ISC2 launches ACTion Rooms to turn member insight into action. September 01, 2026 Series of interactive sessions will give Security Congress attendees a forum to exchange ideas with each other and ISC2 leaders to help shape the future of the profession ALEXANDRIA, Va., Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ - ISC2 - the world's leading nonprofit member organization for cybersecurity professionals - announced the addition of ACTion Rooms at its 2026 ISC2 Security Congress, taking place in Denver, Oct. 24-28. The new interactive sessions are facilitated discussions that place attendees at the center of the conversation, allowing them to share their experiences, perspectives and ideas on issues facing the profession. ACTion Rooms are where ISC2 members can explore ways they can help bring about positive change in the field by learning how to get involved in standard setting, shaping the Code of Professional Conduct and ethical practices, and understanding how research generated by the membership body influences activities and how ISC2 advocacy influences policy on their behalf. "The future of cybersecurity cannot be shaped from the sidelines. It requires the insight, experience and engagement of the professionals protecting our digital world every day," said ISC2 CEO Scott Beale, CC. "Through ACTion Rooms, we are creating a more direct path for members to contribute their expertise to the work ISC2 is leading across standards, ethics, AI, workforce readiness, public policy and national security, helping turn conversation into collective action for the profession." A Closer Look at the ACTion Room Topics The six ACTion Rooms will explore a range of timely issues shaping and impacting the cybersecurity profession: * Standards Setting in a Turbulent Cyber Landscape: Building Trust Through Evidence, Transparency and Consensus - How professionals can help shape standards that guide accountability, align expectations and support the future of the cybersecurity profession. * The Voice of the Profession: Research That Drives Action - How ISC2 conducts research to uncover workforce trends, emerging challenges and industry insights that help shape the future of the profession. * Code of Professional Conduct in Practice - How the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct helps cybersecurity professionals apply ethical principles to real-world decisions and professional challenges. * Connecting the Cyber Dots: How the Profession Learns, Evolves and Advances - How research, standards, ethics and professional experience work together to transform real-world cybersecurity challenges into actionable guidance that strengthens the profession, workforce development and lifelong learning. * Water, Water Everywhere, and Not a Drop Defended: The national security considerations of the water sector's cybersecurity investments. - How cybersecurity, operational and national security risks impact the need to strengthen the resilience of water infrastructure. * City on a Hill: What Workforce Pathways Should Exist in Ten Years? - How to reimagine scalable pathways that develop the next generation of cyber professionals through education, apprenticeships, military transitions and skills-based workforce models. Through pulse checks, real-world scenario prompts, guided reflection, curated member questions, live word clouds and closing takeaways, ACTion Rooms will capture the collective expertise of cybersecurity professionals and create a dynamic dialogue that evolves in real time. These interactive elements will invite attendees to contribute practical insights from their work on the front lines of cybersecurity, while learning from peers and ISC2 leaders navigating similar challenges. Along with the previously announced AI Incident Rooms, the ACTion rooms will continue to evolve ISC2 Security Congress from a presentation-centric conference into a more community-driven, dynamic forum for thought leadership and peer engagement. ISC2 Security Congress was recently named 2026 Cyber Security Community of the Year by Cyber Security Awards and won gold in the Conference category of the Titan Business Awards. Early Bird registration rates are available through September 9, 2026. For more details on the 2026 Security Congress, please visit 2026 ISC2 Security Congress. About Security Congress Security Congress brings together cyber, information, software and infrastructure security professionals for an annual conference designed to enrich careers and enable advancement so that attendees may excel in their profession. Since 2011, ISC2 has hosted this annual conference around the United States, with this year's event taking place in Denver, Colorado (U.S.) from October 24-28 at the Gaylord Rockies. For more information on Security Congress, visit https://www.isc2.org/Congress or follow Government Security Directory on LinkedIn. About ISC2 ISC2 is the world's leading member organization for cybersecurity professionals, driven by its vision of a safe and secure cyber world. Its more than 270,000 certified members, and associates, are a force for good, safeguarding the way Government Security Directory live. Its award-winning certifications - including cybersecurity's premier certification, the CISSP(R)- enable professionals to demonstrate their knowledge, skills and abilities at every stage of their careers. ISC2 strengthens the influence, diversity and vitality of the cybersecurity profession through advocacy, expertise and workforce empowerment that accelerates cyber safety and security in an interconnected world. Its charitable foundation, the Center for Cyber Safety and Education, helps create more access to cyber careers and educates those most vulnerable. Learn more, get involved or become an ISC2 Candidate to build your cyber career at ISC2.org. Connect with Government Security Directory on X, Facebook and LinkedIn. (C) 2026 ISC2 Inc., ISC2, CISSP, SSCP, CCSP, CGRC, CSSLP, HCISPP, ISSAP, ISSEP, ISSMP, CC, and CBK are registered marks of ISC2, Inc. SOURCE ISC2

