Page 66 - Cyber Defense eMagazine - November 2017

Having been in Cyber Security for over 20 years, the quirks and trends of the industry are no
longer a mystery to Phil, and looking forward, Phil is able to offer an insight not only on the
current state of the industry but also into where this fast-paced and largely unpredictable
industry may be headed.

Soft skills also crucial

Suggesting the current focus by security providers on product and technology may not be the
optimum strategy going forward, Phil draws attention to the softer skills involved in effective
Cyber Security. “Security leads are still procuring solutions that don’t address their top issues or
risks.

Good risk management will avoid this, and of course a solution for a risk doesn’t always have to
involve buying hardware, software or a service at all”. Instead, Phil advocates an introspective
business model, with training of staff and improved process management.

Casting a glance to the future, Phil addressed the rising trend in both work and society of ‘Bring
your own Device’, and the risks associated with such a trend – “With our corporate perimeters
expanding and even disappearing entirely, and the prevalence of personally owned devices in
our work environments, businesses should concentrate on protecting the contents, not the
containers, and identify critical data.”

Phil Cracknell will talk as part of the Cyber Security Summit at 3:30pm on 16 November, with his
address Measuring Success: Metrics for Cyber Security Strategy. He is speaking alongside
senior public and private sector figures, including Mark Sayers, Deputy Director of Cyber and
Government Security at the Cabinet Office, and Chris Ulliott, Chief Information Security Officer
at the Royal Bank of Scotland.

Author: David Roberts, Event Director at GovNet, organizer of the 16th November Cyber
Security Summit and Expo, and co-located GDPR Conference at the London Business Design
Centre.

66 Cyber Defense eMagazine – November 2017 Edition
Copyright © 2017, Cyber Defense Magazine, All rights reserved worldwide.