At InfoSec Europe 2012, which took place recently at Earl’s Court, security industry experts gave their view on IT skills in the security sector.

IT skills specialists discuss why they think security experts are being asked to do more duties this year, then last year and why Individuals seem to be moving around more picking up both tactical operations skills and risk management skills. As current IT staff try to broaden their skillset, students entering the arena are also opting for broader courses.

With a shortage of IT skills, and tight budgets, should businesses be asking their IT security staff to have skills in contrasting areas of both tactical operations and risk management?

In this video you will find:

1st – Roger Gate, Global Business Services, IBM
2nd – Andrew Martin, University Lecturer, Oxford University Department of Computer Science
3rd – Andy Smith, information security specialist and chartered fellow of the BCS
4th – Neil Hare-Brown, chief executive officer of QCC Information Security Ltd and Amanda Finch, general manager at The Institute of Information Security Professionals (IISP)

The original post is available on the computer weekly website.

Yesterday evening (1st May 2012) QCC hosted a briefing for defence solicitors on the evidential usefulness of computer data analysis in sexual abuse cases.

The session focused on the practical and technical aspects of computer evidence in sexual abuse cases. Computers store enormous amounts of digital data, only some of which will be relevant and helpful. Knowing where artefacts will be and interpreting them correctly is crucial when assessing the validity of the evidence relied upon by the prosecution and the material they may have ignored or missed. Maintaining the integrity of evidence collected is critical for a successful outcome in any computer-based forensic investigation. In-depth analysis of digital information will highlight legally admissible evidence and expert testimony can help you prove or disprove theories or allegations.

Keith Bishop, senior computer forensic specialist at QCC, presented a technical overview with scenarios and case studies.

Ronald Jaffa, Barrister at 25 Bedford Row, spoke about ‘indecent images on computer: the defence expert’s role’.

Our briefings are worth 2 CPD credits

- For more information on future briefings, please contact Marité on 020 7632 7134 or briefings@qccis.com.
- For digital forensic enquiries, please contact: 020 7353 9000 or contact@qccis.com.

We are happy to announce that we are now part of the Civil Service Live Network – here is a link to our profile.

QCC is pleased to announce that our very own Blackthorn GRC has won a 2012 GRC Technology Innovation Award.

“Blackthorn GRC enables risk to be presented in a clearer, repeatable and graphical way. Risk is understood and analyzed within Blackthorn through the use of “trees.” In Blackthorn, the approach is to use drag-drop functionality to build risk models using objects (threats, threat agents, exploits and vulnerabilities, impacts, controls, etc.). The models are built underneath each critical business asset. Because risk models are built around assets and represented in trees, it has the ability to aggregate risk totals up the tree, with total risk for the organization viewable from any level. Blackthorn represents risk models so they are fed with data from a range of activities, both proactive (assessments, audits, reviews, etc.) and reactive (incidents, cases, breaches, etc.). This makes the risk results both real-time and more reliable.”

Check out the full announcement at corp-integrity.com!

As we move forward into the new year, we would like to take a moment to thank two of our wonderful employees who earned two commendations for QCC last year.

In May 2011, Gary Evans, Digital Forensic Specialist, was awarded a commendation from His Honour Judge Morris at Lincoln Crown Court, for his dedication in the case of R – v – William Andrew Wright. The defendant was a serving police officer who sexually abused a number of children and used the Internet to pose as a teenage girl in order to groom his many victims. Gary spent many months examining the numerous computers that were seized in this case and his painstaking work helped secure an indeterminate sentence for Mr Wright.

In October 2011, William Walker, Digital Forensic Specialist, was awarded a commendation from the SO15 Counter Terrorism Command for his work on Operation Theseus (the London Bombings in 2005). He was responsible for examining mobile phones and other electronic devices.

Gary and William are both valued members of the QCC team, and we are thankful that they are working along side us all! Fingers crossed for some 2012 commendations!