London, 19 May 2015 – With 81% of large businesses reporting a cyber breach in 2014 and the worst security breaches costing up to £1.15 million, a seminar in Manchester looks at tackling the threat.
ICSA, the chartered membership and qualifying body for professionals working in governance, risk and compliance, is holding its ‘Cyber Security – Managing the Threat’ seminar on Tuesday 2 June at the University of Manchester. Industry experts Matthew Parker, Senior Manager, Business Risk Services at Grant Thornton and Richard Bach, Assistant Director of Cyber Security at the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills (BIS) have been confirmed as speakers.
Matthew, a cyber-security expert with over 20 years’ experience in IT controls, security and data forensics, will demonstrate how, with just a few strokes of a keyboard, nation states, criminal gangs, and rogue individuals can launch a cyberattack on organisations from anywhere, at any time.
“Organisations need to be concerned about more than just external threats,” says Matthew. “They need to consider what their employees have access to and what they do with their sensitive data. They also need to ask themselves how secure it is to give even trusted third parties access to their information.”
Richard, who has 12 years’ experience in cyber security and information risk management, helped to set up the Government’s National Cyber Security Strategy and will discuss how boards and senior leaders can draw on these initiatives to complement their existing cyber security strategies.
“All organisations, not just big businesses, need to wake up to the cyber threat,” Simon asserts “Sixty per cent of small businesses reported a cyber breach in 2014, with costs ranging between £65,000 and £115,000. It is essential that businesses are made aware of how they can be more resilient to cyber attacks and crime, which is why BIS is working in partnership with industry to improve the UK’s resilience to the cyber threat. Protection is key.”
“We have seen from the biannual FT-ICSA Boardroom Bellwether survey that ICSA runs with the Financial Times that cyber risk is a prime concern for companies. Our speakers are experts in their field and their presentations should give organisations in the North West some useful tips in reducing their exposure to a major business risk. Matthew’s demonstration of how easily passwords can be hacked is a real eye-opener,” says Vicky Parr, Governance & Compliance Manager at Trafford Housing Trust and a member of ICSA’s North West Branch which is organising the event.
Lunch will be available from 12.30pm (Lecture Theatre A, University Place, Oxford Road, Manchester M13 9PL), with the presentations due to run from 1-3pm. The event is free of charge, but places are limited so it is advisable to book early. Email vicky.parr@traffordhousingtrust.co.uk to secure a place.
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For further information, please contact Maria Brookes, Media Relations Manager:
mbrookes@icsa.org.uk
+44 (0)20 7612 7072
+44 (0)7890 649 143
Notes to Editors:
- ICSA (Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators) is the chartered membership and qualifying body for professionals working in governance, risk and compliance, including company secretaries. Our members work in all sectors and at every level of seniority. With over 120 years of experience, we champion high governance standards by providing qualifications, training, high-quality guidance and support (including technical resources, publications and software), and through our work with regulators and policy makers.
Website: www.icsa.org.uk - The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is the department for economic growth. The department invests in skills and education to promote trade, boost innovation and help people to start and grow a business. BIS also protects consumers and reduces the impact of regulation.
Website: https://www.gov.uk/government/policies/keeping-the-uk-safe-in-cyberspace - ICSA’s Guidance Note on Cyber Risk can be viewed here: https://www.icsa.org.uk/products-and-services/knowledge-and-guidance/resources/getting-wise-to-cyber-risk
- The FT-ICSA Boardroom Bellwether is a twice yearly survey that seeks to gauge the sentiment inside UK boardrooms. It canvases the views of the company secretaries of the FTSE 350 to find out how boards are addressing the challenges of the economy and the wider business and social environment. The Winter 2014 survey results can be viewed online here: https://www.icsa.org.uk/products-and-services/knowledge-and-guidance/research/ft-icsa-boardroom-bellwether
