♦ Editors
♦ Anthony M. Freed
♦ ISR Managing Editor and Publisher
Anthony is a researcher, analyst and freelance writer living in beautiful Eugene, Oregon. Anthony founded Information-Security-Resources.com in 2008, and merged forces with the Infosec Island Network in January of 2010.
Infosec Island is committed to serving the needs of SMBs and mid-market enterprises across many industries, as well as nonprofits, government agencies and educational organizations and the infosec community at large.
Contact Anthony at afreed@wireheadsecurity.com regarding all aspects of business development, client and community relations. Many opportunities are currently available for business and strategic alignment.
Anthony also writes about the finance industry - particularly information security related topics - and is a fervent advocate of both freedom and accountability.
Anthony’s writing has been featured by leading Internet publishers including The Chicago Sun-Times, Business Week BX, Seeking Alpha, InvestorCentric, OpenSalon, TechPitch, Bear Market Investments, Alacra Pulse, ML-Implode, Reuters, and dozens more.
See Anthony’s interview with Venture Hype, Hong Kong.
ISR is also the exclusive news content provider for the Internet Security Alliance, the leading cyber security think tank and trade lobby which works closely with the United States Congress and the White House to shape national policy and legislation efforts.
Anthony has worked as a consultant to senior members of product development, secondary and capital markets from the largest financial institutions in the country, and he had a front row seat to the bursting of the credit bubble.
Specialties:
Business Development, Business Intelligence, Primary Source Research, Project Management, Custom Research, Reports, Writing, e-Publishing, Marketing, Network Security, Enterprise Security.
Photos © Anthony M. Freed All Rights Reserved
Professional Recognition:
- “Anthony has the two things that are necessary for truly insightful and useful analysis of matters involving security and payment. First, he has an impressively deep box of sources with access to internal activities within payment. Secondly, he has the knowledge and experience to properly interpret these pieces of information, analyze them and not only report what they mean, but to take the next step and project what is likely to happen next. It’s what makes him an essential source.” - Evan Schuman, Editor, StorefrontBacktalk (LinkedIn)
- “As a researcher and a writer, Anthony possess the rare ability to both understand complex financial models and human nature which he leverages to sniff out the most interesting angles of any story. The speed with which he both obtains the latest breaking news and can eloquently write on the subject is impressive.” - David Leppek, VP Portfolio Management, First National Bank of Omaha (LinkedIn)
- “Did Heartland CEO Make Insider Stock Trades? As several OSF volunteers were looking into this exact question today, turns out Anthony M. Freed beat us to the punch. Well done! “- Jericho, Opens Security Foundation (OSF) and DataLossDB.org (InfoSecNews.com)
- “Many people were excited about the Hope for Homeowners program that was recently rolled out to help curb the growing number of foreclosures, and keep people in their homes. Unfortunately, as Anthony Freed points out in his blog post on Your Mortgage or Your Life, things did not quite turn out as planned.” - Editors (Chicago Sun-Times)
- “Anthony is one of the most innovative and visionary individuals I have ever had the pleasure of working with. Anthony develops fantastic strategies and moves them from concept and vision then ultimately a successful and effective implementation. Anthony is the personification of an “adverb”, he modifies actions and becomes a conjunction!” - Kevin Nixon, Owner & Sr. Principal, KMN, LLC (LinkedIn)
- “Check out the quality and style of Anthony’s writing. He has a genius for gonzo and guerrilla marketing using web 2.0 tools and crisp clear writing. His ability to drive traffic and GOOD traffic to the HomeATM website is measurable and appreciated enough that I recommend his work unconditionally.” - Kenneth G. Mages, CEO HomeATM (LinkedIn)
- “Anthony is a fellow blogger. I look forward to reading his posts, as information security, loss of privacy, and personal freedom seem even more important than ever. Anthony is on the front edge, and a valued resource to me.” - Bill Coppedge, SVP Mortgage Asset Sales, SunTrust Mortgage (LinkedIn)
