Each wave of technology brings its own challenges in terms of new threats and expected safeguards, and it is arguable that we have not caught up with yesterday’s challenges yet. Steven Furnell moderates a panel session with Elisa Bertino, Nancy Cam-Winget, Edgar Weippl, and Ali Ghorbani to discuss the issue. The panel was part of the ICISSP 2017 conference in Porto from 19-21 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Nathan Clarke describes two approaches to utilising transparent biometrics for investigating and attributing insider misuse: a proactive approach that embeds biometrics within digital objects (to identify and attribute the source of any stolen information); and a reactive measure that seeks to identify users from network meta-data. The talk was part of the panel session at the 16th Annual Security Conference, held in Las Vegas from 18-20 April 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Tiger Team assessments can be specifically tailored to a company's threats (encompassing IT, physical and human security) and reflect the actual risk for the company. Thomas Hackner discusses all three areas and demonstrates typical vulnerabilities, along with the solutions required to protect companies. The talk was part of Secure South West 8 at Plymouth University on 7 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
In a landscape characterised by hacking, malware, phishing and other attacks, how is cybercrime affecting trust and confidence in technologies we depend upon? What should we be most concerned about? How much can technology protect us? Are we keeping pace, or perpetually playing catch-up? Steven Furnell chairs a panel discussion, with Nathan Clarke, Victoria Stone and Pete Woodward. The session was part of Secure South West 8 at Plymouth University on 7 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Rob Partridge talks about how employers and employees can develop skills for themselves and in their workforce using innovative approaches to learning and education, specifically in the security environment. He also talks about dispelling myths around cyber skills and challenging employers to change recruitment practices to find talented security professionals. The session was part of Secure South West 8 at the University of Plymouth on 7 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Jane Dickinson talks about CompTIA's approach to supporting individuals and businesses with security readiness, including the CyberSecure certification (which empowers individuals to keep themselves – and organisations they work for – safe online), and the Cybersecurity Pathway, which supports development of the security skills each IT professional requires, according to job role. The talk was part of Secure South West 8 at Plymouth University on 7 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
It is acknowledged that cyber security is critical to UK PLC, enabling business to prosper in a safe environment. Robin King considers elements key to the UK’s ability to step forward with an enhanced, nationally-embraced improvement in baseline cyber security. He explores views shared from several organisations directly addressing the challenges of supply chain assurance. The talk was part of Secure South West 8 at Plymouth University on 7 February 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
While it is tempting to write off passwords, research suggests that weaknesses relating to user behaviour can be addressed by more effective guidance and feedback. Related findings are presented as scene-setting for a panel discussion, considering the pros and cons of sustaining password-based approaches, and the feasibility of moving to alternatives. The session was part of the 50th Hawaii International Conference on System Sciences from 5 January 2017. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Recognising the breadth of cyber security, there is a corresponding recognition of the widening need for skills - from strategists to specialists – and the contexts in which they are needed. Steven Furnell considers the current state of cyber security skills, including how we recognise them, whether we have them, and how this positions us for the future. The session was part of the Cyber Career Development Event, hosted by the IISP in London on 25 November 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Thinking offensively will harden a business' cyber defenses. Ian Trump, Global Security Lead for SolarWindsMSP describes the common attacks which leave a business infrastructure in tatters. The reality of cyber defense is it's the simple - and in some cases free - things which can be done to catch and stop attackers. The session was part of Secure South West 7, at Plymouth University on 5 October 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Footage from the Retro Gaming 2016 event, hosted at Plymouth University on 7th November 2016 (part of the South West Retro Computing Archive collaboration with the BCS South West Branch). [Released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales licence.]
Data protection remains high on the agenda, as the ICO continues to take action against organisations who fail to fulfil their obligations under the law. Victoria Cetinkaya provides a timely reminder of data controller obligations under the current law, together with a look at the changes (and uncertainties) afoot for the future data protection framework in the UK. The session was part of Secure South West 7 at Plymouth University on 5 October 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Steven Furnell moderates a panel session discussing the need for cyber security skills and the implications of the widely recognised skills shortage. Providing the expert input are Peter Fischer from the IISP, Maria Papadaki from Plymouth University, and Peter Woodward from Securious Ltd. The session was part of Secure South West 7, at Plymouth University on 5 October 2016. [Released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales licence.]
In a threat landscape dominated by malware that is designed to be as unobtrusive as possible, ransomware stands out as a blunt instrument in the hands of cybercriminals. David Emm explains what ransomware is, how it works, what techniques cybercriminals use, and what organisations need to do to secure their data. The session was part of Secure South West 7 on 5 October 2016. [Released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales licence.]
This presentation addresses the complexity, scale and depth of information security challenges within an environment; it defines a methodical approach that can be transferred to other organisations to remediate the problems identified. Craig Douglas and Paul Ferrier introduce the Enterprise Architecture approach to consolidate, evolve and orchestrate Information Security developments at Plymouth University. The session was part of Secure South West 7 on 5 October 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
John Finch examines the anatomy of a cyber-attack that caused a breach of public sector data, considering the impact assessment, the remediation applied, and future implications. This details a type of data breach that has been happening for years, but is now becoming more widely publicised. The talk considers what you can do about it, how to spot it and what can be done nationally. The session was part of Secure South West 7 at Plymouth University on 5 October 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
A recurrent theme of exploits and attacks on ICT systems is a root cause resulting from software weaknesses, with certain risks (e.g. Buffer Overflows) recurring on a depressingly frequent basis. In this talk, Ian Bryant covers the Trustworthy Software approach, which is intended to be a proactive management system to mitigate many frequently occurring risks. The session was part of Secure South West 7 at Plymouth University on 5 October 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
The ICT professional has to design, develop, and maintain appropriate measures in ICT systems to provide assurance that they are secure enough. The ICT professional must have the right knowledge, skills and competencies, must be responsible and accountable, and has a duty of care. In this keynote talk from HAISA 2016, Leon Strous asks how we can achieve a situation where our profession meets the expectations. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Given the ease with which our online data can be gathered by manual search and automated tools, should we take more care over what we share? Prof. Steven Furnell moderates a panel session that considers the implications and risks of online data sharing, and the potential impacts for both individuals and their employers. The panel was a joint event from the South West branches of BCS and IISP, hosted at Plymouth University on 26 May 2016. [(CC) BY-NC-SA 2.0 UK]
Steven Furnell moderates a panel exploring the varying views around cybersecurity, considering whether the name reflects something distinct or just a case of rebranding, before going on to discuss whether this even matters given the increased prominence it has given to security issues. The panel was part of the 15th Annual Security Conference in Las Vegas from 29-31 March 2016. [Released under Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 UK: England & Wales licence.]