By Andy Jones, Strategy Director for The Cyber Scheme
I have had the pleasure of engaging in constructive and informative discussion with a wide range of stakeholders of all backgrounds since I became a member of SASIG. You rarely come across such a comprehensive pool of knowledge and resources which can be obtained for free.
The Security Awareness Special Interest Group provides an extensive series of both on-line and in person sessions covering a wide range of topics which are at the forefront of the challenges we face in the industry. Such as trying to develop a better understanding of risks so that we can shape the knowledge, Skills, and abilities of workforces across all types and sizes of business within the UK.
At the core of their aims and objectives lies improving the trust in the online environment. You can read for yourself more about what the team do on the link above, but I have found that the quality and level of speaker as well as the quality and professional standard of the in-person events has been outstanding.
A forum for discussions of the challenges and problems of the industry without the heavy sales pitches of some events is very welcome. You never feel under pressure, and it does what it says on the tin – provides a safe place for discussion of key concerns and issues. They truly follow the Chatham House Rules model.
SASIG has over 8,900 members so far so can’t be too bad right?
Why did I get involved with SASIG?
To be honest I was a little sceptical at the outset when this organisation was mentioned to me, but the more I sought views from others there was only positive tones coming back. Clearly, like any of these things it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but I have found it to be exactly what I was told it would be.
I have listened to some very senior customers and industry suppliers talk openly and frankly about challenges. It is great to be a part of a community with a genuine feel of being in an environment where knowledge and information sharing is seen as a positive thing, with the only take away by the contributors is that they hope people can learn from their lessons and contribute back when they can. My role at The Cyber Scheme is to look at the strategy around how we best measure knowledge, skill, and ability both now and into the future.
Later this year I have the opportunity to contribute to a great session on the professionalisation of the cybersecurity industry. It’s a hot topic and a much-needed platform to hear views from all sides of the debate.
Become a member if you can, you will not regret it. But a note of caution: this is not a place for sales. The target audience is those who have responsibility for security within their organisations, alongside other core disciplines such as Risk managers, Legal and procurement. Government and academia are also invited to join.
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