Equipping Canadian Leaders with Tactical Insight to Better Prepare for and Respond to Inevitable Cyber-attacks

GTEC's NEW Cybersecurity Program Translates Knowledge into Action

OTTAWA, Ontario, Oct. 7, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- You are a Senior Corporate Officer sleeping soundly when your phone rings at 3AM.  Your Chief Information Officer informs you the company has suffered a major breach that has comprised a host of confidential customer information.  You have just joined the ranks of Target, Sony, JPMorgan Chase, TJX Companies Inc., and Home Depot – just a few of the industry leaders that have suffered major cyber-attacks that collectively impacted hundreds of millions of people. What do you do?

On October 19, 2015, GTEC, Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, innovation and impact in Canada's public sector, will address this question head-on in a novel pre-conference Cybersecurity Program: Are You and Your Organization Ready for a Big Data Breach?

As National Cybersecurity Awareness Month kicks off this October, GTEC's Cybersecurity Program will equip public and private sector leaders with new insight to:

• Better understand cyber threats and the broad impact of a cyber-attack;
• Make educated decisions and up-front investments that help prepare for cyber-attacks; and,
• Further safeguard critical infrastructure, services, and citizen information.

Sponsored by IBM and TELUS, this interactive one-day program will enable participants to benefit from the diverse cybersecurity expertise, experience and stories of many diverse executives.  Spanning healthcare, retail, high-tech, and government, these experts will:

• Provide an overview of the current global cybersecurity landscape including trends, challenges and opportunities;
• Describe the cybersecurity issues that keep them up at night; cybersecurity investment considerations and strategic plans to respond to a cyber-attack; and lessons learned from an actual breach;
• Detail the true cost of a cyber-attack – from financial implications to weakened brand reputation, reduced customer trust, and loss of focus on product development given the time required to address the crisis;
• Explore and evaluate available tools, practices and steps to prepare for, address, and help prevent the debilitating effects of breaches and cyber-attacks; and
• Recommend strategies to effectively manage a cybersecurity attack, minimize impact, and continue to safeguard for inevitable future threats.

Following a series of context-setting presentations and panel discussions, the program will feature an interactive breakout session that enables participants to collaborate in small teams on the development of a strategic action plan to respond to a cybersecurity breach.  This activity will address the different roles, responsibilities and actions required to minimize the financial and broader business impact of a cyber-attack as quickly and efficiently as possible.

"If you have a cyber breach, it's no time to be hitting the Yellow Pages," said the Honourable Gene McLean, Executive Security Advisor and Principal, McLean Security & Advisory and Associates Inc.; member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC); and keynote speaker for the GTEC Cybersecurity Program. "Speed is of the essence when responding to a cyber-attack.  It is essential to have a plan in place, and established relationships with a trusted team that can take timely and targeted action to minimize damage and impact.  This GTEC Program will provide participants with new intelligence and ideas to make informed cybersecurity investments, and develop a proactive strategy for their organization."

"No public or private organization is immune from a cyber-attack, it's just a given in the digital age in which we operate," said Michele Lajeunesse, Executive Director of GTEC. "Our new Cybersecurity Program will enable participants to leverage a pool of collective senior intelligence and put this proven expertise to work within their organization to better prepare, manage, and respond to a cyber-attack."

The GTEC Cybersecurity Program will feature executive speakers including:

• Michael Argast, Director of TELUS Security Solutions
• Rosanna Di Paola, Associate Assistant Deputy Minister, Accounting, Banking and Compensation Branch, Public Works and Government Services Canada (PWGSC)
• Roch Huppé, CFO and Assistant Commissioner, Canada Revenue Agency
• Phil Kibler, Global Director, Cyber Security Intelligence and Response Team, IBM Security Services
• The Honourable Gene McLean, Executive Security Advisor and Principal, McLean Security & Advisory and Associates Inc.; Member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee (SIRC)
• Rick Neuman, CIO, Walmart Canada
• Mari Teitelbaum, Vice President, Technology and CIO, Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO)

Media interviews with program speakers are available upon request. For more information about this exclusive program, please contact Sonya Shorey, Communications Strategist at: 613.851.9416 or [email protected]

For more information, visit: gtec.ca.
Register for GTEC: gtec.ca/ottawa/registration-and-pricing  
Apply for a GTEC media pass: gtec.ca/ottawa/press-centre-overview

About GTEC
GTEC is Canada's internationally recognized forum for enabling and celebrating Information and Communication Technology (ICT) leadership, innovation and impact in Canada's public sector.  Since 1992, GTEC has brought together more than 100,000 public and private sector innovators, leaders and enterprises to explore and drive leading-edge ICT initiatives, application and service delivery.  Building on targeted webinars, summits, and roundtables that stimulate dialogue throughout the year, GTEC's annual flagship Conference and Exhibition attracts more than 4,500 participants, and delivers:

• Education and training opportunities that develop top ICT talent
• A robust conference program with compelling keynote presentations and panels on current strategies, opportunities and trends
• An extensive exhibition showcasing emerging technologies, innovations, and solutions that enhance productivity and performance
• A wealth of collaboration, business development and networking opportunities
• Distinction Awards that celebrate ICT excellence in Canada's public sector

For additional information on GTEC, please visit: www.gtec.ca. 

About UBM Tech
UBM Tech engages technology professionals live and online through its world-class brands, including Black Hat, InformationWeek, Enterprise Connect, Game Developers Conference (GDC), Dark Reading, HDI, GTEC, Network Computing and Interop. We're dedicated to fostering real engagement by creating environments where the technology industry can make connections, share insights, and network effectively. UBM Tech is the only media company that delivers large-scale industry events, leading online brands and content marketing services serving the Enterprise IT, Information Security, Game Development, Enterprise Communications and Technical Services and Support communities. UBM Tech is a part of UBM (UBM.L), a global provider of media and information services with a market capitalization of more than $2.5 billion. For more information, go to http://tech.ubm.com.

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