DALLAS, TX and BOSTON, MA -- (Marketwire) -- 05/23/11 -- IANS, a research and consulting firm focused exclusively on IT risk management and information security, announced that information security thought leaders from academia and industry will gather at the eighth annual Lone Star Information Security Forum on June 14th and 15th, 2011 at the Cityplace Conference Center in Dallas, Texas. The conference will center on enhancing information security in the wake of increasingly prevalent and damaging cyber attacks. These include the April data breach of the Texas Comptroller's office that exposed the personal information of 3.5 million retirees and unemployment benefits recipients, and the insertion of a virus into the computer network of the Massachusetts Division of Unemployment Assistance that compromised sensitive information, including Social Security numbers, of nearly a quarter million residents and state employees. To learn more and register, visit the Lone Star Information Security Forum web site.

James Beeson, Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of GE Capital, will deliver the Information Security Forum's key note address, "Bridging the Gaps and Preparing for the Future." Beeson will explain how enterprise security leaders can enable an organization to assume a reasonable level of risk in order to be competitive and grow by engaging constituents across an organization.

"With the recent upswing in the number of very public data breaches, now is the ideal time for CSOs and CISOs to meet and share opinions and ideas with their peers in the IT security field," said Phil Gardner, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, IANS. "The 2011 Lone Star Information Security Forum will feature engaging, substantive sessions which enable security leaders to interact with their peers and better understand the challenges the industry is facing. With the addition of an outstanding keynote speaker, this year's forum looks to be one of our best."

This year's Lone Star Information Security Forum will also feature a revamped Steering Committee designed to better align attendees' interests with the event's curriculum. Steering Committee Chairs will kick off the Information Security Forum by opening each track with an overview of the obstacles and trends relevant to each track of focus, which include:

• "Information Protection In A Borderless World," with an opening by Chad Renfro, the Chief Information Security Technology Officer at Bank of America
• "Security 2.0: The Proactive Security Organization," with an opening by James Beeson, the CISO of GE Capital
• "Next Generation Security Operations," with an opening by Richard Dorough, the CISO of Textron Information Services

The Lone Star Information Security Forum allows CSOs, CISOs, and other security leaders to gather in a professional setting and exchange thoughts and ideas about best practices, emerging trends and pressing issues, while networking with experts shaping the information security industry. To learn more about the Eighth Annual Lone Star Information Security Forum or to register for the event, visit www.iansresearch.com or contact C.J. Oliveri at 617-948-5723 or coliveri@iansresearch.com.

Social Media
Forum attendees can contribute to and follow the happenings at the Lone Star Forum via Twitter using the hashtag #iansDAL. Follow IANS on Twitter at @IANS_SECURITY or read what the IANS Faculty is tweeting about at @IANS_Security/ians-faculty.

Complimentary Registration for Media and Industry Bloggers
Credentialed reporters, editors, and established information security bloggers are invited to attend the opening session on day one and the keynote address on day two. Media members and bloggers can request a complimentary pass by emailing press@iansresearch.com. Passes will be issued at the sole discretion of IANS.

About IANS
IANS is the leading provider of in-depth security insights delivered through its research, community, and consulting offerings. Fueled by interactions among IANS Faculty and end users, IANS provides actionable advice to information security, risk management, and compliance executives. IANS powers better, faster, technical and managerial decisions through experience-driven advice.

IANS was founded in June 2001 and is inspired by the Harvard Business School experience of interactive discussions driving collective insights. IANS' offerings include the Enterprise Client annual research membership, eight regionally held Information Security Forums, peer-based roundtable discussions, and a custom collection of advisory services for security professionals and security solution providers.

For more information and to access complimentary research on information security and IT risk management, visit www.iansresearch.com.

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