ISSA - Sacramento Valley Chapter

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 11/21/2025 - What is "AI Security"?
2025-11-21 11:30 - 13:00 (America/Los_Angeles) | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Steven Templeton, Ph.D.
Topic: What is “AI Security” and How Can You Demonstrate That You Know It?
Synopsis: A recent casual scan of cyber security job listings showed that about 40% of them ask for experience in “AI Security”. That percentage is sure to increase. If you want to find a new job (or keep your current one), you need to know about “AI Security”. But what exactly is it? How can you demonstrate to an employer that you know how to do it (and how can you explain it to management, who put buzz words like that into their job listings but don’t really know what it is themselves)?
Speaker Bio: Steven Templeton is a cybersecurity consultant, educator, and former wildlife biologist who brings over 25 years of experience blending technology, security, and creativity. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Security from UC Davis, has worked extensively in industrial control system (ICS) security and compliance, and currently teaches in the cybersecurity engineering graduate program at the University of San Diego. Steven has a knack for making complex ideas approachable — from machine learning to Splunk to AI-based roleplaying tools for cryptography students.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA. Lunch will be provided to in-person attendees.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 10/17/2025 - Reliable SaaS Backup
2025-10-17 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Ryan Block, Solution Engineer/Account Executive and Joy Bryant, Strategic Account Executive
Topic: SaaS Backup for Business-Critical Data Protection
Synopsis: Spanning Backup provides automated, reliable cloud-to-cloud backup and restore solutions for Google Workspace, Microsoft 365 and Salesforce – helping organizations protect their business-critical data from loss due to user error, malicious activity, or ransomware.
Speaker Bio: Ryan Block, Solution Engineer/Account Executive based in Boston, MA, has been with Kaseya/Datto since 2016. Joy Bryant, Strategic Account Executive, based in Connecticut, has been with Kaseya/Datto for 4 years.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 9/19/2025 - Risk Analysis: FAIR-U for Cyber
2025-09-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Mark Heckman, University of San Diego
Topic: Practicing “What-If” Risk Analysis Using the FAIR-U for Cyber Tool
Synopsis: This talk will explore the FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk) model by demonstrating “what-if” risk analysis using the FAIR-U for Cyber tool. The FAIR-U for Cyber tool is a free demonstration version of SAFE Security’s SAFE ONE platform for automating FAIR risk analysis.
We will walk through an example risk scenario to see how the tool attempts to apply core FAIR components like Threat Event Frequency (TEF) and Loss Event Frequency (LEF). You can perform a basic “what-if” analysis by adjusting the parameters of various security controls. This will allow you to see how changes in things like a firewall’s capability or the use of multi-factor authentication might affect a scenario’s overall risk.
The goal of this presentation is to give you a sense of how a quantitative model like FAIR can be used to inform discussions about where to apply security resources. We’ll also consider some of the tool’s nuances and limitations, including its distinction between calculated risk values and those intended for easier communication.
Speaker Bio: Mark Heckman, PhD, has worked in the field of information security for over 40 years as an engineer, researcher, practitioner and educator. His wide-ranging career has spanned many areas of information security, including research and development of very high-assurance, multi-level secure systems for use in government and the military, research and development of intrusion detection and security event management systems, and general IT security and compliance for commercial organizations in the financial and health industries.
Dr. Heckman earned his MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science at the University of California, Davis and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). He is currently a professor of practice and teaches in the CyberSecurity Engineering and Technology program at the University of San Diego.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley *Thursday EVENING* Chapter Meeting - 8/14/2025 - HANDS-ON Create Custom AIs for Security
2025-08-14 19:00 - 21:00 | Zoom, on-line, Sacramento, United States
NOTE: This meeting will be held on a Thursday evening in lieu of our regular Friday lunch meeting.
The meeting is on-line only.
Speaker: Steven Templeton
