Category Archives: Infosec Communicator

  • 0

Irony

Category:Information Security,Infosec Communicator,Risk,Uncategorized Tags : 

I received the following notification today:

DHS Announces the Release of New Training Course Workplace Security Awareness No-Cost Critical Infrastructure Workplace Security Training

The Department of Homeland Security announces the availability of IS-906, Workplace Security Awareness, a no-cost training course developed by the Office of Infrastructure Protection Sector-Specific Agency Executive Management Office.

Access IS-906 on the Federal Emergency Management Agency Emergency Management Institute Web site: https://training.fema.gov/EMIWeb/IS/IS906.asp

The online training provides guidance to individuals and organizations on how to improve security in the workplace.  The course is self-paced and takes about an hour to complete. This comprehensive cross-sector training is appropriate for a broad audience regardless of knowledge and skill level.  The course promotes workplace security practices applicable across all 18 critical infrastructure sectors.   The training uses innovative multimedia scenarios and modules to illustrate potential security threats.  …

A certificate is given to participants who complete the entire course.

Sounds reasonable, right?

Ironically, the course asks you to provide your SSN.

Sigh…


  • 0

Technical Communicator 419 Scheme

Category:Information Security,Infosec Communicator,STC Tags : 

The STC Europe SIG has a great parody post today on a Nigerian 419 scheme with a twist: They want access to your bank account to impose penalties for not turning the writing/editing assignments around quickly enough.

DEFINITELY WORTH A READ.


  • 10

Why Professional Conferences Matter

Category:Higher Education,Information Security,Infosec Communicator,Leadchange,Social Networking,STC Rochester Tags : 

I’ve heard a lot of discussion recently that professional conferences aren’t needed anymore because of the inter-connectivity afforded by the Internet. Why is it reasonable to spend hundreds or even a couple of thousand dollars to attend a face-to-face conference?

Over the last week, I’ve been part of the leadership teams for and attended two conferences, the STC Rochester Spectrum regional technical communications conference and the EDUCAUSE Security Professionals Conference in San Antonio. It’s been an incredible experience.

Here’s what I’ve found:

  • Spectrum provided an opportunity for me to meet face-to-face with people I’ve been talking to via social networking for almost a year. This is important because I was able to have indepth conversations with key leaders about critical issues affecting our profession. These conversations wouldn’t have been viable in social media. They may have been doable through Skype or phone, but the ability to read the nuances of a conversation when you’re not together is really difficult.
  • Spectrum also provided STC Rochester an opportunity to showcase our abilities (and to have those abilities affirmed by other community and society leaders.) It was important for our chapter to understand our connections and I think our membership was “blown away” that international leadership would attend. We were truly honored.
  • Spectrum provided state of the art content in technical communications. In the sessions I facilitated, Kristi Leach was able to test a usability session with peers and gain invaluable feedback and Hannah Morgan provided a fresh look at the importance of social networking in your branding and in your career.  Other speakers presented key information about current tools and the future of our profession.

The Security Professionals conference allowed me to see (way too briefly) colleagues that I speak with on conference calls and work with, but from a distance of thousands of miles. We’ve become friends and it’s great to be able to unwind with a team that’s worked hard together all year.

  • The Security Professionals conference gave me the opportunity to present with a panel of fellow practitioners that are remediating private information at our respective universities. It gave our audience an opportunity to hear how four schools are tackling similar problems and the “unvarnished” truth of the stuggles we’ve faced and inroads we’ve made. This was invaluable to our attendees, because they could ask questions and establish the networking contacts that will save them time and dollars as they tackle similar problems. We become resources for each other.
  • The Security Professionals conference also allowed me to work in tandem with Cherry Delaney of Purdue University, my former co-chair of the Awareness and Training Working group. We were able to share with a group of ISOs, information security practitioners (and even a CIO) the steps needed to create a holistic strategic Security Awareness plan and share examples of how we’ve approached the task of educating end users. We were also able to work with them in small groups to develop specific steps and put together the beginnings of an action plan.

The interaction at a professional conference is one of the key enablers to moving forward in your profession, becoming “unstuck” when you’re out of ideas, and establishing a network of contacts to help each other.

This interaction was helped by the fact that the conferences were of a size (120 and 350) where you could actually see the same people in several venues. Large conferences don’t always allow for that.

For me, professional conferences matter.

What do you get out of them?

 

Related content


  • 0

Top Ten Ways to Shockproof Your Use of Social Media

Category:Cyberstalking,Facebook,Information Security,Infosec Communicator,Internet Safety,Presentations,Social Networking,STC,Uncategorized Tags : 

How do you stay safe online? Here are ten ways to shockproof your use of social media:

Tip #1: Use strong passwords

Tip #2: Keep your computer patched and updated

Tip #3: Use appropriate security software

Tip #4: Learn to recognize phishing and other scams

Tip #5: Use social networks safely

Tip #6: Remember who else is using social networking sites

Tip #7: Be wary of others

Tip #8: Search for your name

Tip #9: Guard your personal information

Tip #10: Use privacy settings

Top Ten Ways to Shockproof Your Use of Social Media Presentation


  • 1

Call for Proposals, Spectrum 2011 (April 1, 2011)

Category:Infosec Communicator,STC,STC Rochester Tags : 

Spectrum 2011 – Building Better Solutions: A Skills Symposium
Rochester Chapter, Society for Technical Communication (STC)

Submittal deadline: December 17, 2010

You and your colleagues are invited to submit proposals for Spectrum 2011. Spectrum is the annual educational conference of the Rochester Chapter of the Society for Technical Communication (STC).

STC is an international professional organization that seeks to promote education, communication, and shared resources among communications professionals such as instructional designers, writers, web designers, graphic artists, social media developers, and others who deal with technical information.

Who attends and speaks at Spectrum?

Spectrum is a regional professional conference and generally draws attendees from New York, Eastern Canada, and surrounding areas. Attendance in past years has normally ranged from 100-180 attendees. This year will be the chapter’s 52nd consecutive Spectrum conference, making it the longest running STC chapter conference. Speakers are selected from local presenters and speakers from around the country who have expertise in subject matter relevant to technical communications professionals, and pertinent to the conference theme.

When and where is Spectrum 2011?

This year’s conference will be held on April 1st at the Rochester Institute of Technology, in the Center for Integrated Manufacturing Studies (CIMS) located at 111 Lomb Memorial Drive, Rochester, NY 14623-5608.

For more information, visit the STC-Rochester website.

I’ve participated in this conference for a number of years and helped organize it last year. We consistently receive high marks from participants and have been told that the conference is every bit as valuable as the larger international conferences.

Enhanced by Zemanta

Subscribe to Blog via Email

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Join 2,235 other subscribers

Categories

Support Introverted Leadership on Patreon

Blubrry affiliate banner