For the past couple of years I’ve been involved with a fantastic group of people who have put their passion, time and resources into helping raise awareness of security issues throughout the world. Dr. Gary Hinson and Brian Honan in particular have invested literally hundreds (perhaps thousands?) of hours into Global Security Week throughout the past four years.
Their devotion to the effort of improving security practices throughout the world is indeed exemplary, and I urge all of you to visit their sites to get even more good information security and privacy information.
It is that time of the year again to choose a logo for this year’s theme, which is “Cybercrime – Don’t Become a Victim.”
Our Global Security Week group is running a competition to choose a logo to capture the essence of this theme during Global Security Week. The winning logo will be used throughout the Internet via the Global Security Week website and websites of participating organizations, on banner advertisements and in print through the security and general news media.
Hey, I know several of you who read this blog are OUTSTANDING artists!! Please engage your right brain, visualize what epitomizes cybercrime and cybercrime victims, and consider submitting a logo!!
You can submit up to three logo designs that represent the spirit, essence and importance of avoiding cybercrime by Friday, August 1, don’t procrastinate! See the competition rules for more information.
In addition to worldwide appreciation, the winning logo designer will also win a $100 Amazon.com gift voucher, so that’s cool too.
Here is the full press release for this year’s Global Security Week:
PRESS RELEASE
Contact : Brian Honan FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Phone : +353-1- 44 04 065
Email : brian@globalsecurityweek.com
Theme for Global Security Week 2008
“Cybercrime- Don’t Become a Victim”
Dublin, Ireland – July 2008
The 4th annual Global Security Week will run from September 8th to 14th 2008 with this year’s theme being “Cybercrime – Don’t Become a Victim”. The theme highlights the escalating threats posed to individuals and companies from the increasing involvement of organised criminals in cybercrime.
“Whereas many hackers and virus writers in times gone by might have sought personal fame and caused limited impact, these days they are more likely to seek personal fortune and cause significant damage and distress” said Gary Hinson, founder of Global Security Week. “Criminals are targeting networked computer systems to commit extortion, compromise financial details such as online bank accounts and credit card details, use personal information for identity theft, steal intellectual property or simply use the computing resources of others to attack third parties. More sophisticated attacks are being researched and committed with funding and support from the criminal underground. Even the traditional processes for money laundering and fencing of stolen goods are being computerised. It’s time to wake the general public up to the threats facing them, and provide information and advice on how to avoid becoming victims of cybercrime.”
In conjunction with the launch of this year’s theme “Cybercrime – Don’t Become a Victim”, Global Security Week is running a competition to select a suitable logo to promote Global Security Week throughout the Internet via the Global Security Week website and websites of participating organisations, on ‘banner advertisements’ and in print through the security and general news media. Entrants are invited to submit up to three logo designs that represent the spirit, essence and importance of avoiding cybercrime by Friday the 1st of August 2008 in accordance with the competition rules published online at:
http://www.GlobalSecurityWeek.com/html/logo.html
In addition to worldwide appreciation, the winning logo will win its designer a $100 Amazon.com gift voucher.
The concept of a Global Security Week is simple yet vitally important. Commercial and governmental organisations are investing heavily in technical security controls but the security problems caused by people remain largely unaddressed. Global Security Week promotes activities around the globe to raise the general public’s awareness of security matters. By coordinating, encouraging and publicising a wide variety of simultaneous security-related awareness activities and events worldwide, Global Security Week leverages media coverage of individual activities for the benefit of all participants.
It is no coincidence that Global Security Week runs through September 11th annually, since both physical and information security aspects are important. Against a backdrop of global terrorism and organised crime, security in general, and information security in particular, has become a vitally-important sociological and business issue:
√ò Aside from terrorist atrocities, natural disasters such as the earthquake in China and typhoon in Myanmar are indiscriminate, impacting individuals and organisations that were simply going about their daily lives and business. Knowing what to do, if not actually being prepared for such situations can literally make the difference between life and death for people, and survival or bankruptcy for corporations. Security awareness is part of the solution.
√ò All Internet users are part of a mutually dependent global community. It is in everyone’s interest to secure their own computer systems and be a good neighbour on the web. We all face the threats of spam, malware, phishing, hackers, intellectual property theft, cyber-terrorism, cyber-extortion and fraud. All of us need to take responsibility for implementing suitable information security measures to protect privacy and to avoid being part of the problem.
Those interested in participating in Global Security Week are asked to register at http://www.globalsecurityweek.com. Involvement is welcomed from individuals, groups or companies wishing to participate by organising security awareness activities during the week, and encouraging links to the global campaign using free promotional images. Global Security Week will gladly promote these activities on the Global Security Week website free of charge.
In previous years we have had participation from organisations worldwide ranging from company in-house initiatives, seminars based on the Global Security Week theme, to coordinated events run by groups such as The Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP), local chapters of the Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) and the Information Systems Audit and Control Association.
For further information contact:
Brian Honan
Global Security Week
Tel: +353-1-4404065
Brian@globalsecurityweek.com
About Global Security Week
Global Security Week is a global security awareness initiative centred on September 11th every year. Through the website www.GlobalSecurityWeek.com, a variety of security-related awareness activities worldwide during the week are publicised, taking advantage of the obvious focus on security by the world’s news media. Through the remaining weeks of the year, the website provides security awareness materials and suggestions for awareness activities for those developing Global Security Week events, or indeed other security awareness initiatives.
Global Security Week is a free public awareness initiative run by an international team of volunteers, not a commercial or political venture. Its long-term aim is to establish and maintain the week of September 11th as the focal point for public security awareness activities around the world.
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Tags: awareness and training, Brian Honan, Gary Hinson, Global Security Week, Information Security, IT compliance, policies and procedures, privacy training, risk management, security training