The Security Industry Association’s (SIA’s) capstone of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2021 will occur Thursday, Oct. 28, when the Cybersecurity Advisory Board (CAB) convenes SIA’s first Cybersecurity Town Hall Meeting. During this event, which will be simulcast live during Securing New Ground and through other channels, members of the CAB will take questions from SIA members and the industry that result in new, specific and actionable steps companies should adopt as part of corporate cyber strategies and offer as advice to customers and partners. The town hall will be held in a 100 percent interactive format, with attendees receiving a summary report of advice provided by CAB members. 

Manufacturers, security solutions developers, systems integrators and firms providing services to the security industry face challenges and questions related to cybersecurity and privacy. Just like with physical security, real cybersecurity is achieved through diligent efforts from people to create and execute on processes. Cybersecurity Awareness Month, observed each October, is a collaborative effort to bring awareness to the challenges of cybersecurity and to ensure that every individual stays safe and secure online. This year, specific themes for the month include general cyber hygiene, fighting phishing attacks and scams, cybersecurity career awareness and making cybersecurity a business priority.

SIA has created a virtual library of educational content, resources and best practices related to breaches and cybersecurity:

• Security Industry Cybersecurity Certification (SICC): Earlier this year, SIA introduced the SICC, a new certification developed with support from PSA Security Network and Security Specifiers that validates the skills required to support technical security installations according to industry best practices for electronic security and cybersecurity and aligning with clients’ organizational priorities and business objectives. Earning the SICC demonstrates a high level of competence in physical, cyber and information security.
• SIAcademy LIVE! Cybersecurity for Physical Security Professionals: Starting Oct. 5, join SIA for the next SIAcademy LIVE! virtual course covering the most important cybersecurity and networking topics for physical security professionals to know. The course series, produced in partnership with PSA Security Network, aligns with topics tested by the new SICC credential. Attendees will learn key concepts covered on the SICC exam such as device security, software assurance, information security principles and more.
• Beginner’s Guide to Product & System Hardening: These executive-level recommendations from the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board are a solid starting point for developing and initiating a comprehensive enterprise cybersecurity strategy to mitigate business risk.
• Challenges & Recommendations for Connected Physical Security Products: This report explores threats faced by today’s connected physical security products, offers recommendations to design and deploy secure physical security solutions and provides a road map for adopting a secure development life cycle.
• Cyber Onboarding Guide for Employees: This guide for employers and staff is designed to help companies onboard new employees in a safe, secure way. These guidelines will help your company reduce cyber vulnerability, protecting your business and assets.
• How to Manage a Cybersecurity Crisis: This webcast, hosted by the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board, shares the most important activities organizations can do to prepare for and respond to a cybersecurity crisis, real-life examples and lessons learned from incidents and how crises can sometimes become opportunities for an organization’s brand.
• Risk and Exposure: Discussions With the SIA Cybersecurity Advisory Board: This on-demand virtual conference features discussions on the cybersecurity issues facing the physical security industry and shares practical insights on topics like security connected endpoints, cybersecurity governance and compliance and horizon scanning.
• The Truth About Ransomware: Why Public Infrastructure Is So Often a Target: In this webcast presentation, experts explore how breakdowns in cyber hygiene and policy lead to vulnerabilities in institutional networks, what the industry can learn through data and information sharing to mitigate attacks and more.
• What the SolarWinds Hack Can Teach Us About Supply Chain Cybersecurity: This webcast covers topics like what makes up a cybersecurity supply chain, how physical security stakeholders can manage these supply chains, known hardware and software vulnerabilities and how to take inventory of potential red flags.

For more information, visit SIA’s website.