- “Anthony is one of those rare individuals who combines brilliant creative journalism with potent Web 2.0 marketing prowess. He positions his combined talents so eloquently that those who know him or have read his formidable array of compositions have no choice but to be genuinely impressed. I look forward to collaborating with Anthony on future payment security/information security projects in the future as I am convinced his vast array of knowledge, understanding and vision will result in top notch results. I have absolutely no reservations whatsoever in highly recommending Anthony.” - John B. Frank, Sales & Marketing, Editor PIN Debit Blog (LinkedIn)
- “Hats off to Anthony Freed’s critical, direct and sagacious comments…Nowhere in the globe [have I come] across such a frank and logical step by step analysis as that of Anthony Freed…. A master class piece!“ - Professor S. Subramanian - Retired-Senior Executive, Reserve Bank of India (LinkedIn)
Information-Security-Resources.com Feature Articles by Anthony M. Freed:
► ISAlliance Delivers Cyber Security Report
► ISAlliance: Cyber Security is Economic Issue
► Innovative Analytic Tool Empowers Investors
► Heartland Regains PCI Compliant Status
► Payment Card Industry Swallows Its Own Tail
► Visa Puts Heartland on Probation Over Breach
► Marine One Breach Has Winners and Losers
► FDIC Q4 2008 Graphs Show No Bottom
► Heartland CEO Now Under SEC Investigation
► Another Payment Card Processor Hacked
► Heartland Update: Reps Respond to Questions
► Did Heartland CEO Make Insider Trades?
► Heartland Breach Bad As Tylenol Poisonings?
► U.S.Banks Vulnerable to Sabotage
► Losing Money? Watch Your Data Too…
► The Financial Industry Takes Too Much
♦ Kevin M. Nixon
♦ ISR Cyber Security Editor, MSA, CISSP®, CISM®, CGEIT®
Kevin is a Master Security Architect (MSA); Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP); Certified Information Security Manager (CISM); Certified US Domestic and International Regulatory Professional; Certified in the Governance of Enterprise IT (CGEIT) designation; and is a Licensed Private Security Consultant.
Kevin has over 25 years of experience in MIS design and development, Information Security, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery, and US and European Regulatory Compliance.
Kevin testified as an expert witness before the Congressional High Tech Task Force, the Chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and the Chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee. He served on infrastructure security boards and committees including:
♦ Disaster Recovery Workgroup for the Office of Homeland Security (which developed the National Strategy to Secure Cyberspace)
♦ Executive Board of Directors, Internet Security Alliance (ISA)
♦ Chairman, Best Practices Information Security Management Committee, ISA
♦ Executive Board Member of the Accredited Standards Committee, X9, Inc. (the not-for-profit that develops technical standards, certified by the American National Standards Institute, for the financial services industry)
♦ US Voting Delegate to the International Standards Organization (ISO), Financial Data Protection, Privacy and Security Standards TC68-SC2 & US TC68-SC6
♦ Consultant to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), on the administration and rollout of the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act of 2003 (FACTA) Web Portal, and AnnualCreditReport.com.
Other contributions include:
♦ Consultant to VISA in 2002 to develop the Cardholder Information Security Program (CISP), the basis for the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS)
♦ Co-Author of a 3-Part Series of “Common Sense Security Guides”, including THE COMMON SENSE GUIDE FOR SENIOR MANAGERS - Top Ten Recommended Information Security Practices, 1st Edition - July 2002, Internet Security Alliance, which is now used by the US Department of Homeland Security, National Association of Manufacturers, American Bankers Association, The National Federation of Independent Businesses, The National Cyber Security Alliance, Financial Services Coordinating Sector, TechNet, and US-India Business Council
♦ The Cyber Security Guide for Executives & Senior Managers
♦ The Cyber Security Guide for Small Businesses
♦ The Cyber Security Guide for Virtual Employees & Mobile Executives
♦ Appeared as Cyber-terrorism Expert on CNBC’s Squawk Box with Mark Haines
♦ Appeared as Identity Privacy Protection Expert on KUCI Radio’s Privacy Piracy with Mari Frank
Kevin’s business experience includes serving as the Banking Security Officer of World Financial Network National Bank. Kevin has held positions of oversight of all regulatory compliance, data security, and data privacy issues, compliance with FFIEC Banking Regulations, and direction of OCC and SAS 70 Audits for his clients.
