2024 Identity Security Insights, Black Hat EU Women Scholarships, and a Fresh Take on Cybersecurity Awareness!

Navigating the AI-Era of Identity Security

Cybersecurity is at the forefront of every business conversation in today’s digital-first world, and as more threat actors logging into rather than hacking into networks through valid accounts, identity security plays a pivotal role. That's one of the reasons I collaborated again with ManageEngine and brought to life their 2024 Identity Security Report, by writing it.

This report underscores the ever-growing importance of identity management in an increasingly digital world, revealing some interesting key takeaways. For example, while organisations recognise identity security's criticality, many still struggle with its execution.

With 77% of CISOs reporting identity-related cyberattacks in 2023, and AI-driven threats looming on the horizon, the need for robust solutions is clear. Yet, gaps in visibility over privileged identities and a divided perspective between the C-Suite and IT teams expose vulnerabilities.

A fascinating element of the survey is the rise of AI, both as a defender and a threat. Organisations are not only anticipating AI-driven social engineering and ransomware attacks but are also embracing AI-powered solutions to counter them. That's why the balance between leveraging advanced AI tools and addressing the critical gaps in zero-trust and privileged identity management will continue to shape the future of cybersecurity for the remaining months of 2024, and beyond into 2025.

AI is becoming a double-edged sword—those who wield it well will be better equipped to guard their digital identities, but the risks posed by malicious AI are escalating just as quickly. As AI continues to evolve, the battle for identity protection becomes increasingly complex, highlighting the urgent need for organizations to align strategy, technology, and execution.

Here are a few other key findings. I highy encourage you to read it here.

IN Security Women's Scholarships to Black Hat EU Briefings

On the topic of cutting-edge security trends, I’m excited to announce a new opportunity for women in cybersecurity!

It's that time of year again, and through the IN Security Movement, I'm once again thrilled to offer 20 women scholarships to attend the Black Hat EU Briefings this December—virtually or in London!

The Black Hat Briefings provide cybersecurity professionals with a platform to learn about emerging risks, cutting-edge research, and real-world security solutions. This is an invaluable opportunity to connect with industry leaders, gain new insights, and level up your career. Over 419 women have benefited from these life-changing events since 2019, and I'm offering 20 more spots this year!

Apply by October 30 to secure your place - https://bit.ly/INSecurityBHEU2024

Cybersecurity Awareness Month

As we celebrate Cybersecurity Awareness Month, I’m collaborating with a few companies to help raise awareness of cybersecurity best practices. Working with Palo Alto Networks again, I thought I'd take a fun and creative approach, filming videos at iconic landmarks—starting with London Bridge. Here you can see me discussing scams, spam and phishing, and in the sunshine in England!

These videos are designed to make cybersecurity more engaging and relatable to a wider audience. Cybersecurity awareness doesn’t have to be dry or limited to the IT department—it’s about inclusion and empowering everyone to become part of the solution.

Check out my post to see how I've done it, and PLEASE join in the conversation! I'd love to hear from you, and for you to add any more tips, so we help improve cyber awareness.

By commenting and liking (in that order) you really help my post gain more visibility which is essential if more people are to become more cyber literate.

Shifting from Business Continuity to Continuous Business i

But that’s not all! Last week, I had the incredible opportunity to attend #CommvaultSHIFT in London, where I covered how businesses are evolving from traditional business continuity to the next level—continuous business.

In a video interview with Commvault CMO, Anna Griffin , we discussed some powerful insights that I believe every IT decision-maker and cybersecurity leader should consider, including some things that are groundbreaking so please tune in to it here or join in the conversation on my LinkedIn post.

Stay tuned for my upcoming blog post, where I’ll dive deeper into these insights. You won’t want to miss it!

Inspiring the Next Generation of Young Professionals in Tech

Finally, I want to mention CompTIA , the non-profit tech organisation. As I'm just back from filming a short documentary with them on how to inspire young professionals to pursue a career in tech, I'd like to spotlight their EMEA Member and Partner event which is happening next week in London, October 21-22.

It's still not too late to register and if you go, you'll be able to connect with industry experts and your peers, whilst you gain insight into growth strategies and best practices for driving productivity and sales.

You’ll join a community committed to?solving business challenges and overcoming the critical issues facing the industry through peer-to-peer learning, ample social time and events, and sessions for professionals at?every stage of their careers.

This is your opportunity to experience an exciting event where new opportunities await as we forge the future of the tech industry together.

Now I want to hear from you...

Whether you’re ready to take your cybersecurity skills to the next level at Black Hat EU, raise awareness during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, shift your mindset from business continuity to continuous business, or do your bit to inspire the next generation of professionals in tech, now is the time to act.

Let’s work together by sharing insights and awareness to create a more resilient, safer and secure planet.

Please drop me a message or comment to let me know what you've enjoyed from this week's newsletter the most.

PS.

Cybersecurity content is becoming increasingly tiresome. With the rise of next-gen AI, it feels like everyone has something to say, but finding content that truly resonates with your audience and adds value is rare.

As a recognised thought leader and someone who’s spent years in this industry, I’m ramping up my efforts to educate, support, and create meaningful content that cybersecurity professionals and leaders actually want to engage with. The days of press releases are over. Cold leads are a waste of time. Instead of chasing quick wins, I beleive time is better spent when you focus on building a community that believes in your products, services, and culture.

Please get in contact if you want to learn more about how I can help you do this.

About Jane Frankland

Jane Frankland is an award-winning cybersecurity leader, author, and women’s change agent. Her authority is referenced by Wiki, LinkedIn, Thinkers360, and UNESCO. She built her own global penetration testing firm in the late 90s, has worked as a Managing Director at Accenture, and contributed to numerous industry initiatives, including CREST, Cyber Essentials, and Women4Cyber. Through her IN Security Movement, 419 women have received scholarships, a value of almost USD $800,000. She regularly shares her thought leadership and leader-developer skills with forward-thinking companies and governments, and has been featured in the Sunday Times, The Financial Times, The Guardian, Forbes and the BBC. She To find out more, visit https://jane-frankland.com