PSA Security Network is hosting the first Cybersecurity Congress January 20 to 21, 2015,†in Westminster, Colo. The two-day event will bring together C-level decision makers from both the IT and physical security industries that have purchasing and decision-making authority, to help them take action against cybersecurity threats. Attendees will learn about risks and liabilities they face, how to establish policies to defend against or respond to threats, and how to adopt security control standards for their organization.†
Targeted attendees include physical security systems integration decision makers (CEO, CFO, COO), CIOs and CTOs, IT decision makers, physical security consultants, Certified Protection Professionals (CPPs), cybersecurity consultants and service providers, cybersecurity hardware and software providers, physical security manufacturers, and CPAs.
According to PSA Security Network, when asked to identify key areas where they needed to build their awareness, target attendees indicated that learning IT and cybersecurity terminology, understanding threats and vulnerabilities, cloud computing and enterprise security, and mobile device security were among their top concerns.
PSA Security Network is the world’s largest electronic security cooperative with more than 225 members responsible for over $2 billion of security purchas≠ing power serving all seven of the major vertical markets—healthcare, government, education, commercial, banking, transportation, and critical infrastructure.
While the cooperative’s roots are in physical security, “It seemed like no one was taking the lead in bringing partners together,” says Bill Bozeman, president of PSA (pictured). “We have the infrastructure to make that happen.”
He adds, “We know the physical security provider will not be the ultimate cybersecurity solution; they are looking to partner with cybersecurity [experts] and to go to the end user as a team. Ours is a mature business—physical security integrators span the globe and have a long history. We have a huge account base in government, heavy industry, oil and gas, banking—and they’re all concerned with cybersecurity.”
Indeed, more than half of the target attendees for the congress represent small businesses, the revenue sector whose cybersecurity attack risk has doubled in the past three years, according to the National Cyber Security Alliance. Moreover, the National Cyber Security Alliance reports that 9 out of 10 small businesses do not have a formal written Internet security policy for employees, and 50 percent of all targeted attacks were aimed at businesses with fewer than 2,500 employees.
For cybersecurity providers, the physical security integrators offer a new customer base, says Bozeman. “Most cybersecurity folks are relatively small companies; giving them access to PSA customers is good for them.” The congress will also offer opportunity for attorneys and insurance providers to learn more about cybersecurity. “It’s an opportunity to bring several disciplines together.”
The majority of IT integrators “don’t have an active cybersecurity program, and cybersecurity providers don’t consider themselves IT integrators. This will be a learning experience—should they partner with [penetration] testing firms? Should they try to open a division in their company or partner? What kind of liability do they have? It also applies to physical security providers. How should they be approaching their users, to explain partners, solutions, and cost? The physical security integrator and the IT integrator are in the same boat.”
Both will need to prove to end users that they’re a “risk-responsible provider,” Bozeman says. “Whether you offer [cybersecurity] services or not, you will have to be able to explain your position. I’ve had people in the physical security camp say it’s not my problem, but it’s very much their problem.” Bozeman says they will be held accountable and be part of lawsuits when it’s determined that, say, the HVAC controller was a point of vulnerability for a cyber-attack.”
To help attendees understand their liability, some of the planned sessions include:
- Spanning the Scale of Cyber Threats: Critical Issues Facing the Senior Leader
- Authority and Responsibility: Establishing Proper Legal Limits for Your Cyber Security Program
- Enterprise Risk Management: Strengthening Your Oversight of Cyber Security Risks
- Security Vulnerability of Connected Devices: How Deep and Wide is Your Security Perimeter?
- Assess, Manage and Monitor: Establishing Security Program Policy From the Top Down
- Secure Design Integration Model: Performance and Design Qualifications for a Shielded Supply Chain
- CPE Cybersecurity & Privacy Program for CPA ethics credits. The legal and technical requirements for CPAs
- Increasing Revenues by Making Cybersecurity Part of Your Security Solution
- Industry Outlook:†Cybersecurity Players, Products and Trends on the Rise
Bozeman says the first day of registration for the congress “exceeded original projections for attendance.” While this event is exclusively for C-level decision makers, Bozeman says there will be another event in May for others who are interested. “This is a hot subject. There are a zillion cyber conferences, but none doing what we’re doing—focusing on what is it you as an integrator need to do/learn/benefit from.”
This event is being produced in collaboration with exclusive media partners Security Sales & Integration and ChannelPro-SMB.†
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