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| The conference will be showcasing the latest technologies and services from international cyber-security businesses |
From the recent cyber-attacks on several of NATO’s public websites to the recent cyber-thefts from a number of major US retailers, cyber-security is rarely out of the news. Indeed, it has become one of the key areas of interest in the counter-terrorism and security arena – and for a number of good reasons.
As the internet and associated technologies develop, not only do we become ever more dependent on them, the opportunities for those who want to cause us harm increase too. From cyber-crime to cyber-terrorism to cyber-warfare, cyber-security is something that affects everyone, from private individuals to businesses to governments to supra-national organisations.
Indeed, the UK Government has committed to investing over £650 million in the security of communication networks and the prevention of cyber-terrorism.
Reflecting this reality, Counter Terror Expo 2014 has a series of educational platforms on Secure Communications and Cyber Terrorism which can be seen in the free-to-attend seminar theatres and the paid-for conference streams. There will be showcasing of the latest technologies and services from international cyber-security businesses as well industry leaders speaking on cyber-crime and cyber terrorism.
In addition, ‘Cyber Security and Electronic Terrorism’ will be one of the key themes of Counter Terror Expo’s centrepiece conference. Being held on the 30th April, this important conference stream will include presentations from some of the foremost experts in the field.
To anyone who might doubt the seriousness of the situation, James Stuart, Director - Alt3, will point out that “beneath the surface calm, the struggle for cyber supremacy has increased in intensity so there is a de facto war already raging. Countries / companies need to guard against the very, very real threat of intrusion and damage”. Building on the theme, Steve Durbin, Vice President of the Information Security Forum (ISF) will be highlighting “the continuing challenge of operating safely in cyberspace, identifying some of the key challenges that we all face as businesses and government and law enforcement agencies and offering some very specific views on what can be done to safeguard the way in which we share information and operate together in this rapidly changing and challenging environment”.
Calling for a critical evaluation of the current approaches to cyber-terrorism, Stewart Kenton Bertram, Cyber Capability Manager, Control Risks, will consider the “danger that we will make exactly the same mistakes within cyber that were made within traditional CT post 9/11”. To help ensure that we don’t, Peter Connolly, Business Development Director for
"It may be quicker and easier for an attacker to make your building uninhabitable or unusable than for the attacker to try to disrupt your corporate IT systems" |
GHT Global will be talking about “the role of unbiased stress testing to confirm or expose vulnerabilities and 'attack vectors’ … “to evaluate and formulate corrective actions to mitigate known risks and threats”.
Amongst those addressing some of the more specific risks, threats and responses will be Hugh Boyes, Cyber Security Lead for the Institution of Engineering and Technology who will be speaking about “the cyber security threats arising from the increasing dependence on and integration of ICT systems in the built environment”. As he has said: “It may be quicker and easier for an attacker to make your building uninhabitable or unusable ... than for the attacker to try to disrupt your corporate IT systems”.
John Robert Bayliss, a member of the Advisory Council of CSARN, will be talking about how “mobile devices are vulnerable to attack and can be a useful way of bypassing more sophisticated security on office networks” while Professor Babak Akhgar, Director, CENTRIC, will be discussing the “impact of ICT and specifically social media on Counter Terrorism (CT) processes” and the value of “social media as an open source intelligence for empowering citizens during crisis”.
David Thompson, Event Manager, Clarion Defence & Security, commented: “The cyber-threats we face are all-embracing and constantly evolving, so the importance of cyber-security cannot be over-estimated. That’s why we have created a dedicated Zone within the Counter Terror Expo 2014 exhibition and why we also have a dedicated stream within our conference programme. For everyone who is concerned about this very real 21st century challenge, Counter Terror Expo 2014 is a must-attend event.”