Topic: Beyond Chatbots: Building Custom AIs for Real-World Security and Education
Synopsis:
In this hands-on presentation, we’ll create task-specific AIs using OpenAI’s Custom GPT builder. You’ll learn how to design prompts, connect models to your data, and even build agents that ask questions instead of just answering them.
Whether you’re a SOC analyst, AI tinkerer, or just AI-curious, this session will give you the language, tools, and ideas to get started with custom AI in your own domain.
Note: This talk is a follow-on to last month’s talk. See these slides to review (or discover, if you missed that meeting) the material and to prepare for this meeting. Also note that you will need an OpenAI ChatGPT Plus subscription to be able to create a GPT. The price is $20 for one month. See this web site to create your account.
Speaker Bio: Steven Templeton is a cybersecurity consultant, educator, and former wildlife biologist who brings over 25 years of experience blending technology, security, and creativity. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Security from UC Davis, has worked extensively in industrial control system (ICS) security and compliance, and currently teaches in the cybersecurity engineering graduate program at the University of San Diego. Steven has a knack for making complex ideas approachable — from machine learning to Splunk to AI-based roleplaying tools for cryptography students.
Meeting Details: This will be an on-line only meeting (Zoom info below).
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is an on-line only meeting on Zoom.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 7/18/2025 - Custom AIs for Security
2025-07-18 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Steven Templeton
Topic: Beyond Chatbots: Building Custom AIs for Real-World Security and Education
Synopsis: Have you ever wondered how to do more with AI than just have it answer your homework or act as a smarter search engine?
In this talk, we’ll explore how to create task-specific AIs — using no-code tools like OpenAI’s Custom GPTs or low-code options like Python-based agents — and integrate them into workflows for security, education, and beyond. You’ll learn how to design prompts, connect models to your data, and even build agents that ask questions instead of just answering them.
We’ll also cover the key vocabulary you need to understand the AI landscape (terms like fine-tuning, embeddings, and RAG) and explain what makes different models tick — and why it matters. Along the way, I’ll share lessons from my own “Protecting Pandas Project,” where students interacted with an AI-powered game master as part of a cryptography course — a hands-on example of how AI can enable more scalable, consistent, and creative experiences.
Whether you’re a SOC analyst, AI tinkerer, or just AI-curious, this session will give you the language, tools, and ideas to get started with custom AI in your own domain.
And yes… this was written by an AI.
Speaker Bio: Steven Templeton is a cybersecurity consultant, educator, and former wildlife biologist who brings over 25 years of experience blending technology, security, and creativity. He holds a Ph.D. in Computer Security from UC Davis, has worked extensively in industrial control system (ICS) security and compliance, and currently teaches in the cybersecurity engineering graduate program at the University of San Diego. Steven has a knack for making complex ideas approachable — from machine learning to Splunk to AI-based roleplaying tools for cryptography students.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 6/20/2025 - Secure Data Access
2025-06-20 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Brixton Pizzuti, Senior Solutions Architect at Elastic
Topic: Unlocking Data Access: Enhancing Security with Elastic Security
Synopsis: Gaining comprehensive access to data while ensuring its security is a critical challenge for state agencies and local government . We will explore the problem of secure data access and how Elastic Security can provide effective solutions. We will dive into the strategies for achieving visibility across all data sources and how to ensure robust protection against threats. Attendees will gain insights into leveraging Elastic Security to enhance their agencies data access capabilities while safeguarding sensitive information.
Speaker Bio: Brixton Pizzuti is a Senior Solutions Architect at Elastic, specializing in designing and implementing scalable solutions that empower State Agencies to harness the full potential of their data. With a deep expertise in Elastic’s suite of products followed with a background in Information Security, Brixton crafts tailored strategies that address complex business challenges, optimize data workflows, and enhance security measures.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

