RSA Conference 2018 is just under two weeks away, and there isn’t a better moment to talk about data security and privacy.
The theme for RSA this year is ‘Now Matters.’ Based on the countless data breaches, hacks and ransomware attacks that occurred in the past year, now certainly matters We saw new forms of ransomware with the WannaCry and Petya attacks that took place in the Spring of 2017 as a result of the Shadow Broker’s NSA data dump. While Petya has been stopped, WannaCry continues to cause havoc. Late last year, Equifax suffered one of the biggest data breaches to date and continues to affect more customers than previously reported. The breaches even infiltrated government elections, and could continue to cause harm in the upcoming mid-term elections in the United States.
The latest industry news is the report regarding Cambridge Analytica’s use of Facebook’s clients’ personal data. From what we know so far, this incident may be recorded as the biggest misuse of personal data ever. While this story is still developing, it will certainly be discussed at the conference.
A few other topics that will be discussed at the conference are cryptography, the sophistication and increase in cyber attacks, as well as security in government. One keynote session I’m looking forward to is with Kirstjen Nielsen, Secretary of the United States Department of Homeland Security. She will be speaking about how the department is working to protect the country’s citizens and organizations from cyberattacks, breaches and cybercrime.
Thales will also have a speaking session at the conference. Be sure to check out Thales eSecurity CTO, John Geater’s session, “Alice in Post Quantum Wonderland: Bob through the Digital Looking Glass,” on Thursday, April 19, from 3:00 – 3:45 p.m. PT (session code: SPO2-R14). John will discuss what quantum, AI, digital transformation and blockchain mean for security.
On the expo floor, the Thales booth will be busy with meetings and conversations with our customers, partners and prospective customers. This year, we will be showcasing a cyber-escape room. Come by and take your chance to assist Ninety Corp. and its CEO, Tony Prince, t in stopping an imminent security breach by hackers.
Finally, I’m particularly looking forward to the RSAC College Day on Thursday, April 19. The RSA Conference opens the expo floor and track sessions to college students for free. They can explore potential job opportunities or learn more about the industry to determine if they want to pursue a career in cybersecurity.
With reports that estimate the gap between available, qualified cybersecurity professionals and unfulfilled positions will reach 1.8 million by 2022, we certainly need more young professionals entering the cybersecurity workforce. I wrote more about this skills gap in my previous blog post.
If you are attending RSA Conference 2018, be sure to stop by the Thales booth in the North Expo Hall #3425. You can also check back in on the Thales eSecurity blog, as my colleagues will be writing about RSA-related topics ahead of the show. See you at the conference!