FPT Telecom
Speciality: Penetration Testing and Security Audit
FPT Telecom is a Vietnam-based telecommunications provider headquartered in Hanoi; it offers internet services for personal, family, gaming, and enterprise customers, and provides penetration testing and security audit services, as documented on their website.
CREST Cybersecurity Certification
Origin
CREST (Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers) was established in 2006 in the United Kingdom by a group of cybersecurity professionals and industry representatives. It was created to address the growing need for standardized, recognized qualifications in penetration testing and cybersecurity services. The organization emerged from concerns about the quality and professionalism of security testing services, aiming to provide a framework that would certify both individual practitioners and the companies that employ them.
Industry Value
CREST certifications are highly valued in the cybersecurity industry because they demonstrate a practitioner's technical competence and adherence to professional ethical standards. Many government agencies, financial institutions, and large corporations specifically require CREST-certified professionals when procuring penetration testing or security assessment services. The certification provides assurance to employers and clients that certified individuals have been independently verified to possess the necessary skills and knowledge, and that they follow established codes of conduct. This makes CREST credentials particularly important for cybersecurity professionals working in regulated industries or seeking to work with organizations that have stringent security requirements.
PCI DSS Certification
Origin
The Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) was created in 2004 by the major credit card companies: Visa, Mastercard, American Express, Discover, and JCB International. These companies formed the PCI Security Standards Council in 2006 to manage and evolve the standard. PCI DSS was developed in response to increasing credit card fraud and data breaches, establishing a unified set of security requirements for all organizations that store, process, or transmit cardholder data. The goal was to create consistent security measures across the payment card industry to protect sensitive payment information.
Industry Value and Importance
PCI DSS compliance is mandatory for any business that handles credit card transactions, making it one of the most critical security standards in commerce today. The certification demonstrates that an organization has implemented robust security controls, including network protection, access management, encryption, and regular security testing. Non-compliance can result in severe consequences, including substantial fines (up to $100,000 per month), increased transaction fees, loss of payment processing privileges, and reputational damage following a breach. For IT professionals, PCI DSS expertise is highly valued as organizations across all industries need qualified personnel to implement, maintain, and audit these security controls.
ISO 27001: Information Security Management Certification
Origin
ISO 27001 was developed by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), and was first published in 2005. It evolved from the British Standard BS 7799-2, which was created in the late 1990s. The standard was developed in response to the growing need for organizations to systematically manage and protect sensitive information in an increasingly digital business environment. ISO 27001 has since been revised, with major updates released in 2013 and 2022 to address evolving cybersecurity threats and best practices.
Industry Value and Importance
ISO 27001 is globally recognized as the leading standard for information security management systems (ISMS) and is valued for providing a systematic, risk-based approach to protecting sensitive data. Organizations that achieve ISO 27001 certification demonstrate to clients, partners, and regulators that they have implemented comprehensive security controls and are committed to maintaining confidentiality, integrity, and availability of information. The certification is particularly important for organizations handling sensitive data, as it helps meet regulatory compliance requirements, reduces security incidents, builds customer trust, and often provides a competitive advantage in procurement processes where information security assurance is required.
HITRUST Cybersecurity Certification
Origin
HITRUST (Health Information Trust Alliance) was founded in 2007 by a collaboration of healthcare, technology, and information security leaders. The organization created the HITRUST Common Security Framework (CSF) to address the fragmented landscape of security and privacy regulations facing the healthcare industry. Recognizing that healthcare organizations were struggling to comply with multiple frameworks like HIPAA, PCI-DSS, and ISO standards simultaneously, HITRUST developed a unified, certifiable framework that harmonizes these various requirements into a single comprehensive standard.
Industry Value and Importance
The HITRUST CSF certification has become the gold standard for demonstrating security and compliance in healthcare and beyond, now extending to financial services, retail, and other regulated industries. Organizations value HITRUST certification because it provides a standardized, risk-based approach that satisfies multiple regulatory requirements at once, reducing audit fatigue and compliance costs. The certification is particularly trusted by business partners and customers as third-party validation of an organization's security controls, often becoming a prerequisite for vendor relationships and contracts. Its prescriptive control requirements and rigorous assessment process make it more comprehensive than self-attestation models, giving stakeholders greater confidence in an organization's security posture.
- GE
- Airbus
- Siemens
- Microsoft
- Amazon Web Services
- SAP
- Toshiba
- Hitachi
- Deutsche Bank
- Unilever
- Panasonic