These trade and professional associations offer best practices, education, frameworks, certifications, training, and more for IT security professionals.
- Center for Internet Security (CIS). Identifies, develops, validates, promotes, and sustains best practice solutions for cyber defense and builds and leads communities to enable an environment of trust in cyberspace.
- Cloud Security Alliance (CSA). Dedicated to defining and raising awareness of best practices to help ensure a secure cloud computing environment. Offers cloud security-specific research, education, certification, events, and products.
- Cyber FastTrack. Free online cybersecurity program for college students and graduates. Through online challenges, quizzes, exams, and tutorials, students learn disciplines such as: forensics, intrusion detection, security operations, system and network penetration testing, and application penetration testing.
- EDUCAUSE. A higher education technology association with a large community of IT leaders and professionals committed to advancing higher education.
- InfraGard. This partnership between the FBI and the private sector represents businesses, academic institutions, state and local law enforcement agencies, and other participants dedicated to sharing information and intelligence to prevent hostile acts against the U.S.
- International Association of Privacy Professionals (IAPP). A resource for professionals who want to develop and advance their careers by helping their organizations successfully manage risks and protect their data.
- ISACA (previously known as Information Systems Audit and Control Association). An independent, nonprofit, global association that engages in the development, adoption, and use of globally accepted, industry-leading knowledge and practices for information systems.
- National Cyber Security Alliance. Creates and implements education and awareness efforts to empower users to keep themselves, their organizations, their systems, and their sensitive information safe and secure online and encourage a culture of cybersecurity.
- Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP). A worldwide not-for-profit charitable organization focused on improving the security of software by making software security visible.
- SANS Institute. A cooperative research and education organization offering information security training, security certification, and research documents about information security. SANS also operates the Internet Storm Center.