The Information Security Forum (ISF) is extending its membership programme to help SMEs address an increasing number of IT security threats, including the fight against cybercrime, protecting customer data and the growth of social networking.
This new ISF Membership, for companies with turnover of less than £100m, recognises that SMEs face many of the same challenges and compliance requirements as large enterprises, but without the same in-house resources, skills or budgets. By joining the ISF, the forum says, SMEs can reduce information risk by gaining access to world leading research, tools and methodologies; and by sharing knowledge and experience with security professionals from some 300 of the world’s largest corporations and public sector organisations.
“It is difficult for even the largest organisations to build the level of understanding and skills needed to keep abreast of information security issues, understand emerging risks and develop best practice solutions,” says Steve Durbin, VP sales and marketing at the ISF. “That’s why many of the world’s major corporations, public sector bodies and government departments are ISF members and now we are making it possible for SMEs to harness the knowledge, resources and tools to reduce their information risks.”
In a recent ISF Threat Horizon report, cybercrime was at the top of the list, with weaknesses in IT infrastructures, tougher statutory requirements, pressures on outsourcing and the erosion of the network boundary. Other threats highlighted include mobile malware, social networking and changing cultures with a blurring of the boundaries between work and personal life.
