International Cyber Expo 2023: Defending the Digital Realm
Dive into the future of cybersecurity at International Cyber Expo 2023, where innovation meets urgency, shaping a resilient digital landscape.
Philip Ingram MBE, head of content for International Cyber Expo, shares insights from the groundbreaking 2023 event. Discover the future of cybersecurity, emphasizing urgency, diversity, and mental health.
We’re stronger together. Not only is that statement true of security teams generally, but it also succinctly sums up the feeling surrounding this year’s International Cyber Expo. From discussions of mental health to panels on geopolitical conflict, cybersecurity is undoubtedly at its strongest when the community comes together to learn, share, and discuss a more secure future.
The International Cyber Expo took place on the 26th and 27th September at Olympia London. The event saw thousands of visitors gather to learn about the latest cutting-edge tech, hear insights from industry leaders, and meet with forward-thinking organizations leading the way for the cybersecurity industry.
“The significance of this conference for the digital ecosystem in 2023 cannot be overstated. In an era dominated by online interactions, cybersecurity organizations hold paramount importance. The wide array of companies and innovations showcased at this year’s expo is a remarkable testament to the industry’s vitality. It spanned from groundbreaking mental health tech for cyber to organizations pivotal in uniting the ecosystem and all facets in between,” observes Shelley Langan-Newton, CEO of SQR.
The event was created for the community by the community. It hosted a world-class Global Cyber Summit, exhibition space, immersive live demonstrations, and informal networking alongside brand-new additions for 2023, including a Cyber Wellbeing Corner and an inaugural women in cyber event.
The community continues to be integral to the cybersecurity industry. The human factor of cybersecurity is equally as pressing a topic as usual, like AI and ransomware. On this, Tim Ward, Co-founder and CEO of ThinkCyber, additionally noted: “At this year’s show, there was a continued emphasis on recognizing the human factor in cybersecurity. The event featured a diverse range of talks, exhibitors, and even live re-enactments, all of which underscored the significance of the human element and the pressing need for innovation in this domain.”
Global Conflict: A Pressing Topic Spoken About with Urgency
This year’s show emphasized the cybersecurity impacts of geopolitical conflict, with discussions around Ukraine and Russia taking precedence. Notably, Oksana Kharchenko, Business Development Specialist at YouControl, spoke on day one of the Global Cyber Summit about the Ukrainian experience and sanction risk management through the automation of inspections.
Kharchenko said on the challenges facing Ukrainian cybersecurity companies on the frontline of fighting Russia:
“From the heart of Ukraine, for nine years, YouControl has stood as a leader in analytical tools to identify connections between legal entities and individuals based on open data.
Since our team’s primary mission is to promote international cooperation by creating a transparent business environment, our main challenge was to provide the world with a tool that would expose ties to the Russian Federation, help to find Russian assets in other countries, and verify connections with political figures and sanctioned individuals.”
In cyber espionage, understanding the modus operandi of Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) is paramount for safeguarding businesses. Delving into a comprehensive presentation, Andrew Hural, Director of Managed Detection and Response (MDR) at UnderDefense, embarked on a journey through 500 days of Russian cyber operations in his presentation. He unveiled crucial insights into the WHO, WHY, WHAT, WHERE, and WHEN of their attacks, shedding light on their primary objectives, preferred targets, and methods to infiltrate compromised environments. Andrew also shared the invaluable lessons from their successes and failures, unraveling the intricate tapestry of APT habits and strategies reverberating across every business’s defense ecosystem.
Hural said: “Understanding the latest tactics and techniques of threat actors is key to protecting businesses from these threats in the future. Through our experience with Russian cyber operations, we’ve gained unique insights into fortifying our defenses and those of our partners and customers. The journey into the minds of cyber adversaries has offered us the power to protect our digital domains proactively, and we find it important to share these learnings with others for a more resilient community.”
Conversations around Cyber Defence continued as the topic for this year’s e2e-assure Roundtable discussion, featuring a mix of CISOs, vendors, and a keynote speech from Rob Demain, CEO and Founder of e2e-assure. Demain notes: “At this year’s International Cyber Expo, several people spoke of the industry’s threats and challenges. However, one seemed to be in nearly everyone’s mind. Ransomware continues to be the primary threat that impacts businesses most frequently. We spoke at the Cyber Summit Panel, and this topped everyone’s list as the greatest threat.
“There were then conversations around the cyber lessons learned since the invasion of Ukraine, diversity in the sector, and emerging cyber legislation, which needs to be continuously monitored and understood. It was great to see a convergence of industry providers over the two days, all driven to impact our society positively.”
Linked to these discussions and the wider community, resilience was a theme that appeared time and time again, as Trevor Dearing, Director of Critical Infrastructure Solutions, Illumio, noted: “A key theme of the recent cyber-expo was resilience. The discussion points for many attendees focused on achieving better resilience without investing in complex technology. Most interests centered around the use of Zero Trust in this area.”
See More: Better Security with Asset Inventory and Attack Surface Visibility
Cyber Wellbeing: Leading the Way for a Healthier Future
Equally, another key theme at the show was wellbeing in cybersecurity. With recent statistics showing that 70% of CISOs in the UK and US have experienced burnout in the past 12 months, it’s evident that now is the time for change. Visitors were encouraged to share their experiences, reflect on what they currently do for their well-being (with ‘working out’, ‘going for a walk’, and ‘talking to friends’ among the most recorded), and take note of existing support resources.
