Group aims to increase security

Initially, the association will act as a stage where security professionals can share their experiences. This is to develop wider awareness and concern about information-security issues.

Prinya Hom-Anek, founder and acting president of Tisa, said the association's founding members consisted of information-security professionals in many organisations from government and private sectors. They include the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Software Park Thailand, the Department of Special Investigation, the Royal Thai Police, the Stock Exchange of Thailand, the Provincial Electricity Authority and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Most are CISSP certified.

CISSP is the term for Certified Information System Security Professional. It is an international certification reflecting the qualifications of information-system security practitioners.

Howard Schmidt, former special adviser for Internet security for the United States' White House in December 2001 and a member of the board of directors of ISC2, a non-profit global leader in educating and certifying information security professionals, said information security was a new concern. There are around one billion people involved in online activities and the figure is expected to meet two billion in the next five years. Therefore both government and private sectors should pay attention and collaborate more on security matters.

Tisa plans to increase the number of CISSPs in Thailand which now has only 75 people. The association hopes to increase the figure to 200 by the end of next year.

Apart from the mission to build greater awareness of security issues, Tisa also aims to develop a solid career path for information-security professionals. Prinya said that in a further step, the association would develop local certification to be a springboard for candidates for CISSP or CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor).

This will be done after the association is up and running in the next couple of months. To develop local certification requires an actual body to develop the curricula, testing and assessment.

The association also plans to create collaboration with international organisations such as ISC2.

"The first cooperation is to get some funding from ISC2's global funding programme. We will use this to start awareness campaigns in the country. We plan to have at least six events highlighting information-security awareness per year," said Prinya.

The association expects to recruit around 100 to 200 members by the end of this year. Potential members include anyone who has an interest in information security.

The Nation