The biggest cyber security conference of 2017: The highlights

Sunny San Francisco, cyber security, and Snoop Dogg: what’s not to love? The RSA conference 2017 was a fast–paced whirlwind of new innovations, trends, sharing of best practice and the latest cyber security solutions, showcasing some of the biggest hacks in 2016 and more.  

It really goes without saying that RSA conference is the biggest cyber security convention of the year, every year. IT and security professionals from across the globe flock here, attracting over 30,000 delegates all filled to the brim with expectation for this packed 5–day security extravaganza.  

Covering a myriad of topics, this year’s conference had a lot to showcase when it came to the latest in trends and the direction of the cyber security world. One such topic was machine learning and how it can be utilised to give us next level security protection without the need for direct programming. Machine learning examines traffic and cultivates what you could describe as a normal environment in order to spot abnormalities. This would allow solutions to adjust to threats without direct programming. 

The latest in acronyms brings us BYOK (Bring Your Own Key) which is essentially giving the user the option of holding the encryption keys for their own cloud data. This works by having the data encrypted by the cloud provider and having the customer hold onto the keys. New features and lower prices are the main draw, however one of the main concerns with this is data security. Firstly in connection to the cloud but also giving customers access to their own keys and the responsibility and pressure that comes with holding the key to your own kingdom, so to speak.  

A threat intelligence platform was announced by the Cyber Threat Alliance (CTA). This ongoing development will allow companies to communicate about the threats that cyber-attacks hold. Threats and malicious attacks are constantly evolving and adapting, so sharing knowledge will tighten and strengthen the IT security world. 

Top concerns in relation to IT security were discussed with a huge focus on the lack of cyber security–qualified staff. Understanding the threat is one thing but putting a strategy in place is another and at the core of that strategy sits the professionals who drive change and innovation in a rapidly expanding area of IT. Hiring and identifying security professionals and budgeting were marked as top concerns for an overwhelming portion of attendees.