Silicon Republic, August 16th 2005
Putting people first

In fact, enabling remote workers to access systems safely is the top priority for Irish security professionals in 2005, a survey by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) found. The same issue was accorded third place last year, proving the point about its growing popularity. Simply put, there’s no alternative — what security administrator would tell his CEO he can’t have email delivered to his mobile phone or handheld device because it’s potentially not secure?

The ISSA Journal, July 2005
When Irish Guys Are Dialling

Learn what the major IT security concerns are for ISSA members in Ireland. What threats and challenges did they experience in 2004, and what new ones do they anticipate for 2005 and 2006? By Brian Honan

Silicon Republic, July 27th 2005
Comment: Pew puts problem into perspective

The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), a representative body for security professionals, surveyed its Irish members earlier this year and found that tackling spam became more of a priority than anticipated during 2004. Brian Honan of the ISSA had a plausible explanation as to its more prominent position in the project pecking order: "Once the CEO or sales manager started spending minutes per day to delete spam, it became a business problem."

Silicon Republic, April 1st 2005
Cybercrime victims urged to enlist police help

Howard Schmidt, chief security officer with E-Bay and a former US government advisor, highlighted the importance of co-operating with the police even before events happen, so that organisations will know better how to react to a security risk or attack. “When should we call law enforcement? Tomorrow. If you call them after something happens, it's too late,” he said during the opening address at the Irish Cybercrime Forum, hosted by ISSA Ireland, the local chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.

Sunday Business Post, March 19th 2005
€38m robbery "a security lesson"

Brian Honan of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) said new legislation governing company compliance would hit Irish IT professionals like a "freight-train". He said IT professionals had yet to prepare themselves for new regulations which would require company directors to sign off on IT security measures.

Silicon Republic, March 4th 2005
Remote works are the weakest link

The local chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) has unveiled survey data indicating what projects are high on the agenda for the coming year. The ISSA conducted an online survey of its Irish membership in January. Respondents were also asked about the projects they had planned for 2004 and which of those were completed during that year.

ComputerScope, February 2005
Secure Perimiter or Final Frontier?

Paddy Roberts, the current President of the Irish chapter of the Information Systems Security Association, the leading international professional organisation in the field, also highlights the growing importance of compliance. "The requirements of Sarbanes Oxley in the USA, are concentrating minds wonderfully in understanding the threats to systems and data and ensuring that proper security programmes are put in place", he says.

Silicon Republic, June 26th 2004
Wireless networking blues

Hugh Callaghan, a supervisor at the advanced security centre in Ernst & Young’s technology risk services department, spoke at a recent Information Systems Security Association meeting in Dublin and outlined some of the risks that Bluetooth brings.

Sunday Business Post, February 8th 2004
Low expectations stall anti-virus advances

Recent developments in the field of anti-virus software have proven slow and unsatisfactory, according to Owen O'Connor, founder and vice-president of Information Systems Security Association (ISSA).

Sunday Business Post, February 8th 2004
Online heroes battle cybercrime

According to Paddy Roberts, president of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), [IT security] requires advanced technical know-how but also proactive approach akin to that of a "crime-fighter" or "online sleuth".

ElectricNews.Net, December 4th 2003

The Irish chapter of the Information Systems Security Association has admitted its 100th member. The non-profit voluntary body is a professional organisation for information security personnel in Ireland. Speakers at ISSA events this year included Stuart Okin, chief security officer for Microsoft UK; Tal Gilat, the CEO of security vendor KaVaDo; and Tina Bird of Stanford University. Disaster recovery, database security and 3G cellular security are to feature in ISSA's 2004 events.

Business & Finance / ElectricNews.Net, October 10th 2003
IT managers become cyber security guards

Owen O'Connor, co-founder of the Information Systems Security Association in Ireland, agreed and said that sandbagging corporate networks with the latest patches in anticipation of the next assault is delaying other projects. A major factor is the complexity of just downloading and installing the latest update, he said.

Silicon Republic, October 10th 2003
Legislation Drives Data Protection

"Business will begin to focus on compliance with the data protection regulations and in particular the requirements for security of personal data that a company holds", explains Patrick Roberts, president of the recently formed Irish Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association, a highly regarded international professional organisation.