June informal ISSA Sacramento social networking event over Zoom
2025-06-13 16:30 - 17:30 | CA
We have an informal ISSA Sacramento social networking event over Zoom.
The aim is: just to connect, get to know each other deeper, and ask your questions to other security industry colleagues.
Feel free to join us over Zoom Meeting:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/88079666701?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 880 7966 6701
Passcode: [REDACTED]
Find your local phone number: https://us06web.zoom.us/u/kc5SRpOE92

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 5/16/2025 - Resilient AI Governance
2025-05-16 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Tolgay Kizilelma, PhD., Director of MS in Cybersecurity Program, Dominican University of California
Topic: From Crisis to Continuity: Building Resilient AI Governance
Synopsis: This presentation focuses on the critical transition from reactive incident management to building resilient systems supported by AI through effective governance. It addresses the growing need to strengthen AI systems to withstand challenges, navigate complex regulatory landscapes, and implement robust accountability mechanisms to ensure sustainable and reliable AI adoption.
Speaker Bio: Tolgay is a business-driven IT/Cybersecurity GRC leader with three decades of experience. He is the founding Director of the MSC program and teaches online Cybersecurity GRC courses as an Associate Professor of Cybersecurity in the Barowsky School of Business at DUC. Tolgay served as the CISO for multiple University of California campuses. He has more than 50 industry certifications, a B.S. degree in computer engineering, an MBA, and a Ph.D. focusing on infosec. He also volunteers for various non-profit organizations as a board member.
His contribution to the cybersecurity community was recognized with the 2022 C100 Award – Top 100 CISOs by CISOs Connect.
Meeting Details: This is planned (if things go according to plan) to be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see below) or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
Zoom link:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/84186623031?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 841 8662 3031
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 4/18/2025 - Zero Trust
2025-04-18 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Surendra Narang, Senior Manager, Cyber Security, Palo Alto Networks
Topic: How to implement the Zero Trust security model
Synopsis: Due to the rise of sophisticated cyber threats and the erosion of traditional network boundaries due to cloud adoption and hybrid work, enterprises are increasingly embracing the Zero Trust security model. Unlike legacy perimeter-based approaches, Zero Trust is grounded in the principle of “never trust, always verify,” meaning that every user, device, and application must be continuously validated, regardless of location or network status.
Successful deployment of Zero Trust is not a one-time implementation but a strategic, iterative transformation that requires a methodical, multi-phase approach. It starts with a comprehensive assessment of the organization’s security posture, then identifying high-value assets, key user roles, and critical data flows. From there, enterprises implement granular, least-privilege access controls, adaptive authentication mechanisms, and continuous monitoring.
Speaker Bio: Surendra Narang is a seasoned cybersecurity leader with deep expertise and a strong focus on zero-trust architecture, security transformation, and enterprise-scale implementations. As Senior Manager of Cybersecurity at Palo Alto Networks, he led the end-to-end design and deployment of Zero Trust Security Architecture, embedding its core principles—least privilege access, continuous verification, and segmentation—into the fabric of the organization’s infrastructure and security products.
Meeting Details: This is a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (See information below) or attend in person at CapCity (see the address below).
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is a hybrid meeting on Zoom and in-person.
To join Zoom Meeting:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/83647622654?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 836 4762 2654
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 3/21/2025 - AI Assistant for the CMMC
2025-03-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Paul Grabow, Principal Advisor, Cybersecurity Grant Advisors LLC

Topic: AI assistants for the CMMC ecosystem
Synopsis: The DoD Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) v2.0 program officially went live December 16, 2024. CMMC is required for all companies, over 300,000 of them, that are part of the DoD supply chain and handle Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI). In 2023, companies in California subject to CMMC received $41.2B in defense spending, ranked number 3 among states. CMMC is arguably the largest and most accelerated compliance regime to date in the US.
Paul is working on prototype AI assistants for roles in the CMMC ecosystem, including those defined by the CyberAB, which is the official accreditation body for the CMMC program. He would like the people attending this meeting to be a focus group to see the AI Assistants, think of queries, and provide feedback.
Check out the CyberAB website (https://cyberab.org/) to learn more about the CMMC (and all of the buzzwords).
Speaker Bio: Paul is Principal Advisor at Cybersecurity Grant Advisors, LLC.
Meeting Details: This is planned (if things go according to plan) to be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see link at top of this page that will be put there the week of the meeting) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Note that the speaker strongly encourages people to attend in person, so that they can participate in the focus group.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.
This is hybrid meeting on Zoom and in person at Capsity.
Here Zoom Meeting info if needed:
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89292525445?pwd=[REDACTED]
Meeting ID: 892 9252 5445
Passcode: [REDACTED]

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 2/21/2025 - Stratoshark
2025-02-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Gerald Combs, Original developer of Wireshark

