Breaches and examine the current state of cybersecurity.
In today's digital world, cyber threats are a constant and significant concern for both individuals and businesses. The widespread use of always-connected mobile devices and laptops has made data access easier but has also opened the door to numerous opportunities for unauthorized access to sensitive information. These vulnerabilities pose not only financial risks but also operational and compliance challenges.
Over the past decade, the importance of cybersecurity has grown exponentially, driven by our increased reliance on computer systems, the Internet, and wireless networks like Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. The onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 accelerated advancements in information technology, as organizations had to adapt rapidly to keep their operations running. This rapid technological evolution also transformed cybersecurity protocols, creating new challenges and threats.
The proliferation of smart devices integrated into our daily lives has amplified the risk of digital attacks. Cybersecurity issues are now among the most prevalent and damaging fraud schemes of our time. Technology is ever-present, from everyday tools like Siri to the advanced infrastructure of cloud computing. As technology continues to evolve, so too do the threats that come with it. Both individuals and companies must remain vigilant and proactive in addressing these evolving dangers.
This course introduces key cybersecurity concepts and terms, explores different types of breaches, and examines the current landscape of cybersecurity. It is designed to help professionals understand the severity of modern cyber threats and the importance of staying informed to protect their organizations from potential harm, whether those threats come from internal or external sources.
Lynn Fountain has over 45 years of experience spanning public accounting, corporate accounting and consulting. 24 years of her experience has been working in the areas of internal and external auditing. She is a subject matter expert in multiple fields including internal audit, ethics, fraud evaluations, Sarbanes-Oxley, enterprise risk management, governance, financial management and compliance. Ms. Fountain has held two Chief Audit Executive positions for international companies. In 2011, as the Chief Audit Executive for an international construction/ engineering firm, she was involved in the active investigation of a joint venture fraud. The investigation included work with the FBI and ultimately led to indictment of the perpetrators and recovery of $13M. Ms. Fountain is currently engaged in her own training and consulting business and is a regular trainer for the AICPA. Ms. Fountain is the author of three separate technical books. “Raise the Red Flag – The Internal Auditors Guide to Fraud Evaluations” was published by the Institute of Internal Auditors Research Foundation. -“Leading The Internal Audit Function” and -“Ethics and The Internal Auditor Political Dilemma” were published by Taylor & Francis In addition Ms. Fountain was a contributing author to the certification program exam for the National Association of Accountants. She also has certificate programs on various on-line platforms. Ms. Fountain has performed as an adjunct instructor for the School of Business for Grantham University and developed the first internal audit curriculum for the School of Business at the University of Kansas. Ms. Fountain obtained her BSBA from Pittsburg State University and her MBA from Washburn University in Kansas. She has her CGMA, CRMA credentials and CPA certificate (non-active).
