More than 8 in 10 businesses see potential cyber attacks as a major threat to business operations

More than one third of businesses in Ireland have experienced a cyber attack so far in 2017, according to the  Dublin Information Sec 2017 survey of Irish businesses.

A further 54pc expect a cyber attack on their business before the end of the year, according to the survey which comes ahead of the second annual cyber security conference on November 1^st, sponsored by eir Business, a Cisco Gold Partner. The event will be opened by Tanaiste and Minister for Business, Enterprise and Innovation, Frances Fitzgerald.

US Assistant Secretary for Cyber Security at the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), Jeanette Manfra was announced today as a keynote speaker for Dublin Information Sec 2017. Manfra supports the DHS’ mission of strengthening the security and resilience of the nation’s critical infrastructure.

Dublin Information Sec 2017 will take place on Wednesday November 1^st in the RDS, Dublin, from 08.00 until 17.30.

More than 8 in 10 businesses see potential cyber attacks as a major threat to business operations.

Some 82pc of respondents agreed that IT Security is a priority at board level, however for almost 2 in 10 businesses, this is not the case. Staff training to prevent against a data security breach is in place at almost 6 in 10 companies surveyed. The human factor in cyber security will be explored in depth at Dublin Information Sec.

With the upcoming General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) coming into force on May 25^th 2018, more than half (56pc) of respondents claim that their company is not prepared for the GDPR. Some 32pc claim that they are not aware of the implications of the new regulations.

Significantly, 91pc of those surveyed believe that Ireland is not prepared for a cyber security attack on the State.

Cyber security industry experts will address the threat landscape for businesses at Dublin Information Sec 2017, focusing on tools and technologies to protect against infections and security breaches.

Paolo Perfetti, CITO, eir and speaker at the event said, “These survey results are interesting but unsurprising – more and more business leaders are recognising the threat posed by cybercrime, and an increasing number have already been directly impacted by such an event. The trends we are seeing are not likely to reverse, so we must get better at raising awareness, building protection and formulating responses. Dublin Information Sec 2017 is an excellent opportunity for the business community to learn from experts in the field when it comes to protecting businesses.”

Cliona Carroll, Sponsorship and Events Manager, INM added: “Such is the threat of hacking to businesses that cyber security requires ongoing vigilance and knowledge. Dublin Information Sec 2017 will gather leading experts in the field to highlight current cyber threats.”

The event will be chaired by Adrian Weckler, Technology Editor INM.

Confirmed speakers include at Dublin Information Sec 2017 include;

• Jeanette Manfra, US Assistant Secretary, Office of Cyber Security and Communications, National Protection and Programs Directorate, Department of Homeland Security
• Joseph Carson, Cyber Security Strategist at Thycotic
• Paolo Perfetti, Chief Information Technology Officer, eir
• Bradley C. Birkenfeld, Banker and Whistleblower, author of Lucifer’s Banker: The Untold Story of How I Destroyed Swiss Bank Secrecy
• Dr Jessica Barker, Cyber.uk
• Brian Honan, CEO, BH Consulting; Special Advisor to Europol’s Cybercrime Centre (EC3), Cyber Security Consultant
• Dinos Anthony Kerigan-Kyrou, co-author of NATO’s cybersecurity training programme and curriculum, member of Emerging Security Challenges Working Group based at the Partnership for Peace Consortium in Garmisch, Germany
• Paul Hogan, Chief Technology Officer, Ward Solutions

Dublin Information Sec 2017 will specifically address the following: 

• Cloud security
• The BYOD challenge for enterprises and public sector bodies
• The cyber security issues of critical infrastructure
• Risk, threats and adversaries – who should you really be worried about?
• What to do about ransomware
• How to plan and prepare for a Distributed Denial of Service (DDOS) attack
• How to stay ahead of hackers
• Why and how I did it: a hacker’s story
• Improving Your Organisation’s Security Health: Windows, Android and iOS – strengths and weaknesses in choosing between them
• Regulation: Security ramifications of GDPR
• Regulatory threats and penalties in IT security
• Brexit and security
• Real World Security Solutions: Classic mistakes and how to avoid them
• Solutions: Are biometrics an answer for organisations’ security issues? How and when are they allowed to be used?

For more information and tickets for this Independent News and Media event please click here.