Topic: Stratoshark: Applying the power of Wireshark to System Calls and Logs
Synopsis: Wireshark offers powerful exploration, drill-down, and analysis capabilities for network packets, but what if those features could be applied to other types of data? Enter Stratoshark, a brand-new sibling application to Wireshark.
Stratoshark leverages the rich data sources provided by Falco’s libraries to enable deep analysis and troubleshooting across Linux servers, Kubernetes clusters, and any system that generates Linux system calls or real-time log events.
In this talk, Gerald will show how Stratoshark builds on open-source innovation to bring Wireshark’s intuitive interface to a broader range of use cases in cloud-native computing, including a live demo.
Speaker Bio: Gerald is the creator and lead developer of Wireshark and a 2016 ISSA Hall of Fame award recipient. He is the Director of Open Source Projects at Sysdig and CFO of the Wireshark Foundation.
Meeting Details: This is a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (link ) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions).
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 01/17/2025 - Building a Defensible Cybersecurity Budget
2025-01-17 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Building a Defensible Cybersecurity Budget

Security leaders often find that their budget requests must compete against other operational budget requests and arguably more productive uses of cash. Unless security leaders know how to communicate their budget needs according to the Money People’s business objectives, they may find themselves underfunded and underprepared to satisfy their organization’s security needs. This discussion will introduce key concepts that security leaders need to master to effectively produce a defensible cybersecurity budget to the Money People.

Robert D. Brown III BIO: Senior Director of Cyber Resilience
Rob Brown brings 25+ years of experience serving organizations from startups to government agencies and Fortune 100 companies as a senior strategic planner and decision science advisor across industry verticals such as telecommunication, electronics manufacturing, commercial real estate, oil & gas production, pharmaceuticals & biotech, logistics, aluminum manufacturing, and homeland security. Not only is he the author of Business Case Analysis with R – Simulation Tutorials to Support Complex Business Decisions (2018), he also contributed a chapter to How to Measure Anything in Cybersecurity Risk, 2nd Ed (Hubbard, Seiersen. 2023) and co-edited The Metric Manifesto: Confronting Security with Data (Seiersen. 2022). Rob holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from the Georgia institute of Technology. Robert joined Resilience in 2022 with Richard Seiersen to help SMBs understand cyber risk quantification and elevate the practice of cyber security to a strategic level.

Defensible Cyber Budget
Resilience_Rapid Risk Interviews_111323
Ransomware Security Controls Assessment Tool v9.xlsm2.82 MBJanuary 22, 2025Downloads: 337Download

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Chapter Meeting - 11/22/2024 - Online Fraud
2024-11-22 11:30 - 13:00 | CA
Online-only meeting. Zoom link: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89687370483?pwd=[REDACTED]
Speaker: Dmitry Bezrukov

Topic: Online Fraud – A recent personal experience
Synopsis: This will be a lively discussion about the current state of online fraud based on Dmitry’s recent personal experience. He will review general stats, review specific case study, brainstorm what needs to be improved and what is the role of security industry in online fraud.
Speaker Bio: Dmitry has 17 years of experience in IT and cybersecurity. Many various experiences within IT security industry include NGFW management, SOC management protecting SaaS applications used by many top 200 Fortune companies and currently working in “Resilience” cybersecurity insurance and risk management company.
Meeting Details: This will be an online meeting only. Connect remotely via Zoom.
Please register for the meeting below.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting – 09/20/2024 – How AI/ML can improve your identity security posture
2024-09-20 11:30 - 13:00 | CA
Zoom link: https://sandiego.zoom.us/j/96274962409?pwd=[REDACTED]
Speaker: Jeff Purrington, Identity Strategist, Sailpoint, Sailpoint.com
Topic: Improving Your Organization’s Identity Security Posture
Synopsis:

How AI/ML can improve your identity security posture to adapt to changing environments, boost IT productivity, and stay ahead of security issues across the enterprise
How to develop a compelling strategy and get executive/board buy-in
Key considerations needed to make well-informed, risk-based decisions about provisioning, verifying, and deprovisioning access to non-employees and managing access to unstructured data

