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By Andrea Little Limbago, Chief Social Scientist, Virtru Limbago presented during the Governance, Risk and Compliance track at the 2019 (ISC)2 Security Congress in Orlando. The session, Global Factors Driving Data Privacy Regulation, explained data localization, how it is progressing and what that means for organizations. In two parts, Limbago recounts the information covered in her session. On October 29, the internet turned 50. Despite original aspirations of a free and open internet, the modern internet is increasingly segmented and shaped by political boundaries. Included within broader technological shifts such as 5G, artificial intelligence, and the internet of things, these technologies offer great potential for ground-breaking societal innovations. This also enables governments across the globe to pursue digital sovereignty, a

Unlike doctors or engineers, most cybersecurity professionals didn’t set out to work in their chosen field. In fact, more than half started their careers elsewhere and eventually made the move to cybersecurity. But once they make the move, most decide to stay. Nearly two thirds of cybersecurity professionals (65%) intend to stay in the field until they retire, thanks to high demand for their skills and the challenging nature of the work, according to the (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study, 2019. The desire to stay indicates most are finding fulfillment in the field, even if working in cybersecurity wasn’t their original plan. Regardless of their beginnings, a solid majority (84%) say they are where they expected to be in their careers,

Gender diversity in the cybersecurity industry is a key issue as we seek to create a larger, more representative, balanced and welcoming industry for all. As the (ISC)2 2019 Cybersecurity Workforce Study revealed, a global shortage of more than four million trained cybersecurity professionals exists, and women represent just 30% of the current workforce, meaning recruitment and advancement of women is a strategic imperative to limiting, if not closing, the gap. A separate report by (ISC)2 published earlier this year highlighted the surge of women into senior roles, but confirmed that there remains much more work to do to both in achieving true diversity in the sector and in making a career in cybersecurity equally appealing for men and women

As organizations struggle to staff their cybersecurity teams, new (ISC)2 research reveals they also may be suffering from an imbalance in the distribution of team member roles. Positions that currently appear overstaffed include compliance, forensics and operational technology security while jobs in security operations, security administration and risk management seem to be understaffed. This creates a need for CISOs and cybersecurity managers to take a close look at their teams and figure out what adjustments to make. Keeping too many people in certain roles while understaffing other positions potentially makes it harder for an organization to build and maintain effective defenses against cyber attacks. Such an imbalance, in addition to a worldwide skills shortage of about 4 million cybersecurity professionals,

As organizations struggle to fill cybersecurity vacancies due to a worldwide shortage of 4 million professionals, they should consider implementing strategies to attract qualified candidates and prevent experienced staff from leaving. The (ISC)2 Cybersecurity Workforce Study 2019 lays out four strategies organizations should consider: Address cybersecurity team members’ needs with training and career development opportunities. Properly set internal expectations about applicant qualifications to widen the search for candidates as much as possible. Target recent college graduates and workers with degrees relevant to cybersecurity. Grow your cybersecurity team from within with further development and cross-training opportunities. All of these strategies are based on two primary themes – set reasonable expectations and be open-minded about who qualifies for cybersecurity positions. In many

The (ISC)² Chapter Recognition Awards are presented to official regional chapters of (ISC)² that best promote the vision of (ISC)² by inspiring a safe and secure cyber world. The chapters demonstrate a well-rounded offering of activities and services designed to benefit members and affiliates, while making a significant contribution to the profession and their local community through the core focus areas of the (ISC)² Chapter Program of Connect, Educate, Inspire and Secure. (ISC)² chapters self-nominated by completing a questionnaire on their accomplishments. Members of the newly formed Chapter Advisory Committee reviewed and scored the entries, and the top-rated chapter in each region is being recognized. The 2019 (ISC)² Chapter Recognition Awards winners are: APAC (Asia-Pacific) – Singapore Chapter LATAM (Latin America) –