The Information Systems Security Officers Guide: Establishing and Managing an Information Protection Program

Our present world will continue to be one of military, economic, and business wars that will affect the ability of global corporations to compete and succeed in the global marketplace. Changes will continue to occur rapidly and probably exponentially, as high technology, technology driven by the microprocessor, is the driver for IE assets protection changes and challenges.

The world remains in a constant state of change—some changes that are for the better and some that are not. All of these changes affect the ISSO professionals in their objective of successfully protecting corporate IE assets. The ISSO professionals of tomorrow must be more educated, experienced in all aspects of the world, technologically literate, and flexible in meeting the needs of the corporation.

The ISSO professional of tomorrow also has great opportunities to make more of a positive difference in the world, community, corporation, and profession. For those of you in the ISSO profession, enjoy the exciting ride that awaits you in the future.

There are four basic ISSO challenges for the 21st century:

• The continued increase and globalization of the Internet and its connections to the businesses' and government agencies' intranets (electronic commerce);

• The increasing threats of Netspionage espionage;

• The increasing potential and threats of high-technology-oriented terrorists (techno-terrorists); and

• The concern and potential threats of information warfare.

Boni, a highly skilled, professional ISSO, said of the ISSO's 21st century challenges:

• ISSOs will likely end up in the line of fire in a future type of information warfare (e.g. banking, telecommunications, power grids, transportation, etc.). They will be the combatants in such conflicts and their systems at risk to the hostilities of the time.

• ISSO roles therefore will only grow in importance, so new entrants to this fascinating career field will find they are embarked upon a lifelong voyage of growth, learning and discovery.

• There will be long periods of boring repetition punctuated by moments of adrenaline rush as they face off with a techno-criminal or hostile competitor bent on destruction of the organization's competitive stature. At that moment in time, they will learn if their protection mechanisms are up to the challenges of the 21st century.

• They are part of the future "thin blue line," the close alliance of the ISSOs in the organizations and society's protective institutions (law enforcement, national defense) against the rising forces of techno-anarchy and destruction.

Welcome to the front lines!