Speaker Bio: Jeff is an Identity Strategist with SailPoint. He helps customers build effective identity security programs and contributes his 20 + years’ experience in Information Security, IT Audit, and Program Management towards helping customers think strategically with their identity security programs and overall compliance approach. He started his information security journey as part of Deloitte’s Secure e-Business group during the dot-com era; first getting his CISSP certification in 2002. He has been engaged in the evolution of cybersecurity controls ever since building programs in Identity and Access Governance, Threat and Vulnerability management, Enterprise Risk Management, Data Loss Prevention, as well as SOX, PCI and HIPAA compliance. He has led large cybersecurity teams as well as several IT Audit teams for Fortune 100 and 500 companies.
Meeting Details: This month will be an online meeting only. See the zoom link at the top of this page.
Please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal for the meal option.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us! See https://www.members.issa.org/page/join-now). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting – 07/19/2024 – Threat Modeling
2024-07-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Zoom link: https://sandiego.zoom.us/j/92137747452?pwd=[REDACTED]
Speaker: Nikunj Nagalia, VP of Solutions Architecture, ThreatModeler Software, Inc.

Topic: Integrating Threat Modeling into the Software Development Life Cycle: How do you shift left?
Synopsis: Discuss the importance of threat modeling and its integration into the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).
Speaker Bio: Nikunj Nagalia is a seasoned professional with over a decade of experience in the computer and network security industry. Currently, as VP of Solutions Architecture at ThreatModeler Software, Inc., he leads innovative security solutions and excels in team leadership and technological expertise. Nikunj’s career at ThreatModeler includes roles as Director of Professional Services, Product Manager, and Solutions Engineer, where he managed complex projects, shaped product strategies, and significantly contributed to network security. Before ThreatModeler, he was a Consultant in Corporate Strategy and Development at News America Marketing. His academic background includes an MBA from Babson College, where he also demonstrated leadership as a Graduate Assistant and in the Consulting Field Experience.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (see link at top of this page) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions).
Either way, please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch).
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 06/21/2024 - AI and Cybersecurity
2024-06-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
New Zoom meeting ID: 945 8816 0152
Join Zoom Meeting
https://sandiego.zoom.us/j/94588160152

Speaker: Mark Heckman, Ph.D. Professor of Cybersecurity at University of San Diego and past ISSA-Sac president

Topic: Cybersecurity aspects of AI
Synopsis: In your role as a cybersecurity professional, you may be asked “is AI secure?” What does that question mean? Are you being asked about the security of the code, about the security of the AI algorithm, about the potential for misuse of AI systems, or about the trustworthiness of AI with respect to being used in cybersecurity systems? In this talk we’ll touch on all four of these possible ways that AI and cybersecurity can be related and discuss the ramifications of each.
Speaker Bio: Mark Heckman has worked in the field of information security for over 40 years as an engineer, researcher, practitioner and educator. His wide-ranging career has spanned many areas of information security, including research and development of very high-assurance, multi-level secure systems for use in government and the military, research and development of intrusion detection and security event management systems, and general IT security and compliance for commercial organizations in the financial and health industries.
Dr. Heckman earned his MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science at the University of California, Davis and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). He is currently a professor of practice and teaches in the Cybersecurity Engineering and Technology program at the University of San Diego.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (click here to attend the webcast) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions).
Either way, please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch).
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 05/17/2024 - The FAIR Risk Assessment Model
2024-05-17 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Bernadette Dunn, Head of Education, FAIR Institute and Director of Customer Education, Safe Security
Topic: Overview of FAIR: The Gold Standard in Risk Quantification
Synopsis: Join us for an enlightening session on FAIR (Factor Analysis of Information Risk), the internationally recognized standard for risk quantification developed by The Open Group. This session is designed for professionals eager to enhance their understanding of risk measurement and management.
What You’ll Learn:

Introduction to FAIR Methodology: Gain a comprehensive understanding of the FAIR model, its principles, and its application in risk quantification.
Practical Use Cases: Explore real-world examples demonstrating how effective risk measurement can drive informed decision-making and strategic planning.

Why Attend?

Enhance Decision-Making: Learn how accurate risk quantification can significantly improve your organization’s decision-making processes.
Stay Ahead of the Curve: Equip yourself with the knowledge of an industry-standard methodology that is crucial for modern risk management.