New ISC2 Express Course helps cybersecurity professionals put the Code of Professional Conduct into practice. Cybersecurity professionals are entrusted with protecting critical assets, managing sensitive information and helping organizations navigate risk. The new ISC2 Express Course, Code of Professional Conduct in Practice, helps professionals strengthen ethical decision-making and apply the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct in real-world situations. Trust is one of the most valuable assets in the cybersecurity profession. Security professionals are often granted access to systems, data and strategic information that require sound judgment and a commitment to ethical behavior. While the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct provides guiding principles for the profession, understanding how to apply those principles in everyday situations can be just as important as understanding the Code itself. To help professionals bridge the gap between principle and practice, ISC2 has launched Code of Professional Conduct in Practice, a new on-demand Express Course focused on ethical behavior, accountability and responsible decision-making. The course is available beginning August 19, 2026. Bringing Ethics into everyday decisions. The Code of Professional Conduct serves as an important foundation for cybersecurity professionals. The new course provides a practical exploration of the Code along with the Ethical Decision-Making Guide as a framework for decision-making, professional behavior and accountability in daily work. Rather than focusing solely on theory, learners are encouraged to consider how ethical principles influence common workplace situations. Through practical examples and guided reflection, participants examine how their decisions can affect colleagues, organizations, stakeholders and the broader cybersecurity profession. The course explores topics including: * Professional conduct * Ethical behavior and decision-making * Personal accountability and professional responsibility Learning through practical scenarios. Cybersecurity professionals routinely face situations that require both technical expertise and professional judgment. The course helps learners explore the ISC2 Code of Professional Conduct through practical scenarios such as communicating risk, reporting concerns and supporting an ethical workplace culture. By working through realistic examples, learners gain insight into how professional conduct can guide actions, strengthen trust and help build positive organizational cultures. The course concludes with a 30/60/90-day action plan designed to help participants turn principles into lasting professional habits, team discussions and workflow checkpoints. Designed for cybersecurity professionals at every career stage. Whether someone is entering the field or has years of experience, ethical decision-making remains a core professional competency. This foundational Express Course is designed for cybersecurity professionals at all career stages who want to strengthen their ability to make responsible, trustworthy decisions and contribute to the reputation of the profession. No prerequisite knowledge is required. The course includes approximately 100 minutes of learning and is delivered on demand, allowing learners to engage with the content at their own pace. Learners receive 60 days of access from the date of enrollment. Earn CPE credits while strengthening professional practice. Upon successful completion, learners earn 2 Group B CPE credits and receive a Validation of Completion. The learning experience includes text- and video-based content, knowledge-check questions and an end-of-course evaluation. As an added member benefit, the course is available at no cost to ISC2 Members, Associates and Candidates. Non-members may enroll for U.S. $80. In a profession built on trust, ethical conduct is more than an expectation. It is a responsibility. Code of Professional Conduct in Practice provides cybersecurity professionals with practical tools and insights to help ensure that responsibility guides their everyday decisions. Related insights. * Ethics in Cybersecurity: Why Professional Conduct Matters * How Cybersecurity Leaders Build Cultures of Trust * Explore ISC2 Professional Development and Express Courses

Advancing AI Security together: A conversation with the AI Security certification team. As artificial intelligence (AI) continues to reshape cybersecurity, ISC2 has been actively evolving alongside the profession - building resources, guidance and learning pathways to help members adapt and lead. With the recent announcement of an AI Security certification development effort, ISC2 Inc. spoke with Donna Butterbaugh, Sr. Director, Examinations and Thomas Jackson, Sr. Exam Content Development Manager, who are leading the ISC2 AI certification development program, about how this work fits into ISC2's broader AI strategy and what it means for the profession. There's been a lot of discussion around AI at ISC2. How should members think about this latest announcement? The most important thing to understand is that this isn't a starting point - it's the next step in an ongoing journey. ISC2 and its members have been exploring how AI impacts cybersecurity practice for several years now. Its recent Cybersecurity Workforce Study affirmed this. Some 28% of respondents see AI-enabled security tools already being integrated into their organizations' security operations, while another 41% are actively testing or evaluating them. On top of this, nearly all of the respondents to ISC2's 2026 AI Survey expressed concern that AI errors or failures could scale rapidly across systems if left unchecked, a point that highlights just how significant the impact of AI is on the cybersecurity workplace as well as organizations as a whole. The certification development effort is part of a broader, coordinated strategy to help define how the profession evolves as AI becomes more integrated into everyday work. What does that broader strategy look like? It's about building a continuum of support for members at every stage of learning and professional development. ISC2 has invested across multiple areas - education, guidance, research and community engagement - to ensure members can both