ISACA’s Cybersecurity Conference in Singapore Addressed Needs for a Skilled Workforce

Singapore (18 November 2016) — Global IT and cybersecurity association ISACA
has concluded their first-ever CSX 2016 Asia Pacific conference
in Singapore, which was held 14-16 November 2016. The event, aimed at helping
organizations build qualified cybersecurity workforces and help individuals
advance their cyber careers, was attended by more than 300 attendees from a
spectrum of industries and cyber security experience levels.

The event was particularly timely given the recent launch of the
holistic national Cybersecurity Strategy by the Singapore government, which
identified existing cybersecurity skills gaps. Furthermore, the recent
spate of local cybersecurity attacks further underscored the need to further
develop local cybersecurity capabilities.

“CSX 2016 Asia Pacific
could not have come at a more crucial juncture for Singapore, given the
heightened awareness of the need for cybersecurity—both by organizations and
enterprises as well as in critical public infrastructures,” said Leonard Ong,
CISA, CISM, CRISC, CGEIT, Board Director of ISACA and associate director at MSD
International. “Through this event, and ongoing activities by ISACA, we hope to
contribute in building up local and regional cybersecurity skills and
capabilities, and position Singapore as one of the global leaders in
cybersecurity.”

Teo Chin Hock, Deputy
Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, echoed this need
during his opening address at the event. “Addressing cybersecurity threats go
beyond deep cybersecurity competencies. We also need the professional workforce
to be more cohesive and united to anticipate the increasing scale and
sophistication of cybersecurity threats.” said Mr. Teo. “With broad membership
bases and diverse outreach channels, professional bodies such as ISACA are
important to forge a common identity in the profession and foster trust within
its professional networks.”

During the event, cyber security experts from around the world
convened to discuss the latest challenges in cyber security with over 50
in-depth and insightful sessions. Highlights included an opening keynote by
Richard Quest, CNN International news anchor and host of “Quest Means
Business,” who underscored the key gaps organizations have around
cybersecurity. Participants also heard from Christos Dimitriadis, Chair of
ISACA’s Board of Directors, who discussed current challenges faced by the
cybersecurity industry, and Ashkan Soltani, former chief technologist of the
Federal Trade Commission (U.S.), who delved into privacy issues faced by both
consumers and organizations.

Event participants also had an opportunity to hear from Justine
Bone, who provided insights into the threat that firmware poses to consumers
and why it is an issue that needs to be solved now; as well as Eddie Schwartz,
president and COO, White Ops, who discussed the changing role of CISOs in a
fast evolving threat landscape.

“I enjoyed CSX 2016 Asia Pacific. The event keynotes were very
refreshing and they challenged the conventional way of thinking about cybersecurity
as a whole. The sessions were also engaging and well-paced. It was like a mini
bootcamp to get up-to-speed on the latest industry trends and challenges,
especially since the rate of cybercrime incidents is expected to continue to
rise,” said attendee George Abraham, a senior IT professional from a local
educational institute.

The event also
featured a special networking event as part of ISACA’s Connecting Women Leaders
in Technology program.

“ISACA is definitely
taking a step in the right direction with the Connecting Women Leaders in
Technology networking event. It’s refreshing to be able to connect with other
women who speak the same language and face the same issues I do. The event was
buzzing with fresh ideas and sharing and I believe the industry needs more of
these kinds of events,” said attendee Mary Janice Aljecera, a cybersecurity
professional from the financial sector.

In addition to these
activities, attendees could earn up to 32 continuing professional education
credits at conference workshops and breakout sessions. For details on CSX
guidance, training, tools and certifications, visit https://cybersecurity.isaca.org.