Welcome to the second edition of our information risk management newsletter in 2008! - Filip De Wolf (CEO Ascure)

Dear Reader,

We are already approaching the second part of the year. A year of continuous innovation for Ascure. In January we introduced our Ascure Operational Risk Management (ORM) Model. In this new model we combined our existing Information Risk Management (IRM) services with some new innovative services like Facility Risk Management, Reputational Risk Management, Mobile Data Protection, Information Assurance, Liability Management and Legal and Compliance (to name some of them).

Recently, during our Ascure Customer Event, AscureTV, we launched our AMFORI project, meaning Ascure Methodology For Operational Risk Identification. Via this innovative methodology we will be able to give you a full operational Risk maturity model in one glance. Instead of sending questionnaires or organizing interviews for all Operational Risks domains separately, we only need to meet all involved people only once or twice per year. This will result in an enormous time saving and focus orienting approach. Just contact us if you want to know more about this unique and innovative methodology.

In this newsletter you will also have the opportunity to read more about our Ascure Customer Event (with a link to some nice photos). You will also find a description of our new Ascure Business Process Modeling Service, our Ascure Triple “S” Service, an overview of our Ascure Academy and BCM Academy Belgium courses and certification, a new joint-venture between Ascure and BCM Academy Netherlands.

Furthermore, our IAM specialists have created a very nice article about Identity and Access Management pitfalls.
As mentioned above, innovation is key for Ascure. This continuous innovation will make Ascure your preferred partner for your current and future Operational Risk Management needs.

Kind regards,
Filip De Wolf
CEO
Ascure NV

Ascure and BCM Academy – Introduction and Schedule

Ascure would like to present you BCM Academy Belgium, this is a joint-venture together with BCM Academy Netherlands. BCM Academy supports organizations at introducing Business Continuity and Crisis Management. BCM Academy supplies the knowledge to make BCM and Crisis Management possible in the organization and the expert’s assessment necessary to successfully introduce these topics.

Furthermore BCM Academy provides in test and education programs in order to examine the BC and Crisis Management system and an accredited program to check the functioning of the BCM and Crisis Management (Communication) process.

Schedule:

Extensive information on the field of study ‘Business Continuity & Crisis Management’ is to be found further on the website (www.bcmacademy.be). For additional information you can always contact us (info@bcmacademy.be or +32 9 220 20 96) or the easy to use BCM Pocketbook and the CM Pocketbook can be ordered as a reference work.

Ascure Academy

This is the overview of the Ascure Academy course for the winter and fall and winter of 2008. For more information on the specific courses we referrer to our website (www.ascureacademy.eu).

For registration Ascure Academy courses: click here.

For registration ISC2 – CISSP courses: click here.

Schedule:

More information: click here and registration: click here and registration ISC2 course: click here.

Ascure Stories: IAM pitfalls

2nd of July 2008, Ghent (Belgium) – In 2001 Ascure was for the first time involved in a major IAM, since then we have gathered an extensive experience and knowledge around IAM.  We have been asked several times to startup, unblock or even restart many IAM projects. Reason for this success is our proven mixture of business and technical experience.  In the last 7 years Ascure assisted several organizations during multiple phases of an IAM project, being analyzing the business requirements, scope definition, setting up a business case, delivering lead architect and business project leader before and during the project or even assisting the internal project manager. For us IAM project can be very successful, but organizations should be aware of the common pitfalls that you will encounter if you don’t take them seriously.

We have listed the top five: click here.

Ascure “Triple(3) S” – Ascure Summer Security Scan

2nd of July 2008, Ghent (Belgium) – Summertime is the perfect timing for some small projects you always wanted to do but never came around to. These projects have been laying around for some time or new ideas created during a relaxing vacation; they have few or no impact on the customer and do not require intensive meetings and collecting of information. When you answer one or several of the follow questions with ‘No’ or ‘I don’t know’, then it’s the perfect time to let Ascure execute one or … of its Ascure “Triple(3) S” services.

• Do you know the risks of your physical access?
• Have you tested or reviewed your Business Continuity Plan recently?
• Do you know if your crisis communication or crisis management plan works?
• Have your business process been analyzed from a security perspective?
• Is your datacenter secured physically?

We can offer you the following services (3 to 4 days per service):

• Business Continuity Plan Health check or Review
• Disaster Simulation Exercise
• Crisis Management or Crisis Communication Test Case
• Physical Access Security Quick Scan

More information on these services can be found on our website: link.

Ascure Business Process Management Services

2nd of July 2008, Ghent (Belgium) – Recently Ascure also created its business process management services, for several years we have been working on (business)processes related to security, more specifically on identity & access management process, business continuity, incident handling, security management, crisis management & communication, etc. This together with our innovation to operation risk management we saw the opportunity to create specific and focused process management services linked to these topics.

The following Ascure BPM-services have be defined:

• BPM awareness services
• Process Modeling services
• Operational risk Identification services
  

Each of the above listed services can be performed independently but also a set of services, strengthen each other in the outcome or deliverables.

More information can be found on our website, but feel free to contact us and we will give you more in-depth information on these services which is not yet published on our website.

AscureTV - Ascure's First Customer Business Seminar

2nd of July 2008, Ghent (Belgium) – On the 8th of May Ascure organized its first Customer seminar. We created a program that gave the perfect mix between exchanging knowledge/experience and business networking. The participants had the unique opportunity to network with other customers, our staff and partners. Based of the positive feedback we received from customers, partners, speakers and staff, we can assure you this was not the first and last time, we have created a foundation to build on and can assure you that the will continue on this mix.

From our website you can download the brochure of the event and also see some photos.