understand AI and apply it in their roles. The certification is a natural extension of that work, focused specifically on validating professional expertise now and as the field matures further. Let's talk about the ISC2 Exam Guidance for AI document. Why was that such an important initiative? ISC2 has been incorporating emerging technologies like AI into the exam outlines for several years. This document was created for greater public awareness of its efforts. These ongoing endeavors ensure its existing certifications continue to evolve alongside the profession and take an all-encompassing approach, rather than leaving any major technology area or skillset to just a standalone qualification. That's critical - it reinforces that AI is not a niche topic. It is part of modern cybersecurity practice whereby AI is already woven into most cybersecurity functions, in the same way that, for example, risk management, ethics and governance are. How does the Exam Guidance for AI differ from what this new certification is aiming to do? ISC2's Exam Guidance for AI reflects how securing AI systems is increasingly incorporated into its exam content, requiring exam candidates to demonstrate their expertise addressing one of today's most pressing security challenges. The new certification effort is about exploring whether there is now a need to define and validate a deeper, more specialized set of capabilities on top of that cross-functional competence - particularly as new roles and responsibilities emerge. Both are essential. One ensures consistency across the profession, and the other explores specialization where it's needed. Beyond certifications, how else has ISC2 been building this AI security capability for members? There's been a very deliberate expansion of its AI-related offerings. ISC2 Professional Development has introduced AI-focused certificates, expanded the course catalog and express learning opportunities with AI, and created more ways for members to engage - from webinars to conference sessions and AI Spotlight events. ISC2 has also contributed research, insights and peer-driven discussions to help members stay current as technology evolves. All of these efforts are designed to work together - not as standalone resources, but as part of a connected ecosystem. Why is it important that this work feels connected and intentional? Because the profession needs clear, consistent and well-defined standards for AI security. AI is moving quickly. Without a coordinated approach you can end up with fragmented expectations - different definitions of roles, skills and expertise depending on where you look. ISC2's role is to bring together cybersecurity professionals to help shape how AI security knowledge and skills are defined and recognized globally. This is about ensuring that as AI reshapes cybersecurity, the profession evolves with a shared understanding of what good looks like. How does the certification development process reflect that approach? It starts with the profession itself. ISC2 Inc. is not defining this certification in isolation - ISC2 Inc. is working with cybersecurity professionals globally to understand how their day-to-day roles and responsibilities are changing, what new responsibilities are emerging and what skills are becoming critical. That ensures the certification, if it moves forward, is grounded in real-world practice and aligned to actual workforce needs - not assumptions. What does this mean for members today? It means you have multiple ways to engage, depending on where you are in your career journey. If you're building awareness, there are courses and learning resources. If you're applying AI in your work, there are deeper training opportunities and insights. If you want to help define the future of AI security, this certification development effort is your opportunity to do that. What's the opportunity for members to shape what comes next? This is the part ISC2 Inc. is most excited about. ISC2 certifications have always been built by its members, in order to support the profession. This is a moment where members can directly influence how AI security expertise is defined and validated - something that will shape hiring, career progression and professional standards for years to come. What are you looking for from volunteers? ISC2 Inc. is looking for volunteers to bring their everyday practical experience to the fore in shaping the certification. Leveraging professional experience to help determine what areas need to be assessed for competency and how to assess them with the right questions and knowledge testing. ISC2 Inc. has created two key resources to help members stay informed and engaged: These pages bring together everything ISC2 is doing across AI - from education and guidance to certification development - so members can see the full picture and decide how they want to participate. AI is already shaping cybersecurity. What's exciting is that ISC2 Inc. still have the opportunity to shape how the profession responds - and that's exactly what ISC2 and its members are doing together. | For You, By You: Join Over 5,000 Volunteers and Build ISC2's AI Security Certification As cybersecurity professionals evolve and adapt their skillset and job functions because of AI, ISC2 has announced the development of a new AI security certification to recognize and benchmark AI skills and competence within the cybersecurity workforce. The AI security certification development process presents an opportunity for cybersecurity professionals to input into the process and help define parameters for the certification. This is your moment to play a defining role at the foundation of this new certification: * Contribute to identifying the knowledge, skills and abilities necessary to securely design, implement and manage AI systems * Creating questions for a pilot exam * Participate in publicly available pilot exams to help ensure it accurately validates a candidate capabilities For more information about the ISC2 AI security certification program and how to contribute to the various development activities taking place, go to https://www.isc2.org/new-ai-certification. |.