-ISC2--squared- Sponsors White House Reception to Honor Universities' Information Security Excellence.

Business Editors and High-Tech/Education Writers

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--May 24, 2001

A select group of distinguished universities chosen by the National Security Agency (NSA) as "Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education" will be honored today at a 4 p.m. reception in the Indian Treaty Room of the Eisenhower Executive Office Building of the White House.

The reception is sponsored by the International Information Systems Security Certification Consortium Inc. (ISC)2(squared), an organization dedicated to training and certifying information systems security professionals and practitioners worldwide.

Richard Clarke, national coordinator for Infrastructure Protection and Counter Terrorism for the National Security Council, is hosting the event.

"We are honoring these newly designated Centers of Academic Excellence because of their outstanding commitment to maintaining a national computer infrastructure that is secure," said James E. Duffy, managing director of (ISC)2(squared).

For academic years 2001 through 2004, nine universities were formally acknowledged this week at a ceremony held at George Mason University during the 5th National Colloquium for Information Systems Security Education (NCISSE). The information security curricula at each of these colleges are largely based on a Common Body of Knowledge developed by (ISC)2(squared).

NCISSE provides a forum for key figures in government, industry and academia to address current and emerging requirements in information assurance education, and to encourage the development and expansion of curricula, especially at the graduate and undergraduate levels.

"NSA's leadership in the field of information security has brought together government, academia and private industry to recognize training and education as key solutions in defending America's cyberspace," said Dr. Corey Schou, president of NCISSE, and associate dean of information systems at Idaho State University.

The newly designated Centers of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance Education for academic years 2001-2004 are: Drexel University, U.S. Military Academy at West Point, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, University of North Carolina at Charlotte, Norwich University, West Virginia University and Syracuse University.

A June 1999 Department of Commerce Report, "The Digital Workforce," estimates that the United States will require more than 1.3 million new highly skilled information technology workers between 1996 and 2006.

(ISC)2(squared) is the premier organization providing information security professionals and practitioners worldwide with the standard for professional certification. Since its inception in 1989, the not-for-profit organization has provided certification, training and has advocated the need for one industrywide security standard.

(ISC)2(squared) provides two forms of certification, the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) and the Systems Security Certified Practitioner (SSCP) both unique by requiring years of experience in their field. For the past 10 years (ISC)2(squared) has certified thousands of security professionals in more than 35 countries.

More information about (ISC)2(squared), NSA's information assurance education program and NCISSE is available at www.isc2.org, www.nsa.gov/isso/programs/nietp and www.ncisse.org, respectively.