic and racial minorities (28%). Job Promotions In

Focused on “Securing Ghana’s Digital Journey,” the Republic of Ghana’s Ministry of Communications recently united representatives from multiple international bodies for National Cyber Security Week (NCSW). Members of the (ISC)2 Ghana Chapter played key roles in ensuring the event’s success. Opened by Ghana President H.E. Nana Addo Dankwah Akufo-Addo, the weeklong forum gathered participants from the Council of Europe (GLACY +), the United States/Security Governance Initiative, the United Nations, ECOWAS, African Union Commission, and others. (ISC)2 Ghana Chapter Treasurer Alexander Oppong, CISSP, served on the NCSW Planning Committee responsible for the event’s funding, exhibiting, sponsor selection, and physical/cyber security. Ghana Chapter President Serge Phillipe Quedraogo, CISSP, took part in a panel discussion on “Responsibilities in the Cyberspace (People, Business, Government)”