An appeal to mid-sized businesses: “Join the cybersecurity discussion, PLEASE!” urges Virus Bulletin

Independent certification body reveals new content and incentives to attract a key economic pillar of the US

[Tuesday 13 September, 2016] Online security information portal and certification body, Virus Bulletin (VB), strongly appeals to mid-sized organisations to attend its 26th International Virus Bulletin conference (#VB2016) in Denver Colorado on 5-7 October 2016.

For 26 years, the international Virus Bulletin conference, VB2016, has been a haven for the world’s leading cybersecurity experts, academics and mega corporations, such as Google, IBM, HPE, Intel, Microsoft and the Mayo Clinic, to share problems, research, advice and solutions to today’s cybersecurity conundrums. During an audience analysis exercise, VB noticed a serious dearth of representatives from mid-sized businesses (100-500 employees).

With an estimated half a million mid-sized firms in the USA employing 1 in 7* of the country’s workforce, getting a better understanding of their cyber security pain points and concerns is a key priority for Virus Bulletin this year.

VB Editor Martijn Grooten explains:

“To all mid-sized companies, I say ‘We’ve reserved your seat at the VB2016 proverbial table, and here’s why. Despite contending with similar threats to the big enterprises -  be they ransomware, DDoS attacks, or targeted attacks - mid-sized companies have significantly lower resources, expertise and budgets.

“In other words, this vital economic contributor operates with a much higher exposure to digital risk. As an industry, we need a clearer understanding of what mid-sized organizations are experiencing day-to-day, how they are handling the threat, and where their defenses are weakest to help the industry better meet the needs of this often-overlooked business segment.”

An an extra incentive to mid-sized firms to attend, VB announces that it is offering first-time attendees a 30% discount on VB2016 ticket prices, as well as a wealth of new content.  

A sneak peek at VB2016 highlights

In three concurrent conference streams over three days, VB2016 will be hosting its biggest conference yet, showcasing more than 60 presentations, demonstrations, and panels, presented by the world’s greatest IT security minds. Virus Bulletin has also just announced the selection for VB2016’s last-minute papers.

Confirmed highlights include:

  • an interview with the notable and controversial Tavis Ormandy in a session called Anti-Virus: Help or Hindrance? The Google Project Zero researcher has uncovered and disclosed several explosive security vulnerabilities over the years, some of which severely impacted normal business operation for affected vendors;
  • a live drone demo from HPE showing how existing vulnerabilities in today’s GPS navigation systems can be exploited by attackers; 
  • an overview of recent high-profile watering hole attacks by top APT actors from Kaspersky Lab’s Costin Raiu;
  • a snapshot of how to decrypt recent families of ransomware from Malwarebytes;
  • a closing keynote from well-known security researcher and journalist Morgan Marquis-Boire.

View the full VB2016 Programme

Graham Cluley, Computer Security Expert from grahamcluley.com has this to say about Virus Bulletin:

“I've been attending the Virus Bulletin conference for over 20 years. The reason? There is no better place to be if you want to learn more about the attacks that cybercriminals are launching against companies, and to meet the people who are developing the security software that defends us. If you don't attend VB you're not just missing a great conference, you're putting your company's defences at a disadvantage.”

“We have always received excellent feedback from the attendees at our conferences,” continued Grooten. “We take pride in running a tight ship that allows for learning and networking. Just look at our testimonials! Whether you want to brush up on your skills, have a tete-a-tete with an eminent security leader, or hobnob with delegates with a keen interest in cybersecurity, VB2016 is the place to be.”

Press attendance

A limited numbers of complimentary VB2016 press passes are available. Please contact [email protected] for more information.

The 26th Virus Bulletin International Conference, will take place 5-7 October 2016 at the Hyatt Regency Denver.

For more information on the speakers, conference programme and registration information, visit VB2016.

For more information contact:
Martijn Grooten, VB Editor
Email: [email protected]
Tel: +44 1235 540235

About Virus Bulletin

Virus Bulletin is an online security information portal and certification body, providing users with independent intelligence about the latest developments in the threat landscape, as well as conducting bimonthly certifications of anti-malware and anti-spam products. All content published by Virus Bulletin is available free of charge. Virus Bulletin is supported by an Advisory Board comprising some of the world's leading anti-threat experts.

The international Virus Bulletin conference (VB2016), hosted annually by Virus Bulletin, is cited by many as the IT security event of the year.

 

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