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When the enemy is within the company – experience cyber attacks and their consequences live on stage. On November 4th, the UBIT Expert Group for IT Security held its annual main event for the 5th time on the topics of data protection, weak points in IT networks and security in the network together with the State Criminal Police Office of Carinthia.


Cybercrime cases are increasing worldwide. The consequences of a loss event are often even life-threatening. “When the enemy is in the company” was the focus of the Cyber Security Night in Klagenfurt. IT experts and IT forensics experts explained what is really important when it comes to data security in a company.

Cyber Security Night 2021

 

f.l.: Marc Gfrerer (4conform GmbH), Kurt Wolf (WKK) and UBIT Chariman Martin Zandonella in a secure environment

At the entrance to MAKERSPACE Klagenfurt on November 4th at around 5:30 p.m. it became clear – safety is the top priority here. The participants were welcomed through a corridor consisting of numerous blue uniforms – well protected.

f.l.: UBIT Expert Groups Chairman Martin Zandonella, CoC President Jürgen Mandl and Moderator Thorsten Jost.

The event was opened by IT Security Expert Group spokesman and SIC focus group leader Thorsten Jost (secriso Consulting GmbH), who also led the evening as a data protection expert and witty moderator. During the opening ceremony, CoC President Jürgen Mandl and UBIT Expert Groups Chairman Martin Zandonella shared their experiences and assessments of cyber crime in the technical and economic environment.

Questioning the requirement for sensitive data

With Christian Baumgartner as an experienced IT forensic scientist, the State Criminal Police Office also clearly demonstrated the serious economic and existential consequences of cyber crime with numerous practical scenarios and terrifying statistics and facts in the regional as well as national environment of affected companies.

In order to create a concrete awareness of the potential weak points for a cyber attack within your own company, the IT security experts, in cooperation with the security experts Holger Schmitz and Wolfgang Stauder, managing directors of Trainexpert (TE), staged a deployment of the criminal investigation department in the company , in which due to the tracing of an internal company IP address for an illegal purchase of addictive substances in the deep web and insufficient information and lack of information on the part of the employer, the entire company hardware had to be confiscated for an investigation so the company was no longer able to do its day-to-day business for a certain period of time.

Fictitious? Probably not. According to the expert, 63% of all white-collar crime cases are “internal perpetrators”, ie employees who use access to sensitive company data for their own purposes. Home office also plays a major role here. It is best to clarify important decisions over the phone and question unclear emails.

“Data protection and IT security is not a one-time investment, but an ongoing process. We call this monitoring.”

Protecting and Securing Data for digital Emergencies

Holger Schmitz and Wolfgang Stauder also contributed their expertise as part of their own keynote speech on the subject of data protection and finding offenders within their own network using log files, correct firewall configuration and numerous other approaches. “Data protection and IT security is not a one-time investment, but an ongoing process. We call it monitoring”, says Holger Schmitz from Trainexpert.

The event was rounded off with a contribution by Kerstin Keltner, insurance advisor at Koban Südvers Group GmbH. The expert for cyber insurance and protection against damage in the digital area, in particular, went into current threats such as ransomware or phishing and explained how to help in an emergency.

The event was rounded off with a contribution by Kerstin Keltner, insurance advisor at Koban Südvers Group GmbH. The expert for cyber insurance and protection against damage in the digital area, in particular, went into current threats such as ransomware or phishing and explained how to help in an emergency.

WKK Funding Model for Cyber Security Initiatives

The new funding model “Start with Security!” is also intended to improve IT security in Carinthia, which EPUs and SMEs should benefit from. “It is extremely important to take preventive action against cyber crime”, said Martin Zandonella. As part of the low-threshold funding model, entrepreneurs have the opportunity to apply for funding for investments, advice and training for employees in the field of IT security in cooperation with UBIT service providers and consultants from the IT security expert group of the WKK.

We would like to thank the organizers and all participants for the great and informative event and are already looking forward to the next edition of the Cyber Security Night. A visual summary of the CSN 21 is also available in the KT1 media library!

With trustworthy digital greetings from the SIC!