Ascent Data to Participate in Duquesne University "Cyber Security Executive Briefing" Panelist Discussion

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 1, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Experts from government, industry and academia will discuss cyber security and the intelligence required to protect business operations, on December 8 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Greentree, PA.

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Duquesne University is hosting the Cyber Security Executive Briefing, which is being sponsored by a grant from the Department of Justice.  Dr. Kenneth Saban, associate professor of Marketing, and Dr. Stephen Rau, Frank V. & Ann Cahouet professor and Accounting & Information Systems Division chair, will present the background and key findings of the National Computer Security Study of Small and Medium Enterprises (SME).  The study, based on interviews with more than 250 CEOs, presidents and business owners, focused on security preparedness of SMEs within five industries, including Energy, Healthcare, Hospitals, Manufacturing and Telecommunications.  

Donna Dodson will provide the keynote address, "The National Institute of Standards and Technology's cyber security initiatives for business." Dodson serves as Deputy Chief Cyber Security Advisor and Division Chief of the Computer Security Division of The National Institute of Standards and Technology.

"These study results reinforce the fact that being knowledgeable about cyber security is the best defense against attacks on your business," said Dr. Kenneth Saban, associate professor of Marketing at Duquesne University. "Cyber crime is not just an IT issue – it's an overall risk that affects the viability of companies large and small."

A panel discussion will include methods for evaluating risk and recognizing threats, understanding cyber security insurance, and implementing best practices. Panelists will include Joseph H. Jones, COO at Ascent Data, Richard Archer, partner in advisory services at KPMG, David Brown, president and CEO of Business CyberSecurity, Inc., and Thomas Philbin, senior manager at Henderson Brothers. Technology Consultant, Christine Ebken, is coordinating the event and will moderate the panel discussion.

"We appreciate Duquesne University inviting us to participate in this event. It's our mission to educate regional business leaders on the risks associated with cyber crime and to provide cost-effective, tailored solutions to help them put the right solutions in place, whether that be encryption of data-in-motion or colocation in Ascent Data's SAS 70 Type II Certified data center," said Joseph H. Jones, COO at Ascent Data.

Register to Attend

The Cyber Security Executive Briefing  will take place on December 8, from 7:30am – 11:00am at the DoubleTree Hotel in Greentree, PA. For more information or to register for the event, visit www.sbdc.duq.edu.

About Ascent Data
Ascent Data is Pittsburgh's trusted provider for Cloud Computing solutions and Data Center services, including Colocation and Managed Services, Encryption of Data-in-Motion, Remote Digital Data Backup, and Disaster Recovery and Business Continuity solutions.

Customer infrastructure and applications are protected in a secure, resilient, state-of-the-art SAS 70 Type II Certified data center in O'Hara Township, near Pittsburgh, PA. By outsourcing IT infrastructure to Ascent Data, companies can dramatically improve operational efficiencies and reduce business risk, as well as free up human and financial resources to focus on core business objectives. For more information, please contact the Ascent Data sales team at [email protected], 866.866.6100 or visit www.ascentdata.com.

SOURCE Ascent Data