“Investing in our well-being is paramount, especially in the fast-paced world of cybersecurity. At the International Cyber Expo, we explored the health and well-being theme, exploring the benefits of practices like cold water submersion and ice baths. These methods enhance physical recovery and contribute to a holistic sense of well-being. Running up to the show, we’ve been dedicated to sharing Pentest People’s office wellness tips, dispelling prevalent cyber myths, and fostering mindfulness within the cyber community. The journey toward cyber wellness is ongoing. Let’s forge ahead, working smarter, alleviating stress, and prioritizing our mental health. Together, we can thrive in our professional and personal lives,” said Lewis Fairburn, Head of Marketing at Pentest People.
Proudly, the International Cyber Expo opened the conversation around mental health in cybersecurity – and asked people to make a change. At the show, The Cyber Wellbeing Corner, a first for cybersecurity exhibitions globally, proved a popular space for decompression away from the show floor. Within this area was a quiet, enclosed sensory room, a place for massages, and the foundation of the Cyber Wellbeing Charter.
An industry-led Cyber Wellbeing Charter was launched at the show. The charter will be peer-informed and require organizations to commit to making actionable and measurable changes. One of the charter’s authors, Jade Eskenzi, COO at The Zensory, commented: “The cybersecurity industry is facing a mental health and burnout crisis – and something needs to change. However, this change can only happen if the industry works together to make it happen. To see real and long-term change for mental health and well-being in cybersecurity, we need to agree on a standard of care for our teams and hold each other accountable. This is why we are passionate about bringing the industry together to create a set of standards that work for those within it. We hope to collaborate with as many people within cybersecurity, in all levels of business, to create actionable and achievable goals for a better future for all.”
Diversity: The Time is Now for Change
Alongside well-being, diversity continued to be a dominating theme, with a dedicated Grab the Mic: Women in Cyber event in collaboration with Assured Intelligence. The event featured keynote addresses by Sarah Barclay, Head of Cyber Security Operations, Sodexo UK&I, and Steve Moran, CISO at Sodexo, an empowering talk by Lisa Forte, Co-Founder of Red Goat Cyber Security, and a panel discussion with speakers across the industry.
The event also allowed women in the industry to network and learn from one another’s experiences, often viewed as a driving force behind such events.
Dallaway said: “The launch of Grab the Mic: Women in Cyber could not have gone any better. A huge crowd, inspirational speakers, an engaged and refreshingly candid audience, and a true feeling of community. Never have I received such unanimously glowing feedback. Friendships were formed, I know of at least two job offers that have been made, and everybody left feeling more positive, more united, and more motivated. I cannot wait for the next chapter of Grab the Mic.”
Nicola Whiting, MBE, Co-Owner of Titania Group, spoke at the Global Cyber Summit about a new approach to diversity and inclusion. The talk centered around why Diversity and Inclusion efforts often stall, how organizations can achieve quick wins for recruitment, onboarding, and communicating more effectively, and, importantly, how organizations can integrate the Social Model of Disability into culture and practice. The talk proved that diversity should not be considered a tick-box exercise.
Conversations Across The Community, As Told By The Community
The International Cyber Expo proved a great place to facilitate conversations between visitors and exhibitors. It allowed exhibitors to understand further their customers’ needs and what’s been on their minds, from SASE to AI.
Chris Parker MBE, Director at Fortinet, shared his insights on the event: “Our stand at International Cyber Expo garnered significant attention, particularly around the all-new Single Vendor Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) and its many benefits. Attendees were keen to delve deeper into how we’re leveraging Artificial Intelligence (AI) to push the boundaries of cybersecurity, underlining the growing importance of cutting-edge technology in safeguarding digital landscapes.”
Victoria Murphy, Business and Transformation Director – WithSecure, adds, “It was great to be at Cyber Expo this year; it was a busy event and fantastic to see the cybersecurity themes of the moment. Managed detection and response was at the forefront of many conversations we had with visitors to our stand, along with discussions on some interesting approaches to user management to reduce incidents. Our CISO Christine Bejerasco presented on Security Outcomes: a logical way to integrate cyber into the mindset of the business and allow it to work alongside business outcomes.”
Robin Hill, Co-Founder – DarkInvader, further explained: “There has been a lot of talk around the paramount importance of External Attack Surface Management (EASM) at International Cyber Expo, a theme that resonated strongly throughout the event. This trend, recently underscored by industry leaders like Gartner, underscores the critical need to safeguard against cyber threats proactively. As an industry, we must equip organizations with the most intelligent and forward-thinking cybersecurity solutions to help combat today’s threat landscape.”
Neill Cooper, VP of Sales, EMEA at SpyCloud: “An increasing number of customers are approaching us with concerns about managing the risks associated with remote work. Many have relied on firewalls and other traditional controls. Still, with the widespread shift to remote and hybrid work, organizations can’t rely on these to stop cybercriminals from targeting their employees and their devices as entry points into the network. There’s a need for a more proactive approach to managing the risks associated with unmanaged and undermanaged devices being used for work purposes. Visibility into malware infections and action on the resulting data exposed about the organization is crucial to safeguarding the business from targeted attacks like ATO and ransomware.”
The Future of Cybersecurity
After two days of talks, networking events, and live demos, the conversation turned toward the future of the cybersecurity industry. One thing’s evident: there was a sense of urgency among this year’s discussions, from tackling the industry-wide burnout crisis to embracing a quantum future. The time is now for change, whether that’s a new approach to the evolving threat landscape or a stop to burnout.
The International Cyber Expo will return to Olympia, London next year on the 24th and 25th September, 2024.
Did you attend the International Cyber Expo at Olympia, London this year? What were your key takeaways? Let us know on Facebook, X, and LinkedIn. We’d love to hear from you!
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