(ISC)2 launches child online safety program

(ISC)2 is honoring its 20th anniversary with the U.S. launch of (ISC)2 Safe & Secure Online, a program that invites (ISC)2 information security experts to educate school children ages 11-14 on how to protect themselves online.

W. Hord Tipton, CISSP-ISSEP, CAP, CISA, executive director of (ISC)2 said:

(ISC)2’s mission to make the online world a safer and more secure place includes encouraging our professionals to become involved in helping society at large. With today’s youth using more connected technology than ever before, they are being exposed to a variety of dangers their parents may never see. Safe & Secure Online provides our members the opportunity to pay our profession’s success forward – and honor the selfless contributions of our founders – by making a difference in young people’s lives.

Safe & Secure Online is a program begun by (ISC)2 with support from Childnet International, a charity that aims to make the Internet a safe place for children. First introduced in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2006, then expanded to Hong Kong in 2007, Safe & Secure Online has reached nearly 20,000 children in those regions. The program is designed to address the gap in security advice that exists in children’s safety outreach efforts.

A U.S. pilot program, spearheaded by (ISC)2 member volunteer Richard Harrison, CISSP, of Seattle, is currently underway in Washington state and will serve as a model to expand the program to other regions within the U.S. The program combines compelling presentation materials for the classroom developed by former school teachers, including a video on cyber-bullying, with practical advice from (ISC)2 professionals. Other topics covered include social networking, viral emails, spam, identity theft and more.