4 tips RSA Conference 2017 will teach you about cybersecurity

This article is sponsored by RSA

You wouldn’t leave the door to your home unlocked when you go out for the day, right? No intelligent business person would. But while it might be second nature to you to check your physical locks, does your organization apply the same diligence to your digital assets?

Sadly, even in this time of heightened awareness of cyber threats, we aren’t as protected online as we think you are. CBS News reported that according to studies by IBM, there are 1.5 million annual cyber attacks, and the Federal government, state governments, and businesses are targeted more often than individuals. On average, IBM estimates a organizations must repel up to 46 cyber attacks per day. The problem is, there is no one perfect solution that can work for everyone.

These unique challenges are why upward of 40,000 security professionals, coders and government employees gather each year at RSA Conference in San Francisco (Feb. 13-17). At the conference, industry experts from around the world explore the options businesses have to ensure they and their customers are offered the highest level of cyber protection.

For 2017, the Government’s cybersecurity mission is a key focus area

“The threat landscape changes rapidly. Thus, the biggest roadblock companies have is believing that one approach will solve everything,” Stephen Ellis, public sector marketing lead at RSA Security, explained. “That’s why the public sector needs to come together to tackle this problem.”

New this year is a free program, RSA Public Sector Day (Monday, February 13) featuring keynotes, sessions, and networking tailored for public sector workers, including federal, state and local government employees, and private sector employees whose work supports the mission of the government.

Here are a few of the topics this year’s speakers intend on exploring.

Why firewalls might not be your best cybersecurity option

When you think cybersecurity, the idea of a firewall is likely the first option that comes to mind. However, Heather Adkins, director of information security and privacy for Google, and Rory Ward, Google’s site reliability engineering manager, will be explaining why firewalls are no longer Google’s go-to solution for cyber threats. “The increasing mobility of professional users has brought an end to the traditional corporate security perimeter,” their session description explains.

The importance of making web developers security-conscious

The trick to keeping any business secure is to start with the framing. When web developers prioritize security in their coding, the entire structure of your online presence will be better protected. Convincing your developers to change their coding habits might be half the journey, however. That’s why Christopher Romeo, CEO of Security Journey, plans on exploring “why developers reject security and … a programmatic approach to answer the challenges.”

How to combat ransomware

If you haven’t heard of ransomware viruses yet, the odds are you will in the years to come. This malicious software can block access to your computer systems until you’ve paid a ransom, and though it most often targets individuals, the risk to businesses rises every year. That’s why a panel of industry experts, including the head of Intel Security and a director from the Department of Homeland Security, will be spending a full day educating attendees on ransomware and “its multifaceted implications across technical policy, compliance and financial response.”

Best practices for securing the ‘cloud’

As more and more sensitive data is stored online, there are more and more avenues from whence hackers can attack. The Cloud offers many benefits to businesses, but can also be a vulnerability if it’s not effectively protected. The Cloud Security Alliance Summit comes early in RSA Conference and its speakers will be describing the latest trends in cloud technology, recent security innovations and some universal best practices every company should be using.

Enhance your organization’s cybersecurity posture, register to attend RSA Conference 2017. If you are a public sector employee, register now to attend the free public sector seminars on the first day of the conference, Monday, February 13.

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