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Two new staff join IT Security and Compliance

With the addition of two new staff to the security team in the office of Information Security and Compliance (ISC), K-State’s ability to protect information and technology resources is greatly enhanced.

Richard Becker, network manager in Computing and Telecommunications Services (CTS), will be joining the security team as a network security analyst. He started half-time on Monday, April 18, and will continue half-time in CTS until he becomes full-time in security on Monday, May 16. Richard will focus on managing network security systems (e.g., firewalls and intrusion detection systems), performing network and system forensics, and assisting with handling security incidents.

Elizabeth Shannon, formerly the IT security officer at Pittsburg State University and most recently employed at Illinois State University, will start work with ISC as the security assessment and compliance specialist on Thursday, April 28. Elizabeth will provide guidance to the campus community on all aspects of information security assessment, along with compliance with relevant federal, state, and local security laws, regulations, and standards.

ISC, a new department created in January, is part of central Information Technology Services and now has six full-time staff dedicated to IT security for the K-State campus. The establishment of ISC, which is led by Chief Information Security Officer Harvard Townsend, was necessitated by the growing threats to the security confidentiality, integrity, and availability of K-State information. In 2010 alone, ISC handled more than 1,000 IT security incidents — an average of three a day.

With the addition of these new staff, K-State can accelerate the move from a reactionary posture to a more preventative strategy for IT security.

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About Harvard Townsend (harv@ksu.edu)

Chief Information Security Officer