Bryce Austin

Ransomware attacks seem to be an almost daily news headline. Colonial Pipeline. JBS Foods. CNA Financial. Recent ransomware incidents underscore the importance of companies having strong cybersecurity practices in place to prevent these attacks from happening. Recovery from ransomware is difficult. Prevention is easier. This presentation will outline practical, real-world steps to take to dramatically lower your risk of a ransomware attack, and what steps you can take to ensure you can recover in the event that a ransomware attack strikes your company.Your Audience Will Learn:

-Why these types of cyberattacks have skyrocketed
-The best ransomware defenses to help prevent attacks
-Systems that need to be in place in case cybercriminals are able to access your network
-Steps to take if you do fall victim to a ransomware attack

Wannacry. Petya. Ransomware. Spearphishing. Equifax. GDPR. 

These terms have made headlines around the world. Companies have been caught in the crossfire between cyberattacks launched by one government against another, and also have to be vigilant in keeping customers’ data safe or risk fines as a result of new privacy laws such as GDPR and CCPA.

Turning a blind eye and hoping that your company will not be a victim is no longer an option. The threat is real.

So is the opportunity. Companies can start using cybersecurity as a competitive advantage, not a necessary evil. Want to know how? Bryce Austin has written a book on the topic. Through the judicious use of technology, companies are using cybersecurity to gain an edge that leaves their competitors scrambling to catch up.

How can we bring these concepts to life for you and your team? People need to feel the message, not just hear it. Join me in this keynote session as we examine spectacular in-car racing footage for signs to detect, react, prevent and mitigate life safety issues on the racetrack. Then we will apply those techniques to the business world and see how cybersecurity can be a competitive advantage to your organization.

Title: “I couldn’t believe the wall was coming at me so fast. Lessons learned from immovable objects, the Target breach, how to win at auto racing and other cybersecurity topics.”

Discussion: Automobile racing goes from smooth sailing to out of control in a very short timespan. So does cybersecurity. Learn from someone that had a “resume generating event” due to one of the largest data breaches of the past several years, and what could have been done beforehand to prevent the breach from ever taking place. The budget required to bring necessary focus to technology security can be elusive, and the user experience is often in opposition to security “best practices.”

Your audience will learn:

• Real world lessons learned from major recent cybersecurity breaches and how they could have been prevented
• How to respond to a cybersecurity incident from a non-technical standpoint: public relations, law enforcement involvement, and contract negotiation with vendors
• How to develop an emotional connection with teams in times of crisis
• How to make new regulations into a competitive advantage for your company
• What new technologies offer to combine an improved user experience with tightened security

Title: “The Ostrich Effect: How proper communication with the C-Suite will lead to good decisions around technology and cybersecurity.”

There are three reasonable things to do with any risk a business faces: accept it as-is, mitigate down to an acceptable level, or insure against it. Unfortunately, many companies see risks as complex as cybersecurity to be so challenging that they choose a 4th option: sticking their head in the sand and hoping that nothing bad happens.

My presentation will teach business leaders:

• How to assess the cyber risks in their industry relative to other business risks.
• How to make rational decisions on which risks to accept, which to mitigate, and which to insure against.
• How to make presentations to C-suite executives on technology topics, even if the presenter is not a technologist as their profession.

This presentation will focus on ideas to engage the hearts and minds of executives on topics that are too often overlooked in board room discussions.

Let’s talk about the security of the Internet of Things, or IoT. The devices are everywhere… From garage doors to thermostats to coffee makers to baby video monitors to security systems, we are living our lives with more connectivity than ever before. This raises some important questions: Questions on reliability. Questions on hacking vectors. Questions on how to add value to our lives with these devices without giving up security in our own homes. Let’s talk about the recent attack that took down large parts of the Internet on 10/21/2016. Let’s talk about the Nest thermometer glitch that left families without heat in their homes. Let’s talk about the Russian website that posted babycams that were still set on their default password. Let’s talk about how big business could take advantage of an IoT “army” of devices in ways that would make the VW diesel hack look like a ticket for jaywalking.

Let’s talk about how your company, your products, and your reputation can be impacted, both positively and negatively, by the Internet of Things.