IT Governance Blog on IT governance, risk management, compliance and information security.

‘Time will only tell just how bad the state of e-Crime, and related matters stand, but one thing is for sure. It would certainly seem to be the only growing industry of the current day.’

John Walker speaking at the e-Crime Congress, 2009

This statement was made 3 years ago by Professor John Walker and CEO of Secure Bastion Ltd at the e-Crime Congress. John and a small number of other security professionals were predicting darker things to come. But at the time, John and his friends were scoffed at and rejected for making such predictions, and told that cyber crime was in fact declining.

Now take a look at the current state of cyber crime. Data breaches on companies of all sizes are now a regular occurrence, phishing schemes are on the rise and even tensions between countries are building because of  criminal activities over the Internet. Cybercrime is estimated to cost the global economy $388 billion, which is $100 billion more than the global black market.

If we’d have listened to John Walker back in 2009, would we be in the state that we are in today? Probably not. By 2012 we might have reached a global solution to fighting cyber crime and information would be made more freely available on how to beat it.

We are only now seeing the emergence of a united approach to data breaches throughout Europe. So how long will it take to fight a united approach globally? Four, five more years? Can the economy wait that long?

It’s all well and good to look back on the past and discuss what we  should have done, but we need to take steps to prevent what is happening now and for the future. Protect your business against cyber threats today.

Discover how to protect your business from cyber crime and risks >>

Do you realise that the NHS IG Toolkit 9 (ITGv9) has up to 45 requirements classified under 6 initiative areas: therefore, achieving compliance can be time-consuming and demanding.

The deadline is 31st March. You have just under 2 months to complete/file your assessment.

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Today the Commons Select Committee published its report on Malware and cybercrime. The report stated that the government should do more to educate people about how they can protect themselves on line and advocated a major publicity campaign to do so.

The report stated:

• Online identify theft in 2011 costs individuals £1.7 billion
• Online scams cost individuals £1.4 billion
• Scareware (where cybercriminals tick users into downloading harmful software) cost individuals £30 million

The report cited statistics from McAfee which stated that 38% of respondents to the latest Norton Cybercrime Report had suffered a malware incident. Malware was the most common attack vector followed by online credit card fraud and network profile hacking.

Andrew Miller, Chairman of the committee, commented “Government departments need to realise that better public information about computer safety could save huge numbers of people the hassle of having their personal details stolen.”

The Select Committee’s report also said far more needed to be done in regards to the policing of cyber crime. The report states:

“There is no overarching body that provides consumers with a first place of contact to complain about disreputable or criminal behaviour.’ It continued ‘While the police now clearly take the problem of cyber crime seriously, both they and the Minister agreed that the policing of cyber crime needed to become mainstream to the point that local police officers are comfortable talking about cyber security. We share the sentiments of Janet Williams of the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO):

I don’t think we are as good as we need to be in policing, in terms of every single police officer in this country being as equipped to give a member of the public a piece of advice around cyber-security as they are, for example, for their windows and their doors—their general house issues.”

This has surely been the case for some time. Hopefully, however, this select committee recommendation will act as the much needed catalyst for the government to implement a complete overhaul of how it treats cybercrime. Cybercrime grows exponentially in parallel with the development of technology. Those in power though, lag well behind in terms of the education, training and adequate policing. Some would argue, however, that the cyber criminals will always be ahead of the game. But that doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t try and bridge the gap.

In the meantime, you can read more about cybersecurity, and how to protect yourself here >>>

Are you planning to use Cloud-based services to support or even replace the in-house IT capability in your organisation? You may have already been asked by users who want access to Web applications or indeed by senior managers who wish to cut the cost of IT in the current demanding financial climate.

How do you take advantage of Cloud Computing? How can you integrate these services with your existing IT system and ensure you effectively manage user access and security?

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This two-day certificated training course prepares the internal auditor to effectively audit compliance with the information security standard ISO27001 and against the controls contained in ISO27002.

ISO27001 Certified ISMS Internal Auditor training provides an excellent career progression and skills development opportunity for information security staff and internal auditors.

Effectively audit compliance with the ISO27001 Certified ISMS Internal Auditor Training Course. Book on the February course date and save 30%! >>

	ISO27001 Certified ISMS Internal Auditor Training Course – London – 6-7 Feb 2012 RRP: £850.00 Price: £595.00 You Save: £255.00

Effectively audit compliance with the ISO27001 Certified ISMS Internal Auditor Training Course. Book on the February course date and save 30%! >>

More to explore …

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No 3 ISO27001 Comprehensive ISMS Toolkit

ISO27001 Cyber Security Toolkit

Are you planning to study and prepare to take the examination for the CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) certification? While recognised as the ‘must have’ qualification for a senior career in information security, CISSP is also known as one of the most difficult of all the infosec exams to pass first time.

So what is the secret to passing CISSP? A comprehensive knowledge of the CISSP Common Body of Knowledge (CBK) and thorough preparation and practice for the examination are crucial to your success.

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• Pre-course CISSP Knowledge Assessment
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• (ISC)² CISSP CBK Official Study Guide Textbook
• Optional Accommodation package

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A key feature of our programme is the Pre-course CISSP Knowledge Assessment which determines the strengths and weakness of the current knowledge of each delegate. The results of this assessment are used by our trainer to prepare an individual Pre Course Study Plan and to adapt the delivery of the subsequent class-room training to meet the needs of the individual and the group.

As preparation is the essential ingredient to passing the CISSP examination, we strongly recommend that all delegates review and purchase our dedicated publications and resources available from our CISSP Campus.

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Cyber crime is on the rise and all organisations need to ensure they protect themselves and their critical assets from cyber attack. Start this January with these time limited special offers:

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More to explore …

Digital Forensics Foundation Training 30% off the February course!

Cyber Risks for Business Professionals £10 off for January!

ISO27001 Certified ISMS Internal Auditor Training 30% off the February course!

The new, official CISA and CISM 2012 exam passports are now available to buy from IT Governance Ltd.

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Following on from last week’s discussion ‘Which, Why and How is an ISO 27001 ISMS toolkit right for you‘, I thought we should take a closer look at the ISO 27001 implementation team and how our special January offer is the logical step that your organisation should take to implement ISO 27001.

Organisations that are serious about implementing ISO 27001, and successfully achieve certification, develop the in-house capability and skills through training.

They also take a risk based approach to develop the information security management System (ISMS), using our tried and tested ISO 27001 ISMS toolkits.

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Our range of training courses offer a structured learning path from Foundation to Advanced level in ISO27001 and ISO27002 together with related topics that include PCI DSS, Data Protection Act and Digital Forensics.

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• In any ISO 27001 project you will have a Lead Implementer that is capable of leading their organisation to successful certification. The ISO27001 Certified ISMS Lead Implementer Masterclass is the perfect course for this role.
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• An understanding of the best practice guidance as outlined in ISO27002 is essential to ensure the compliance to ISO27001 in any organisation. Information Security Foundation based on ISO/IEC 27002 serves as a practical guideline for all members of staff as they initiate, implement and maintain an information security programme.

Save 15% on any of these courses when you buy an ISO 27001 ISMS toolkit before the end of January!