CSIT Annual Cyber Security Summit 2024

Reflecting on the CSIT Annual Cyber Security Summit 2024

Last week, I had the privilege of attending the Centre for Secure Information Technology ( CSIT ) Annual Cyber Security Summit at Queen's University Belfast . This event brought together an impressive group of national and international experts from government, industry, academia, and civil society, all focused on the future of cyber security.

The summit kicked off with an insightful introduction by Hilary Benn , Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, who spoke about the rich history of cyber security in Northern Ireland and its growing importance in the global landscape. His words highlighted the crucial role Northern Ireland plays as a hub of innovation and excellence in this space, underscoring the value of continued investment and collaboration.

One of the standout moments for me was Bartley Richardson from 英伟达 's keynote, where he delved into the fascinating intersection of AI and cyber security. His presentation, which highlighted the application of generative AI for CVE analysis at enterprise scale, really opened my eyes to how AI can play a transformative role in enhancing cyber defences. If you haven't yet explored this topic, I highly recommend checking out some of the work he's done here.

Day one was expertly chaired by Maire O'Neill , who seamlessly guided discussions and helped celebrate CSIT’s important anniversary. It was inspiring to see how far CSIT has come and how its research is helping to shape the future of the cyber security sector.

I also want to give a shout-out to the fantastic representation from the Northern Ireland Cyber Cluster ( NI Cyber ), with speakers like Trevor Graham from Ampliphae offering deep insights into the unique challenges of securing the telecoms industry, Darren Borland from Pytilia sharing his expertise and Lara Sunday from Rapid7 discussing the linkages between AI and Cyber.

On day two, I had the honour of joining a panel to discuss a topic that is close to my heart— clustering and the importance of collaboration between organisations. Joanne English did a superb job of chairing our panel, making sure we tackled the key challenges and opportunities surrounding partnerships in the cyber security landscape. The energy in the room was palpable, with so many clusters represented and a clear desire for collaboration across sectors. Great to have the opportunity to chat with Hollie Wakefield , Joel Rasmus and Sam Donaldson who all shared their expertise.

Judith Millar also deserves special mention for her excellent role as compere for day two, guiding the conversations with great skill and ensuring the day ran smoothly.

Overall, the summit was a fantastic opportunity to learn, share, and connect with the cyber security community. A big thank you to CSIT for organising such a valuable event! I particularly loved the quiz that Louise Cushnahan and team had pulled together with Charles Brookson - a great way to break the ice and get people talking.

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