Event recap – The value of data and the power of security
Business data is worth its weight in gold, but what happens when it ends up in the wrong hands?
The Randstad region was subjected to closed motorways and congestion due to security measures while world leaders and ministers travelled to the NATO summit, and this was the perfect backdrop for our event. Participants were invited to the unforgettable National Military Museum in Soest, where we dove into all things IT security during a day of inspiring sessions led by Don Eijndhoven and Ehsan Razaghi, networking and learning from each others’ security approaches.
Gain an overview of your company’s security.
With new cloud computing methods, growing cyberthreats, and multi-platform management, securing the modern IT environment is more complex than ever. Before integrating new trends and AI into your organisation, we want to work with you to assess whether your security policies align with both your current and future needs. Bechtle helps you understand your IT security and establish a solid foundation for the coming years.
View your organisation from the attacker’s perspective to get ahead of them and make better investments into your digital resilience.
Ehsan Razaghi
Key takeaways
Security is an ongoing process
Digital security requires constant monitoring, regular updates, and active engagement. IT security should be as instinctive as being vigilant when walking alone at night, which means your organisation must be technically well-equipped, and security should be an integral part of your business operations.
Awareness as your first line of defence.
Technology is essential, but it is the employees who really make the difference. Genuine security comes from awareness and responsibility within your organisation. Discussions highlighted that awareness training, clear procedures, prioritisation, and regular testing are just as vital as firewalls and monitoring tools.
AI and data governance
AI presents both opportunities and risks. During this session, we discussed the importance of data governance, quality and management as well as changing laws and regulations. “As a person, you know what your role in society is. You treat people as you wish to be treated, but is the same true of a machine? And if yes, who bears responsibility for it?” asked Don Eijndhoven.
Discover your vulnerabilities
When you view your business from the perspective of attackers, you’ll have a better understanding and be able to better invest in your resilience. During our event, the Bechtle Darknet Scan offered insights into the vulnerabilities present in our participants’ domains. Did you have a scan? Would you like to discuss the results with a consultant? Request an appointment.
A look back on the sessions
Digital threats and technological independence
(Don Eijndhoven)
Our dependence on technology demands that we take action and we need to invest in our own companies and build a powerful Dutch tech market.
Don Eijndhoven
Don Eijndhoven is an authority in the field of cybersecurity. He understands where digital threats originate and how we stand against them. Don sees the big picture and can clearly explain complex security issues.
Cyber warfare is no longer an abstract concept. It impacts daily news, influences relationships, and forces governments worldwide to create new legislation and policies. “This is the world we live in, and we have to deal with it,” Don says.
During his keynote, he provided critical analyses of the international threat landscape and answered pressing questions from the audience. Don made it very clear that technological independence requires action and he wants people to invest in their own tech companies and build a strong Dutch tech market.
As CISO, Don has advised organisations around the globe. He regularly speaks at international conferences and, in 2011, founded the Dutch Cyber Warfare Community—a non-profit network organisation with 2,500 members from the Dutch military, government, and commercial sector.
The most common types of attack
(Ehsan Razaghi)
Awareness of digital threats should become second nature and for that, a solid technical foundation is key.
Ehsan Razaghi
During this session, Ehsan Razaghi, Senior Ethical Hacker at Secwatch, took us through how to carry out pen tests to identify vulnerabilities. His message was clear: “View your organisation from the attacker’s perspective to get ahead of them and make better investments in your digital resilience.”
He then went on to demonstrate how phishing attacks are carried out, describing the various kinds of attackers, why anyone could fall victim and how public information is often a springboard for attacks. This was followed up by a lively discussion on raising awareness among colleagues. Would a training seminar be the best choice or maybe a phishing campaign? “Awareness should become second nature and for that, a solid technical foundation is key,” answered Ehsan. Digital security should be as instinctive as being vigilant when walking alone at night, which is why he believes awareness is just as important as technical measures.
His advice? Identify your vulnerabilities, prioritise and work with a clear roadmap towards optimised digital resilience.
Collective memory
As regular participants know, we always like to incorporate some kind of playful element into our events and this time we played ‘Collective Memory’. Our host, Gijs van der Putten, asked the audience to share their initial thoughts or impressions on each video shown. What stuck in their minds? And how well does that match with the keywords our experts prepared in advance?
Policy and technology – Collective Memory
Part 1
Digital security requires a clear framework and intelligent technologies, but how can new laws and tools such as AI be implemented? In part one, we discussed the impact of technical and political developments on businesses.
Astrid Oosenbrug (Public Affairs & CSR Officer at ESET and former Member of Parliament) talked about the European Union’s strict cybersecurity regulations. Although they have been designed to boost digital security, SMEs in particular are feeling the pressure, which is why she asked what we knew about cybersecurity regulations and their impact on small and medium-sized businesses. Participants mentioned aspects such as a lack of knowledge, over-complexity, legal impacts and the opportunity for collaboration and teamwork. These matched well with the panel’s keywords which were certification, mandatory reporting, supply chain security, and collective digital security.
Following up from that, Pecko Leenen (IT & Digital Manager at Efteling) explained how AI is used to optimise the visitor experience and make work more efficient and smarter. The participants were then asked what they know about AI and data governance and they mentioned things like AI knowledge, awareness, regulations, data protection and garbage in, garbage out. The experts listed data quality and governance, digital regulations, shadow IT and responsible AI.
People and perception – Collective Memory
Part 2
Technology is not just about systems, it’s about the people, too. In part two of our game, we focused on the human side of digital resilience.
Joris Rooijackers (Security Consultant at Bechtle) talked about ethical hacking. There are so many wild ideas doing the rounds about hacking and what might be possible. If you believe the news, we are constantly being eavesdropped on, and there’s no such thing as privacy any more. What does the audience know about ethical hacking?
Well, they managed to get all four terms our experts came up with, which is evidence of the increasing awareness of this topic. Those terms were pen test, social engineering, white hat hacker, and risk mitigation.
Event manager Yvonne van Gorkum concluded the session with a look at the latest IT hypes and trends. What will remain relevant and what will be long forgotten by next year? The question, therefore, was what do you know about IT hypes and trends in the digital world? The audience mentioned AI, cloud, AGI, IoT, deepfakes, crypto, influencers, socials, as a service, and much more. The experts, on the other hand, focused on AI, as a service, geopolitical threats, and sustainable IT, showing once again that the audience was in tune with current digital developments.
Watch the recap video
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Gain an overview of your company’s security.
With new cloud computing methods, growing cyberthreats, and multi-platform management, securing the modern IT environment is more complex than ever. Before integrating new trends and AI into your organisation, we want to work with you to assess whether your security policies align with both your current and future needs. Bechtle helps you understand your IT security and establish a solid foundation for the coming years.