Inter-American leadership begins a series of cyber security awareness trainings

Jose Romero, ISS Director and Information Services and Systems director in charge of technical infrastructure and cyber security for the IAD explains how data flows within our networks and safeguarding those networks at the IAD Office.  Image by Libna Stevens/IAD

May 19, 2016 | Miami, Florida, United States | Libna Stevens/IAD

IAD Treasurer Filiberto Verduzco says the church leadership is serious about protecting employees, the identity of the Division and the funds managed in the office. Image by Keila Trejo/IAD

The Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Inter-American Division’s (IAD) headquarter office began a series of cyber security awareness trainings for its employees yesterday as part of a larger strategy to protect both the organization and employees against online attacks. The training brought more than 75 administrators and church employees in Miami, Florida, to be briefed on cyber security measures, fraud and phishing attacks.

“Almost every minute of each day we notice that there are individuals who try to enter our world here, so it is a priority for our division to protect all the information that we manage,” said Pastor Filiberto Verduzco, treasurer of the church in Inter-America. “This is about protecting our identity as persons, our identity as a division, the funds that we manage as a division is a priority.”

It is a serious matter that has led the church leadership to restructure and invest in the Information Technology and Software Development team at the division level, thanks to focus the leadership of the Adventist World Church has placed during the past two years, church leaders said.

IAD’s Chief Information Officer Tony De La Mota said the awareness training will be an on-going one as the church headquarters deals with many systems that connect with the 24 major church regions and hundreds of institutions abroad.

“When I was growing up, the world was safer but our reality now is that being safe no longer exists in the world and especially in the cyber world,” said De La Mota. “We have data that could be maliciously used, so we need to safeguard our systems and increase protection to reduce vulnerabilities.”

IAD’s Chielf Information Officer Tony De La MotaImage by Libna Stevens/IAD

Safeguarding the various systems has a lot to do with educating employees to assist in combating attacks to the organization, explained De La Mota. “Human beings are the most vulnerable element of an organization because humans can be used as a bridge to reach important information within the organization, so this awareness plan is essential in elevating our cyber security strategy,” he said.

The concerns go farther than just installing an anti-virus software in computers, said Jose Romero, Information Services and Systems director in charge of technical infrastructure and cyber security for the IAD. “This awareness has to do with employee’s ways of thinking about their daily lives and how the dissemination of information can be used against them in any way,” said Romero.

The cyber attack that defrauded the Adventist world church of half a million dollars two years ago was a real wake-up call, said Romero.

Romero said that many attempts have been made to breach the many servers housed in the IAD office and elsewhere. “Just right now, these few minutes here, I can assure you that at least five cyber attacks to our servers are taking place so it’s insanely constant,” he added.

Romero said that the standard levels of security have always been followed as IT personnel is trained to do, yet he said “we need to maintain high standards in cyber security because it’s not about whether you’re going to be hacked but what will you do when you get attacked.”

IAD Software Development Director Lorenzo Verduzco (left) and Vice President Leon B. Wellington (right) during the cyber security training on May 18, 2016. Image by Keila Trejo/IAD

Employees were alerted of costly breaches to the telephone system a few years ago as well as hundreds of daily attacks to the division’s webpage from all around the world.

Each employee will be required to complete a cyber security course online in a matter of two months.

IT and security seminars will follow as well as workshops, team activities, and newsletters about measures and updates on cyber security, explained De La Mota.

The training falls under the on-going continuing education program on technology in coordination with Human Resources Office oversees at the IAD headquarters.

Plans are to take the pilot cyber awareness program to the rest of the unions across the territory in the coming months and year, added De La Mota.

“It’s important that we all work together to reduce risks by educating our staff. If you don’t, it’s like you have a child who opens the door to a stranger, letting a thief in,” De La Mota said.