For Immediate Release Thursday, September 21, 2006 Information…

For Immediate Release
Thursday, September 21, 2006


    Information Systems Security Association (ISSA) Announces New Alliance with Microsoft
              New Alliance Designed to Advance the Information Security Profession

San Francisco ­ The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), a worldwide not-for-profit
organization of information security practitioners, today announced a new alliance with Microsoft
Corp. to provide security training, education and networking opportunities to information security
professionals around the world.

"Microsoft is a key stakeholder in securing our infrastructure, but it is a shared responsibility we all
have a role in," said Jim Reavis, executive director of the ISSA. "The better that security practitioners
are at designing, implementing and managing security-enhanced Microsoft solutions, the better off our
computing ecosystem will be. At the ISSA, we are delighted to make common cause with Microsoft to
raise the bar of the security professional's skill set and capability to respond to new challenges."

As part of the new relationship, Microsoft will gather feedback from local ISSA chapter leaders to
identify their specific security education needs and priorities. Based on this input, Microsoft will
develop and provide security education materials and training opportunities for ISSA members.
Additionally, Microsoft will work with ISSA on chapter expansion and development initiatives.

"At Microsoft, we are continuously looking for new ways to gain feedback from IT professionals
around the world," said Lori Woehler, director of security mobilization for Microsoft. "We are excited
about our new alliance with ISSA. Working together will enable our two organizations to enhance the
knowledge, skills and networking opportunities for information security professionals as we all work
to create improved security for the computing ecosystem."

LJ Johnson, the chief information security officer for Nike and ISSA board chair for education, praised
the new relationship. "ISSA is committed to delivering value added professional services to its
members and to improving the security of the global computing ecosystem," said Johnson. "This
newly formed alliance with Microsoft serves ISSA's mission by delivering security training and
education services to ISSA chapters around the globe."

About ISSA
The Information Systems Security Association (ISSA), with 109 chapters in 24 countries and over
13,000 members, is the largest international, not-for-profit association specifically for information
security professionals and practitioners. ISSA members represent all levels of the security field in a
broad range of industries, including communications, education, healthcare, manufacturing, financial
and government. ISSA provides education, publications, information sharing and peer forums to foster
the knowledge, skill and professional growth of its members, and serves as The Global Voice of
Information Security. www.issa.org

The names of actual companies and products mentioned herein may be the trademarks of their respective owners.

For more information, please contact:
Jim Reavis, (206) 388-4584, execdir@issa.org