Dear ISC2 Community and Colleagues,
As we all reflect on our many achievements in 2024 and look forward to a new year, I want to express my sincere gratitude for your support and dedication to our association. Like preceding years, 2024 has been one of profound change, disruption, challenge and opportunity for our societies, our organizations, and for us as individuals. Throughout the year, I have witnessed incredible transformation and growth across our community around the world.
Each year, our association continues to evolve. Your passion and innovative ideas make our community unique, and I want to thank you for your continued collaboration as we strive to support you in the best way possible. I am amazed by the active participation in our association from its membership.
This year, we welcomed more than 65,000 new colleagues into our community. More than 6,000 of you gave up your valuable time to volunteer in our programs and initiatives, from exam refreshes to content reviews. Through your generosity, we raised more than $86,000 from your optional AMF donations for our philanthropic initiatives for the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. We welcomed 3,500 members to our annual Security Congress in Las Vegas to hear from 150 of your peers who generously gave their time and knowledge to help strengthen our global community. Around 40 of you contributed articles to our ISC2 Insights pages. I want to extend a sincere and heartfelt thank you to everyone who gave up their time, resources and experience to help strengthen our community.
This is what you did for ISC2 in 2024. What did ISC2 do for you?
We enhanced certification credibility in the market to ensure that your certifications are formally and globally recognized, and that their holders are viewed as the most accomplished cybersecurity professionals in the world. This year, ISC2 secured renewal accreditation for all ISC2 certifications and trainings under ANAB ISO/IEC 17024, the global standard. Additionally, all certifications and training have been approved for use in the DoD 8140 Cyber Workforce Qualification Provider Marketplace.
We continue to advocate on your behalf with governments around the world, ensuring that your voice is heard when policy is formulated. This year, ISC2 had more than 250 touchpoints with global stakeholders to ensure they understand that employing cybersecurity professionals is a need, not a want, within their jurisdictions and organizations. ISC2 contributed to significant cyber legislation such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), collaborated with leaders in the US Office of the National Cyber Director (ONCD), US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), the UK government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), Brussels and the Canadian government, partnered with Thailand's National Cyber Security Agency, and upheld its commitment to the EU Cyber Skills Academy. Additionally, we continue to progress in finalizing a path forward for the UK’s Cybersecurity Chartership program.
We acknowledge your ongoing interest in volunteer and social impact opportunities, so we have made them more accessible through the Center for Cyber Safety and Education. This year, the number of people contributing to the Center’s activities grew from 1,500 people in 2023 to 8,400 people from 127 countries in 2024. Our generous donors also increased by an astounding 702%. Because of your generosity, the Center continues to ensure that Cybersecurity is a profession open to all, no matter the background, by awarding 101 individuals from 21 countries with scholarships – the most ever! Listen to a scholarship winner’s story here.
We also grew pathways to enter our profession and strengthen cyber-adjacent disciplines through our One Million Certified in Cybersecurity program. We have surpassed 70,000 Certified in Cybersecurity certification holders, a 30,000-person increase from a year ago. CC supports the next generation of cyber leaders, especially in growth markets like the Middle East, Asia, and Sub-Saharan Africa, as well as professionals in cyber-adjacent fields or professionals looking to expand their cybersecurity knowledge.
We also sought ways to strengthen our education, networking and career offerings. In 2024, ISC2 events, webinars and workshops attracted significant global engagement with nearly 3,000 in-person attendees and more than 77,433 virtual and on-demand viewers. This included participation in SECURE Summits, Spotlight events, AI Workshops, Security Congress and webinars, reflecting the diverse interests and needs of our members worldwide. For our certifications, we drove AI and Adaptive Learning for ALL, which significantly increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the exams. This year, we also celebrated 30 Years of the CISSP, recognizing the more than 180,000 CISSP certification holders who continue to lead our profession.
To serve the profession better, we also strengthened our partnerships. Collaborations with industry leaders and academic institutions included IBM/Coursera, CheckPoint, Carasoft, Ingram Micro, Tokio Marine and more. Additionally, a partnership with Overnet and the Microsoft Partner Network requires every Microsoft partner to be staffed with a CISSP, broadening the scope and credibility of the certification.
Our Annual Workforce Study shows the profession to be entering a challenging 2025, where investment is cutting back, economic conditions are toughening, and threat landscapes are becoming more complex. ISC2 understands and is committed to supporting you in your professional development, wherever you are in the world, and whatever your challenge. Please continue to constructively give us your ideas and suggestions for how we can support you more.
The ISC2 Community is the heart and soul of our profession, and we appreciate your tireless work for a safe and secure cyber world. Whatever 2025 brings, I know you will meet it head on, and ISC2 will be alongside you as you embrace both the opportunities and the challenges of the New Year.
I wish you and yours every happiness and success during this holiday season and beyond.
Thank you for all you do.
Best,
Debra Taylor, CC
Acting CEO, CFO, ISC2