What IT leaders from BlackBerry, CN and Microsoft Canada and more predict for the future of InfoSec

In his decades-long career in cybersecurity and threat detection, John McClurg has engaged in the “perpetual dance” with adversaries large and small.

“As the years have passed, we’ve seen no shortage of new innovations to come along in terms of technology and opportunities to make our lives better,” said McClurg, senior vice president and CISO at BlackBerry. “But it’s never failed that with each of these new innovations, the adversaries have always found a way to twist or turn it to their advantage.”

The solution? He prescribes deep breaths – and investments in prevention. McClurg is among the speakers at The Canadian CSO Future of Information Security Summit, taking place virtually May 18 and 19.

Gathering security executives from a variety of industries across Canada, the summit will focus on mitigating risk and building market trust. Joining McClurg on the opening day are seasoned information security leaders including Michael Castro, risk executive advisor and founder of RiskAware Inc., who will share strategies on communication with boards of directors, and United Airlines Vice President and CISO Deneen DeFiore, who will address and creating a corporate culture of security.

Juliette Kayyem, CNN national security analyst and Assistant Secretary at the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama administration, will address assessing the threat landscape – including threats from nation states – defining risk appetite, and the leadership necessary to meet the challenge. Kayyem will also offer analysis of Russian’s invasion of Ukraine and its potential effects on businesses.

Exploring the role of public policy in advancing Canada’s Cybersecurity mandate will be Matt MacNeil, director of standards and technology at CIO Strategy Council Canada; Kevin Magee, CSO of Microsoft Canada; and Neil Desai, vice president of corporate affairs at Magnet Forensics.

Yogesh Shivhare, IDC Canada’s research manager for security and infrastructure, will offer predictions on how Canadian IT leaders will respond to cyber threats, while Amita Potnis, former research director at IDC’s Future of Trust practice, will offer global predictions on how organizations will rethink how they use measures of trust in their strategy and operations.

Caroline Beckmann, senior director at the marketing firm Trident DMG will present an interactive workshop on crisis and reputation management in the wake of a cyber incident.

As business look to fill key cybersecurity jobs, we’ll explore strategies for finding, growing and retaining security talent with Tim Byrd, CISO at TIAA; Khalilah Scott, founder of the women’s networking group TechSecChix; and Jeff Weber, executive director at the executive search firm Robert Half.

On Thursday, the conference will focus on defensive strategies. Vaughn Hazen, assistant vice-president and CISO at the Montreal-based transportation and logistics company CN, will advise how to become a more resilient security leader in the face of challenges such as nation-state threats and the global pandemic.

Analysts and experts will provide actionable insights throughout the day. Hassan Khan, co-founder and CEO of TODAQ, will discuss striking a balance between providing effective customer experience and combating identity fraud and cyberthreats. Randy Purse, senior cybersecurity advisor at Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University, will advise on best practices for planning tabletop exercises during an interactive session. DJ Goldsworthy, vice president and global practice lead at Aflac, will instruct attendees on building a technology rationalization program.

Lynn Haaland, chief compliance, ethics and privacy officer at Zoom, will discuss privacy and the transforming digital workforce, and how compliance doesn’t have to hinder product development.

Finally, explore the world of venture capital investment in InfoSec solutions with Jay Leek of SYN Ventures. Additionally, Rick Grinnell, founder and managing partner at Glasswing Ventures, and Renee Guttmann, a venture capital adviser and former CISO will share what they see in the market. Later, Guttmann will share how to coach businesses on defining risk tolerance.

Throughout the summit, sponsors including Portage CyberTech and Dell Technologies will offer thought leadership and solutions on subjects such as choosing the right tool for customer identity and access management. Check out the full summit agenda here. The event is free to attend for qualified attendees. Don’t miss out – register today.