UK Security Experts Called to Volunteer in New Internet Safety Education Campaign
The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium [(ISC)²®], the non-profit global leader in educating and certifying information security professionals throughout their careers, and Childnet International, a charity that aims to make the internet a great and safe place for children, have joined forces to launch a pilot Internet Security Education Programme for pupils in the UK. Internet safety presentations will be delivered free-of-charge by certified information security volunteers through (ISC)². The programme will begin in the UK in November and extend, according to interest, across Europe during 2007.
Aimed at 11-13 year olds, the goal of the programme is to help pupils gain awareness of and understand the dangers of the Internet and implement safe and secure online practices. During the in-school sessions, volunteers will identify the positive things pupils can achieve when using the Internet and discuss strategies to avoid the potential risks they face when online.
The presentations and handout materials will cover:
- Positive use of the Internet
- Responsible Internet behaviour
- Protecting personal information when online
- Encouraging responsible use of applications such as peer-to-peer (file-sharing), text messaging and email
- Mobile phone security
Nicola Sanders, Education and Schools Manager for Childnet, said,
“This is an exciting alliance because it harnesses the knowledge, experience, and motivation of the senior information security specialists certified by (ISC)² and combines it with Childnet’s enthusiasm, commitment and experience of communicating these messages to young people. Childnet’s Know IT All content has been developed and made available to all secondary schools in the UK. The availability of (ISC)² volunteers in delivering some of the modules will really benefit pupils and enhance their understanding of the issues, as there is no substitute for face-to-face teaching and learning.”
John Colley, CISSP, member of the (ISC)² Board of Directors and co-chairperson of the (ISC)² European Advisory Board, commented,
“Information security is as critical for the safety of pupils in schools and at home as it is for us in industry. Practical awareness for children and parents alike through education is the best way to maximise security in communities around the country. We encourage as many local (ISC)² members as possible to take part in this pilot program.”
Training for volunteers will start in October. Volunteers will be matched to a school in their area that has signed up to participate in the initiative. The presentations will be taking place throughout the UK during November. All volunteers will be checked by the Criminal Records Bureau.
Any (ISC)² certified professional that would like to be involved should contact Ben Bidin at [email protected]. Volunteers will receive four Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for every hour of preparation for the presentations related to the program.
Childnet International:
Childnet International is a registered charity, set up in 1995 – with the mission to work in partnership with others around the world to help make the internet a great and safe place for children. The vision of the organisation is to ensure that all those involved in developing, producing, controlling, using and regulating international telecommunications (current and future), recognise and implement policies and programmes which prioritise the rights of children so that their interests are both promoted and protected. Childnet actively runs programmes that give children a voice on the net and educate them about the dangers and opportunities of using new communications technology. For more information about Childnet International and its award winning projects go to www.childnet-int.org
About (ISC)²:
The International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium, Inc. [(ISC)²®] is the internationally recognised Gold Standard for certifying information security professionals. Founded in 1989, (ISC)² has certified over 45,000 information security professionals in more than 120 countries. Based in Palm Harbor, Florida, USA, with offices in Vienna, Virginia, USA, London, Hong Kong and Tokyo, (ISC)² issues the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSPÒ) and related concentrations, Certification and Accreditation Professional (CAPCM), and Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCPÒ) credentials to those meeting necessary competency requirements. The CISSP, CISSP-ISSEPÒ and SSCP are among the first information technology credentials to meet the stringent requirements of ANSI/ISO/IEC Standard 17024, a global benchmark for assessing and certifying personnel. (ISC)² also offers a portfolio of education products and services based upon (ISC)²’s CBK®, a taxonomy of information security topics, and is responsible for the annual (ISC)² Global Information Security Workforce Study. More information is available at www.isc2.org.
© 2006, (ISC)² Inc. (ISC)², CISSP, ISSEP, SSCP and CBK are registered certification marks and CAP is a service mark of (ISC)², Inc.
For further information please contact:
Teresa Horscroft
PR Consultant for (ISC)² in Europe
Direct tel: +44 (0)1420 564346
Mobile: +44 (0)7990 520390
Email: [email protected]
Or
Nicola Sanders
Education & Schools Manager
Tel: +44 (0) 207 639 6967
Mobile: +44 (0) 77 172 97516
Email: [email protected]