"Developments such as the Turnbull Report in the UK have led to an increased focus on information security as a core component of sound corporate governance. So, although security has traditionally been a function of the IT department, its increased importance as part of internal control systems generally means that the overall responsibility is increasingly moving upwards in the organisation."

Sunday Tribune, August 17th 2003
Security business in the pink as it masters Blaster

"You tend to see some companies speaking about what is going on in terms of their own products, generally without much credibility", said Owen O'Connor, vice president of the Irish chapter of the Information Systems Security Association.

ComputerScope, July 2003

The Irish chapter of the international ISSA (Information Systems Security Association) was formally launched in February. The international organisation has been around since 1982 and has around 9,000 members in over 60 chapters worldwide. "At present the [Irish] chapter has 65 members, which is well ahead of our expectations for our fifth month in operation", says Owen O'Connor.

ComputerScope, June 2003

"With the recent passing of the 2002 Data Protection Ammendment, business will again begin to focus on compliance with the Data Protection Act ...", points out Patrick Roberts, president of the recently formed Irish Chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), a highly regarded international professional organisation.

Irish Times, April 11th 2003
Fighting fire with fire to solve tech crimes

". . . says Mr Paddy Roberts, president of the Information Systems Security Association Ireland (ISSA), a division of the global organisation of information security professionals, which helps firms solve computer crime." ( more )

Business Plus, April 2003
Ireland Chapter for ISSA

An Irish chapter of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) has been formed. The association is a not-for-profit international organisation of information security professionals and practitioners. The primary goal of the ISSA to promote practices that will ensure the confidentiality, integrity and availability of information resources. The number of Irish professionals holding the CISSP designation (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) has more than doubled in the past 12 months and the ISSA has over 10,000 members worldwide.

Irish Independent, March 6th 2003
Battle to avoid an electronic Pearl Harbor

Addressing the inaugural meeting of the Irish Information Systems Security Association, [Winn Schwartau] said: "Technology can in many ways be our Achilles heel. Technology is moving so quickly that in many cases no one knows who is in charge anymore. Security software vendors have largely ignored the problem and businesses and the military have consistently given up control of the role of the defence of their networks to designated system operators or outsourcing companies. No one appears to know who's in charge. Who controls a firm's perimeter defences anymore?"

Irish Times, February 28th 2003
TDs vote with their feet as new system is infected

"Apparently they can't put in a virus programme because of the 60-second countdown" during which deputies could vote, she told a room packed with computer security specialists on Wednesday evening.

...

Ms Hanafin was speaking at the launch of a new Irish branch of the
Information Systems Security Association - but she had to leave the
meeting early to vote.

Silicon Republic, February 27 2003
Virus knocks out Dáil

According to Government Chief Whip and Information Society Minister Mary Hanafin TD, the one year-old system ground to a halt during voting in Ireland’s national parliament yesterday due to a virus – believed to be the SQL Slammer worm – infecting the system. Ironically, Hanafin was addressing the inaugural meeting of the Irish chapter of the global Information Systems Security Association (ISSA).

...

Addressing the ISSA, Minister Hanafin stressed the importance of educating society and business about the threat of information security attacks in the form of viruses and hacker attacks. “This kind of thing harms the progress of the internet and we need to build up more confidence and trust in the internet. The pace of development is astonishing, but trust and confidence can be eroded if people don’t know how to defend against attacks. Kerry County Council is spearheading e-procurement and the Revenue Commissioners Online has taken in more than US€2bn in taxes electronically in the past two years. But these advances can be hurt if we don’t have the legal and regulatory framework right. Security is central to this,” Hanafin said.

...

“Your job is to see how you can restore trust and confidence in electronic systems and the internet,” Hanafin told the [...] audience, made up largely of IT security managers and e-security vendors.

ElectricNews.Net, February 27th 2003
Slammer worm attacks Dail, reports say

The Dail fell victim to the so-called Slammer worm on Wednesday, according to reports. Speaking at a meeting of the Information Systems Security Association, Government Chief Whip and Information Society Minister Mary Hanafin, TD, said that the Dail's voting system, which allows TDs to vote for or against various issues, was infected by a virus believed to be the fast-spreading SQL Slammer worm. Hanafin said the system did not have any anti-virus protection in place.