♦ Information-Security-Resources.com Feature Articles By Kevin M. Nixon:
► Hathaway Bolsters Internet Security Alliance
► Business Continuity Guidance for Swine Flu
► New Worm Lets Hackers Take Control
► Parking Ticket Leads to Blended Hack Attack
► MAC: Unsafe At Any [Connection] Speed
► Geithner Appointment Clears Landscape
► Don’t Neglect Information Security
♦ ADDITIONAL INFORMATION and WEBLINKS
- Interview with Security Management Magazine
- Press Release from ASIS Online
- Outsourcing Managed Security Services” contributing Subject Matter Expert
- Congressional Briefing Presentation
- The Common Sense Guide for Senior Managers
- International Standards Organization (ISO) Standards contributing Subject Matter Expert
- Final ISO Standards Document contributing Subject Matter Expert
- Interview “Implementing Basic Security Measures”
- Interview with Computer Business Review Magazine
- Interview with Computer World Magazine
♦ Laura Wilson
♦ ISR Corporate Liability Editor
♦ Juris Doctor, Certified Information Systems Auditor
Laura is a business analyst, software and solutions inventor, and a fervent advocate for individual privacy , shareholder rights, and better organizational decisions. She offers business consulting services in governance / risk / compliance, deal management, litigation analysis, and problem resolution related to highly sensitive systems and data.
She has over 12 years of experience in business and legal roles for highly regulated organizations, including the customer and vendor side of publicly-traded international financial services (banking / payment card industry / mortgages / insurance / investment advisors), venture capital portfolio companies, and numerous software and services projects involving regulated systems and sensitive data.
In these industries, her responsibilities included complex contracts, software development projects, licensing, litigation, information security, intellectual property, due diligence and audit, and SaaS / hosting / ASP relationships.
The publicly-traded companies for which Laura has negotiated and managed complex outsourcing and vendor relationships include:
♦ A Fortune 100, global credit card and banking company that co-authored the PCI DSS (Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards)
♦ One of the largest mortgage and banking companies in the U.S.
♦ An international investment advisory firm
Laura has trained colleagues on industry standards, gap analysis and risk mitigation. She writes training materials and works on dashboard design to help stakeholders identify and remedy compliance and security gaps, and verify appropriate due diligence
She is a member of the Phoenix chapter of ISACA, and volunteers with other professional groups and not-for-profits interested in the regulatory, governance, information security and national security implications of financial systems and regulated data. She has been interviewed on KUCI (UC-Irvine), Privacy Piracy with Mari Frank, regarding information security and compliance bypasses in the financial industry
Laura holds a Juris Doctor, (licensed as an attorney in California), and is a CISA (Certified Information Systems Auditor). She is pursuing additional information security certifications
Laura served on active duty for over 8 years in the United States Army. She was a Staff Sergeant, paratrooper, and TV / radio broadcaster; served in Military Intelligence, Psychological Operations, Communications, and Public Relations positions; and won several Soldier of the Year awards. Her military units included the U.S. Army Parachute Team, and the John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center and School.
Information-Security-Resources.com Feature Articles by Laura Wilson:
► Incentives Not Enough for Quality InfoSec
► AIG Bonuses: It’s The Forest, Not The Trees
► AIG Is Obligated To Pay Bonuses? Bull!
► There is No Delight in Being Right
► InfoSec Expertise Getting More Attention
► McAfee Report: Our Unsecured Economies
► Facing the Information Security Hole in 2009
► Consumer Reports Buys Consumerist.com