Links:

FAIR Institute
How Material is That Hack
FAIR Training
FAIR Book
FAIR MAM FIQ
Monte Carlo Explained
RiskLens Video Transcript on FAIR

Speaker Bio: Bernadette Dunn stands at the forefront of cyber-security and risk management education as the Head of Education at the FAIR Institute. With a career spanning over two decades, Bernie has seamlessly blended technology with business strategy to deliver actionable solutions that drive industry success. Her commitment to excellence has enabled her to train over a thousand individuals, empowering them to achieve Open FAIR™ Certification.
A global influencer in coaching and leadership, Bernie has nurtured skills and resilience across continents, fostering growth and instilling confidence among professionals. Bernie leads FAIR Analysis Fundamentals training, Cyber Risk Management for Executives courses, and oversees customer education programs related to FAIR and Cyber Risk Management.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (click here to attend the webcast) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions).
Either way, please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch).
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - Friday, 04/19/2024 11:30a-1:00p "Community Disaster Preparedness"
2024-04-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Dean Hipwell, President, Sacramento Region Citizen Corps Council (https://srccc.org) and Past President of ISSA Sacramento
Topic: Community Disaster Preparedness
Synopsis:
Part of cybersecurity is to prepare your organization for disasters. Part of disaster preparedness is to protect yourself, your family and your home from harm. In between your home and organization is your community. This presentation reviews key steps to consider when preparing your home and community for disasters.
Topics:
* Prepare yourself for disaster (based on recommendations from the Sacramento County Office of Emergency Services)
* Prepare your community for disaster (a review of volunteer emergency response organizations sanctioned by FEMA or other agencies of the federal government)
There will also be handouts available on “Scam Awareness” from the Federal Trade Commission, so you can share those materials with your friends and family.
(Presentation slides here.)
Speaker Bio: Dean Hipwell is the current president of the Sacramento Region Citizen Corps Council, the local chapter of the USA Freedom Corps, which is coordinated nationally by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. After retiring as a Captain in the USAF, Hipwell worked for many years as an information security consultant for several California State agencies, including the FTB, JoJ, DGS, DMV, and LDC. He also served as the Chief Information Security Officer for the Nevada Medicaid Management Information System and the California Dental Medicaid Management Information System. He was an officer in the Sacramento Valley ISSA for many years, eventually serving as President of that organization.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom (click here to attend the webcast) or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions).
Either way, please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch).
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 03/15/2024 11:30a-1:00p
2024-03-15 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Mark Heckman, Past President of ISSA Sacramento and Professor of Cybersecurity, University of San Diego
Topic: Systems Engineering Applied to Cybersecurity & (The Long-Awaited) “Test Your Security Knowledge” Game
Attend this Webcast
Synopsis:
Building a secure system requires an “interdisciplinary approach governing the total technical and managerial effort required to transform a set of customer needs, expectations, and constraints into a solution and to support that solution throughout its life.” (ISO/IEC/IEEE 24765:2010) Recognizing this, NIST SP 800-160, “Engineering Trustworthy Secure Systems”, takes a systems engineering approach to engineering secure systems. In this talk, we’ll discuss why systems engineering is important for building trustworthy secure systems. (Presentation slides here.)
We’ll also play the “Test Your Security Knowledge” Game that we were unable to play at our December luncheon. There are prizes donated by chapter sponsor Checkpoint. Everyone can play, whether they are connecting to the meeting remotely or are there in-person.
Speaker Bio: Mark Heckman has worked in the field of information security for 40 years as an engineer, researcher, practitioner and educator. His wide-ranging career has spanned many areas of information security, including research and development of very high-assurance, multi-level secure systems for use in government and the military, research and development of intrusion detection and security event management systems, and general IT security and compliance for commercial organizations in the financial and health industries. Dr. Heckman earned his MS and PhD degrees in Computer Science at the University of California, Davis and is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP). He is currently a professor of practice and teaches in the Cybersecurity Engineering and Technology program at the University of San Diego.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below. Choose No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch).
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

Our Journey Building a Foundation based on Zero Trust Principles
2024-02-16 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Attend this meeting
David Brezinski, Deputy CISO at Juniper Networks, will speak on Zero Trust journey at Juniper,

Juniper Networks history, brief.
Problems to solve for, what and why?
Organizational context…”Zero Trust” – Vision
Goals, objectives, progress.
Lessons learned.
Recommendations

Speaker:

David Brezinski, Deputy CISO / Sr. Director Security Architecture and Engineering, Juniper Networks.
Over 30 years of practical experience in IT, cyber security, team leadership, management, architecture & engineering.

