One cannot deny Southeast Asia has become a hotbed for cybercrime activities in 2022. Besides, the region has experienced an increase in DDoS attacks, ransomware attacks, attacks against industrial control systems (ICS), business email compromises, and phishing attacks — the list is endless. Despite substantial annual spending on cybersecurity, breaches are still being reported at a disturbingly high rate.  

Enterprises have been trying to put their best foot forward to mitigate the threats and attacks. In addition, they initiate ransomware planning and response with the adoption of concepts such as ‘zero trust’, layered security approach, and multifactor authentication. While these have helped address a few tactical requirements, CISOs have been grappling with the challenge of taking a long-term strategy to fight threats.  

The keynote session will dive into how enterprises need to bolster their defences in fighting threats in 2022 and beyond and the lessons learned. 

The industry has witnessed the largest breaches and security incidents involving third-party vendors. These include mishaps involving business associates and vulnerabilities and exploits involving third-party software and supply chain partners. Organizations have now started establishing departments focused exclusively on third-party vendor risk management to assess third-party risks and mitigate them. 

The session will cover: 

• How to eliminate third-party risks by using the right tools 
• How to evaluate third-party vendors’ security 
• Streamlining software bills of materials

Most OT systems are designed with little consideration for security. With increased cyber risk in this new digital transformation era, any approach to bridge the IT and OT divide is mission-critical for enterprise security. 

As a CISO, can you reduce risk, security and risk management function silos to bridge the security gaps?  Can you deploy suitable asset inventory methods and map the IT/OT risks? 

This session will cover:  

• Building complete visibility and monitoring your IT and OT assets with the right access control 
• Integrating OT threat monitoring into SoC for threat detection
• .Implementing essential steps to establish OT security

Every industry has unique jargon and buzzwords, and cybersecurity is no different.  The challenge faced by IT professionals across the globe is how to engage employees effectively in their role in making better online decisions.  Breaking down the technical elements into non-technical elements is not as easy as you think.

There are tried and true methods to communicate cybersecurity effectively in your organisation. This session will demonstrate the positive impact this can have on creating behaviour change and move you towards building a culture of security.

In this session, you will discover:

• The value of effective communication as it relates to cybersecurity
• The elephant in the room - human error
• How people move from learning to behaviour change
• What doesn't work vs what does work

Where does the journey to “zero trust” begin and what are the common entry points for accessing data? Experts agree that “zero trust” is based on the “assume breach” premise that treats every asset as breached and all traffic as hostile. 

The question that arises is: Are CISOs using the “zero trust” concept to establish cyber resiliency to improve their defenses in fighting threats? 

The session will cover:  

• How has the approach toward security changed as security perimeters disappear? 
• How to assess the maturity of the “zero trust” state with a realistic look at security and its dependencies on other functions in securing the future work environment? 

The majority of CISOs across regions face the single-most significant challenge of procuring necessary funding to support their cybersecurity programs. Are security leaders creating value for business as part of technology innovation? Are the functions of the CTO and CISO aligned in driving innovation and establishing a cyber-resilient enterprise?   

The session discusses how to align the CTO and CISO to a common goal to facilitate the continued success of their organization. Where is the disconnect?  

Cloud computing brings a whole new level of autonomy and functionality to an organization, besides enhancing performance, agility, productivity and scalability. The pandemic has created the urgency for enterprises to move to cloud, and enterprises are in a race to adopt the “cloud-first” strategy to optimize the IT spend and secure their hybrid work environment. However, the major challenge is to tackle the risk associated with moving legacy applications to the cloud and find ways to build a risk management program to protect these applications. 

The session will cover:  

• Risks of moving legacy applications to the cloud 
• Building an effective risk management program 
• A holistic approach to protect cloud applications 

The ongoing challenges to fill mass cybersecurity job vacancies amid the backdrop of a lack of diversity continues to haunt one of the world’s hottest industries. 

According to analysts, we are witnessing the ratio of women rising in the cybersecurity industry growing by 11% year on year.  

However, the big challenge is how to attract and retain them and bridge the skill gap and empower them. What are the unique challenges women CISOs face in their journey and what takes them to the top to be leaders?   

The session will discuss:  

• Changing role of women in cybersecurity;  
• Essential skills that women prefer to build;  
• Women’s contribution to securing the enterprise – a unique approach  

Organizations have been incorporating new tech and smart devices over the years.  These become the weakest link for cybercriminals to get and stay inside an organization. 

You’re securing more endpoints than ever across the most significant attack surface. Enter: IoT devices and the risks they bring. But they also get new business benefits. The threat is real for operators and manufacturers of connected devices. 

The session will discuss:    

• IoT risks and who is impacted by them   
• A reality check of security by design in IoT   
• How do malware developers and hackers plan an attack against IoT devices

Enterprises across the region are encouraged to invest in the infrastructure needed to build a secure and robust platform for business transformation and to support the digital economy.    

Can they align their strategy with business priorities and rise to the expectations? What does digital innovation mean to security, and where is the disconnect? How to address the skill challenge? What needs to change, both tactically and strategically, to build a cyber-resilient organization?