With computers and computer technology becoming more user friendly and sophisticated, the issue of cybersecurity in general – and hacking in particular – has quickly become the hot button issue that is being talked about every day and discussed about on the news and online forums. As well, cybersecurity is increasingly becoming a major concern to governments, corporations, organizations and individuals around the world about whether their home computers, digital devices or their cyber networks are free from hackers and cyber criminals.
For their third annual IT Connect Conference, Champlain College St. Lambert will solely focus on the issue of cybersecurity. It will take place on June 7, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., at its campus located at 900 Riverside Drive in St. Lambert. With about 400 people expected to attend, the conference will feature a number of presentations, workshops and panel discussions in both English and French for both beginners and advanced users, with a roster of professionals and experts that will focus on such topics as threat intelligence, general data protection regulations, security awareness and capacity building, cloud and data security, and risk management. There will also be a lunch, a post-conference networking cocktail reception with famed mixologist Gizmo Sirois, and plenty of door prizes to be won.
The idea for the IT Connect Conference was a way to build partnerships between the college and industry in general, because education and industry were becoming far apart from each other. So the idea of starting this conference was to bring industry and academia together in an elite concept so that the public can find out what’s happening in the technology industry, said Tetyana Tsomko, a pedagogical advisor at Champlain College who is also organizing the conference.
All of us are using technology more and more, and the growth of the industry and how secure it should be is the #1 issue right now. Every citizen has to protect themselves with their devices, because hackers are getting smarter and are one step ahead of everyone. The problem is that for most cases of cyber hacking, it comes down to a lack of education. Participants at the conference will get the chance to hear from different experts in the field of cybersecurity so that they can discuss, debate and question what concerns them when it comes to cybersecurity. What I hope they get at the end of the day is a better awareness on how they can prevent cyber attacks, she added.
Tickets for the 3rd annual IT Connect Conference cost $50, or $75 after May 7, which also includes lunch and admission to the networking cocktail reception. Spaces are limited. To purchase tickets, go to www.champlainconted.com/events/it-connect.