Prior to Juniper Networks, worked for McAfee/Intel Security, Blue Shield of California, Hewlett Packard Company, Agilent Technologies.

Attend this meeting online: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86807126677?pwd=[REDACTED]

Outlook of Cybersecurity Jobs in 2024
2024-01-19 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Chad Daugherty, Co-Founder & Managing Partner, Zeektek (https://www.zeektek.com/)
Topic: Outlook of Cybersecurity Jobs in 2024
Webcast info will be added here
Synopsis: Outlook of Cybersecurity Jobs in 2024: Industry staffing trends, what skills are most in demand, if the trend toward remote work is continuing, whether advanced education such as MS degrees are worth it career-wise, suggestions for career advancement, etc.
Speaker Bio: Chad graduated from Fort Lewis College and began his career in staffing in the early 2000’s. He acted as area manager for one of the world’s largest staffing firms until co-founding Zeektek in 2016.
Meeting Details: This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3810 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below (the registration link form will be made available several weeks prior to the meeting). Select No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch). All registered members and guests will receive the Zoom meeting link via email, by the morning of the meeting.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

Zoom link for the meeting: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86807126677?pwd=[REDACTED]

ISSA Chapter Holiday Party
2023-12-08 11:00 - 13:30 | CA
This month, we’ll have our chapter meeting earlier in the month (to avoid crowding the holidays). Lunch is free for members. Members may bring a guest, but guests are requested to pay to help defray the cost of lunch. Member sign up deadline is December 5th at Midnight. Guest sign up deadline is December 4th. Guest price: To be determined
Who: ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter members
What: ISSA Holiday Party Luncheon BANQUET
When: Fri, Dec 8, 2023 11:30 am – 1:30 pm
Where: Buca di Beppo Sacramento
1249 Howe Avenue
Sacramento, CA 95825
Why: Celebrate the Holiday Season and connect with friends
Menu:
Salads (2)
-Served with Fresh-Baked Bread
-Mixed Green
-Apple Gorgonzola
Pastas (2)
-Spaghetti with Meat Sauce
-Penne San Remo
Entrées (1)
-Chicken Parmigiana
-Eggplant Parmigiana (vegetarian option)
Desserts (1)
-Cheesecake
Beverages
-Unlimited Soft Drinks, Coffee & Tea
More details to follow…

