Cyber security at the top of the agenda as the attack landscape widens

Cyber-attacks are diversifying, putting businesses at increasing risk. In 2017, multiple ransomware attacks such as the Wannacry cryptoworm that hit the NHS demanded bitcoins in exchange for the release of data. This is now evolving into illicit cryptomining attacks, which see criminals using business’ systems to mine lucrative cryptocurrencies.

In February 2018, the first SCADA cryptominer was seen in the wild. Also this year, it emerged that car manufacturer Tesla's cloud environment was used in order to mine cryptocurrencies.

Attacks such as these demonstrate why cyber security is on the national agenda for governments and firms in the UK and Europe. In November 2016, the UK government launched its National Cyber Security Strategy, setting out plans to make Britain more secure and resilient in cyber space.

In 2017, the National Cyber Security Centre warned that UK critical infrastructure such as power stations is at risk of attack, citing Russia as a major threat to national security. This will become even more important to both the UK and its European neighbours as the country prepares to leave the EU in 2019.

According to the PwC Global State of Information Security Survey 2018, the business impact of cyber-attacks is increasing. But at the same time, more than a quarter of companies (28%) do not know how many breaches they have had.

Although the average total financial cost of incidents decreased this year to £857,000, the impact of breaches was felt more widely across both business operations and data. Indeed, companies faced an average of 19 hours of down-time following an attack. Customer records were compromised at one in four organisations.

According to the PwC, only two in five UK companies (44%) formally collaborate with industry peers to improve security and reduce the potential for future risks, compared with 54% across Europe and 58% globally.

GDPR: Are you compliant?

After the Update to General Data Protection regulation (GDPR) came into force in May, companies operating in the EU must comply with new rules governing the use of their data. Whatever changes are made to UK law following Brexit, the GDPR will still apply to UK firms when the country leaves the EU, if they wish to do business with companies in Europe.

Companies that operate within the EU need to take extra precautions to ensure the safety of their data, or they will face a fine of up to 4% of global turnover. But compliance is a complex task for many firms.

With this in mind, The Future of Cyber Security 2018 will offer executives the opportunity to hear about best practice approaches to the new regulation in terms of technology and strategy. As part of this, the event will examine how much work has already been done by businesses, with some quick-fire tips for getting into shape.

Exclusive, invite-only cyber security conference for senior professionals

It’s our 4th year and this will see the event taken to the next level with a new location, more networking time, more streams and bigger name speakers than ever before. In contrast to our previous events, The Future of Cyber Security Manchester Conference 2018 will be a closed-door, invite-only conference and expedition featuring 300 hand-picked senior executives from major UK firms.

The event is aimed at board level executives and senior IT decision-makers from government and industries including critical infrastructure, retail, healthcare and financial services.

The Future of Cyber Security Conference 2018 aims to help businesses to stay one step ahead of attackers through a number of insightful sessions not available at any other security conference.

In just one day, the event will provide essential intelligence that enables senior personnel to stay one step ahead of cyber criminals as the attack surface expands. Covering cyber security in the morning and GDPR in the afternoon, the conference covers today's cyber security trends and threats across Europe - as well as those of the future - equipping delegates with the tools and technology needed to cope in an increasingly complex landscape.

It follows the huge success of our event in March 2018. Capitalising on the success of previous events, this one-day exclusive conference brings 300 senior decision-makers face to face with leading cyber security specialists. Covering the strategic needs of all enterprises, the conference provides delegates with a unique opportunity to learn from thought leaders in the field and gain hands-on experience with the latest technology.

A programme with a difference

The Future of Cyber Security Conference 2018 features a unique programme that allows delegates to choose the topics that interest them most.

There will be an increased opportunity to network with CSOs and senior board level colleagues. Meanwhile, sessions will deliver top level intelligence briefings on cyber security – featuring new technologies and trends and looking at the impact of Brexit on cyber security generally.

Rather than simply delivering a generic overview of the latest developments, these sessions will be structured in a practical way that helps delegates to enhance the cyber security strategies of their organisations.

In the afternoon, delegates will learn key strategic information on the hottest topics in cyber security at the moment, including the fast-approaching GDPR, delivered by major organisations that are leading the thinking and development in these fields.

Learn more about The Future of Cyber Security Conference 2018 or register as a delegate.

Unrivalled opportunities for cyber security specialists

The associated The Future of Cyber Security Conference 2018 exhibition provides suppliers in this field with an unrivalled platform to showcase their products and services. 

The exhibition will benefit from a high volume of visitors throughout the day, with the targeted nature of the conference drawing a national audience of senior decision-makers. 

Learn more about The Future of Cyber Security Europe 2018 or contact us if you would like to register as an exhibitor. As always, we extend a very warm welcome to all our colleagues who share a commitment to improving data security.