Credited with
tracking down the authors of the first PC virus, Hypponen has
assisted law enforcement officials on cybercrime cases across the
globe
International Data Corporation predicts Middle East IT spending to exceed USD32 billion (AED 117.5 billion) this year
Dubai,
United Arab Emirates
Cyber-security
threats continue to be among the biggest challenge in today’s
hi-tech, modern economies throughout the globe.
The
swift and increasingly sophisticated manner at which these threats
endanger a growing dependence on online interactions and transactions
across various business and economic sectors have spurred an equally
rapid increase in demand for a secure information technology (IT)
infrastructure.
With
the International
Data Corporation (IDC) predicting that the
Middle East’s spending on IT products and services is to increase
by 7.3% year on year in 2014 to top USD32 billion (AED
117.5
billion). A host of top IT security experts and industry leaders, led
by IT security expert Mikko Hypponen, will address the industry at
GISEC 2014.
Chief Research Officer
of F-Secure, Hypponen will discuss the significance of critical
information security issues to empower businesses with superior
protection. Best known for having led a team through the largest
outbreaks in history and tracked down the authors of the first PC
virus, Hypponen
also assisted law enforcement in USA, Europe and Asia on cybercrime
cases.
Having
named the infamous ‘Storm Worm’ and done classified briefings on
the Stuxnet worm, Hypponen was selected among the 50 most important
people on the web by the PC
World magazine and
was included in the FP Global 100 Thinkers list. He also received the
Virus Bulletin Award, awarded every 10 years, as the ‘Best Educator
in Industry’.
“The online risks are
changing all the time and online crime is always international
crime.” Hypponen said. “National police forces and legal systems
are finding it extremely difficult to keep up with the rapid growth
of online crime, which is why I’ll be glad to address the GISEC
audience and share the latest news from the online underground.”
Also
among the high-profile experts speaking at GISEC is Chief Information
Security Officer (CISO) at Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Robert
Bigman who will deliver a keynote address. Bigman will talk about
commercial I.T. system security and why most attacks can be thwarted
by intelligent I.T. network architecture. He will address the reasons
why global corporations and governments keep making the same
mistakes, as well as why acquiring the best cyber security technology
is not necessarily the best approach to prevent cybercrime.
Organisations need to
invest more to protect their business from IT threats. Where to
invest and how much are the main issues for Chief Information
Security Officer’s (CISO) to help their companies face threats. IT
professionals are aware that cyber-security is more complicated than
just ensuring an anti-virus is up to date. It involves sophisticated
strategies to adequately protect them against realistic threats.
Chairman of the
Board of Directors at (ISC)2 Wim Remes will also speak at the
conference and discuss how much security is enough to identify
weaknesses. He will likewise talk about how to measure potential
impact and apply strategic approaches to integrate security measures
in an ever-evolving infrastructure.
According to Remes, “as
technology becomes pervasive in our day to day life, security has
developed as a key requirement in all systems we interact with. I
believe that sharing knowledge and experience is key to building a
trusted and secure society and GISEC enables us to do that.”
Furthermore,
according to IDC's predictions, governments in the MEA region will
concentrate on solidifying security of national information assets.
They will likewise reinforce agencies that keep tabs and protect the
national frontline against cyber-attacks.
GISEC, which takes
place 9-11 June 2014 at Dubai World Trade Centre, addresses the need
of having a detailed
understanding of advanced IT offerings that are critical to today’s
businesses and governments. The
two-day conference, held on 10 and 11 June, alongside the
free-to-attend security sessions, will host delegates from over 18
countries and engage them on different topics including threat
intelligence and analytics, cloud usage management and deployment,
and mobile security among others.
Powered by GITEX
TECHNOLOGY WEEK, the region’s leading Information and
Communications Technology (ICT) event, GISEC is strictly a trade-only
event and is open to business and trade visitors from within the
industry only. GISEC is open 10am-6pm from 9-11 June 2014 at Sheikh
Maktoum Hall at Dubai World Trade Centre. Visitor attendance is free
of charge.