DNS Security - Hubert Ralph Bonnell, CISSP, CCSE – Security Engineer, Check Point Software Technologies, Inc.
2023-11-17 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting – 11/17/2023 11:30a-13:00p
Synopsis: DNS attacks are becoming much more prevalent lately. This presentation is intended to introduce the DNS protocol and showcase the current attack surface of the DNS infrastructure. DNS was designed in the early 1980s and carries a number of security risks with its current implementation. Unfortunately it is difficult to secure a protocol not designed for security. At the end of the presentation, mitigation strategies and best practices are discussed in an open forum.
We will cover the following topics:
– Overview of the DNS protocol
– Current DNS security landscape
– DNS security risks mitigation
Speaker Bio: H. Ralph Bonnell is a Pre-Sales Security Engineer at Check Point Software with over 25 years of experience in the cyber security industry. Starting out as a support engineer doing Check Point Software firewall support in the 1990s, Ralph worked for cyber security partners and resellers for a couple decades working with hundreds of vendors before joining Check Point.
Ralph spent over 15 years teaching cyber security classes as well as performing professional services for a variety of vendors. Ralph co-authored several books on Check Point Software, Juniper NetScreen, Sygate, and SonicWall. Contact information and social media links are available at ralphbonnell.com.
Meeting Details:
This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below (the registration link form will be made available several weeks prior to the meeting). Select No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch). All registered members and guests will receive the Zoom meeting link via email, by the morning of the meeting.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 10/20/2023 11:30a-13:00p
2023-10-20 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Daly Barnett, Staff Technologist, Electronic Frontier Foundation
Topic: TBA
Synopsis: TBA
Speaker Bio: TBA
Meeting Details:
This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below (the registration link form will be made available several weeks prior to the meeting). Select No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch). All registered members and guests will receive the Zoom meeting link via email, by the morning of the meeting.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 9/15/2023 11:30a-13:00p
2023-09-15 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Tolgay Kizilelma, ISACA Sacramento Chapter
Topic: Security Assurance – Building a Culture of Compliance
Synopsis: Security culture is essential for achieving a culture of compliance. IT leaders are tasked with linking security assurance with organizational values. However, cyber compliance has traditionally been approached as a bottom-up problem and addressed with disjointed ideas that mistake effort as value. The session will cover challenges and opportunities around cybersecurity compliance through cultural changes that align with organizational vision, goals, and values
Speaker Bio: Tolgay is a business-driven IT leader and trusted business partner with close to 30 years of experience covering different industries. He is currently serving as the Information Security Officer for Sutter Health. He previously served as the Chief Information Security Officer at UC Merced and UC ANR. He is an advocate of lifelong learning and teaches graduate business analytics courses at Saint Mary’s College of California. He is an accredited ISACA trainer and serves as the Academic Relations Director for ISACA Sacramento Chapter. His current research interests are cybersecurity, privacy, digital transformation, business analytics, and educational IT programs. He has various industry certifications, a B.S. degree in computer engineering, an MBA, and Ph.D. focusing on information security, quality, and patient safety.
Meeting Details:
This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below (the registration link form will be made available several weeks prior to the meeting). Select No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch). All registered members and guests will receive the Zoom meeting link via email, by the morning of the meeting.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

Dates:

Friday, September 15, 2023 – 11:30am to 1:00pm

ISSA Sacramento Valley Chapter Meeting - 7/21/2023 11:30a-13:00p
2023-07-21 11:30 - 13:00 | Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA, Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento, CA, United States
Speaker: Dr. Roger R. Schell, President, Aesec Corporation
Topic: History of Software Security and the Marketplace
Synopsis: When was the need for security in software first identified? What were the major advances and when did they occur? What were the marketplace factors that drove software security improvements? Drawing on his over 50 years working in the field, beginning at the dawn of cybersecurity as a recognized field of study, Roger’s talk will cover:
* When & how software security emerged
* Origin and evolution of the marketplace for security in software
* Major groups involved
* Current state of security market factors
Speaker Bio: Roger R. Schell, Ph.D., is internationally recognized for originating several key modern security design and evaluation techniques, and he holds patents in cryptography, authentication and trusted workstation. For more than decade he has been co-founder and President of Aesec Corporation, a start-up company providing verifiably secure platforms.
Previously, Dr. Schell was co-founder and vice president for Gemini Computers, Inc., where he directed development of their highly secure (what NSA called “Class A1”) commercial product, the Gemini Multiprocessing Secure Operating System (GEMSOS). He was also the founding Deputy Director of NSA’s National Computer Security Center. He has been referred to as the “father” of the Trusted Computer System Evaluation Criteria (the “Orange Book”). Dr. Schell is a retired USAF Colonel.
He received a Ph.D. in Computer Science from the MIT, an M.S.E.E. from Washington State, and a B.S.E.E. from Montana State. The NIST and NSA have recognized Dr. Schell with the National Computer System Security Award. In 2012 he was inducted into the inaugural class of the National Cyber Security Hall of Fame.
Meeting Details:
This will be a hybrid meeting (both in-person and on-line). You may attend remotely via Zoom or attend in person at Capsity, 3808 Broadway, Sacramento CA (Google Maps and Directions). Either way, please register for the meeting below (the registration link form will be made available several weeks prior to the meeting). Select No Meal if you are attending remotely, or Normal Meal or Vegetarian if you are attending in person (so we can order enough food for lunch). All registered members and guests will receive the Zoom meeting link via email, by the morning of the meeting.
You don’t have to be a member of ISSA to attend our meetings (but we encourage you to join us!). Please share information about this meeting with your friends and colleagues who have an interest in information security.

Dates: Friday, July 21, 2023 – 11:30am to 1:00pm
