ISSA International 2012 Cybersecurity Award Winners Announced

PORTLAND, Ore.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sixteen leaders in cybersecurity have been recognized by the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) for their contributions to protect cyberspace and advance the cybersecurity profession and ISSA.

“Our field is constantly evolving in response to new threats”

Each year outstanding individuals, chapters, and organizations are selected in seven categories by the ISSA Awards Committee, comprised largely of past recipients. Program developments for 2012 included the addition of the "Volunteer of the Year” category and the opening of the nomination process to all ISSA members – generating a record number of applicants.

Among the honorees for 2012 are three professionals who will be recognized with the President’s Award for Public Service for their work with Stuxnet, which has been universally acknowledged as the most sophisticated piece of malware created. Because it aims to reprogram industrial control systems used in critical infrastructure such as gas pipelines and power plants, some researchers believe that it’s the first known example of malware used for state sponsored cyber warfare.

In their paper titled W32.Stuxnet Dossier, authors Eric Chien, Nicolas Falliere and Liam O’Murchu conducted a thorough and comprehensive forensic effort to understand what Stuxnet is and how it works. Their model is used to develop procedures to analyze this and other sophisticated, targeted malware. The paper also highlights surprise findings, such as the identification of a new propagation method, and lessons learned.

“Stuxnet has highlighted that direct-attack attempts on critical infrastructure are possible and not just theory or movie plotlines. The real-world implications of Stuxnet are beyond any threat we have seen in the past. We are honored to be recognized by ISSA, a critical community for educating today’s cybersecurity professionals,” said Eric Chien.

“Our field is constantly evolving in response to new threats,” said Mark Williams, Chairman of the Awards Committee. “We are proud to recognize these individuals and organizations that are amongst the most innovative in defending information in cyberspace and who have dedicated themselves in containing risk to our infrastructures and critical information.”

The ISSA 2012 Award Recipients are as follows:

Security Professional of the Year

Eric Cowperthwaite of Providence Health & Services has been selected for his thought leadership and direction in providing what has been called “the most mature information security program in health care delivery.”

Hall of Fame

Eric G. Mettala of the Battelle Memorial Institute, Michael D. Peters of CrossView, Inc. and Wietse Z. Venema of the IBM Research will be inducted for their lifetime achievements.

Honor Roll

Association volunteers named for sustained contributions to the cybersecurity community, the advancement of ISSA, and the enhancement of the professionalism of the membership, include: Joanne Ashland of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Deborah Peinert of AAA Northern California, Nevada & Utah, and Javier Torner of California State University, San Bernardino.

Volunteer of the Year

Richard Mosher of MetaBank and Roberto Puyó Valladares of the Oficina de Normalización Previsional Perú will share honors.

Outstanding Organization of the Year

California State University, San Bernardino will be honored for its support of ISSA members, chapters and the association.

Chapter of the Year

Three ISSA chapters - Lima, Perú, Sacramento Valley and United Kingdom - will claim honors for their achievements in growing and serving the professional development of their members.

President’s Award for Public Service

Eric Chien, Nicolas Falliere and Liam O’Murchu - authors of the paper titled W32.Stuxnet Dossier - are named to this honor for their contribution to the information security profession in the area of public service.

The awards will be presented during the ISSA International Conference, October 25-26, in Anaheim, CA.

Resource Links

To visit the ISSA Awards Page: http://www.issa.org/?page=Awards
To learn about the 2012 ISSA International Conference: http://www.issa.org/?page=Conference
To read the full Stuxnet Dossier: http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/enterprise/media/security_response/whitepapers/w32_stuxnet_dossier.pdf

About the ISSA

The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA)®, www.issa.org, is the community of choice for international cybersecurity professionals dedicated to advancing individual growth, managing technology risk, and protecting critical information and infrastructure. ISSA members represent a broad range of industries - from communications, education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial and consulting to IT - as well as federal, state and local government departments and agencies.