NI Cyber

Our October Breakfast Club is tomorrow morning, see you at Rapid7 nice and early for networking from 9am and a 9.30am start. Last but by no means least for our speakers, we have Department for Science, Innovation and Technology NI Cyber Lead Jessica Galway . Jessica will give us an update on lots of the initiatives that DSIT is working on in the cyber sphere. See you there!

We're delighted that Eddie Felix will be joining us at Breakfast Club this Thursday at Rapid7 . Eddie is a passionate Cyber advocate, Cyber helpline volunteer and SANS mentor. We're looking forward to hearing his presentation. See you there!

We're delighted to be working with A&L Goodbody LLP over the next year in a strategic partnership aimed at sharing legal expertise and insights across our burgeoning cyber security community. Following on from a successful webinar focusing upon the EU Cyber Resilience Act back in June 2024, over the next year our two organisations will host a combination of online and face to face events aimed at underpinning the legal compliance of security first technology companies and keeping cluster members up to date with the latest relevant legal developments. NI Cyber Director and Founder of Loquerion Security, Ben Harrison 'This partnership gives NI Cyber the opportunity to support our flourishing community, by sharing insights and expertise from the team at A&L Goodbody. We're really excited that they've chosen to work with the cluster, contributing to our ongoing successes in building a resilient cyber security ecosystem, and we thank them for their support'.   Speaking on behalf of A&L Goodbody, Michael Neill, Head of Office in Northern Ireland, said: “ALG is proud to partner with NI Cyber in supporting what is one of Northern Ireland’s most thriving sectors. “With cyber security continuing to grow in strategic importance to firms of all sizes in Northern Ireland, over the past decade we have invested in adding strength and depth to our cyber security expertise so that we can provide clients practical and creative advice on how to navigate and comply with the evolving legal and regulatory landscape, while maximising the value of their digital infrastructures. “We very much look forward to working with NI Cyber and its members going forward.”   The first webinar in the series on 'Preparing for Investment' will take place at 12pm Thursday 28th November. To register, please visit https://lnkd.in/ei3nyw6M

Happy Friday everyone! We're looking forward to seeing you at Rapid7 next Thursday for our Halloween Breakfast Club. We know that tax can be a scary business, but the team at Sumer Northern Ireland have extensive knowledge to share on R & D tax, so we're delighted to welcome Phil Chambers PhD to the Breakfast Club. Phil will give an overview of the current R & D Tax landscape and opportunities available to companies in our ecosystem. There are only a couple of tickets still available over at https://lnkd.in/eaezS7H3

Danske Bank and NI Cyber, the Northern Ireland Cyber Security Cluster, have recently formed a partnership focused upon supporting women working in cyber security. As part of Danske Bank’s corporate sponsorship of NI Cyber, over the next 12 months the two organisations will work together on a number of activities aimed at showcasing inspiring role models and creating opportunities for professionals to connect and network. The first event took place at Danske Bank UK HQ in Belfast recently and featured a keynote address from Danske Bank’s Head of Cyber Operations, Giedre Tijusaite, and also featured a panel of leading industry experts from NI’s local ecosystem. The panel discussion of industry experts included: Emma Proctor, Head of Technology Risk, Danske Bank UK; Gierdre Tijusaite, Head of Cyber Operations, Danske Bank; Fionnula Kelly, Engineering Manager, Rapid7; Michelle Simpson, Head of Pen Testing, Vertical Structure; and Jill Shaw, Deputy Director of Teaching, Computing and Communications at the The Open University. Amongst the many highlights was the vital message of ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’ which is why education from a grassroots level in primary school age up to university is vital. 📸 NI Cyber, Cluster Manager Joanne English and Kellie Redford, Information Security & IT Risk Manager at Danske Bank Read more here: https://lnkd.in/e39Dwfx6

We know that we have some fantastic young talent here in our region, so here's an opportunity to really show off your skills. If you're 18 - 25, why not enter the UK Cyber Team competition for the chance to showcase your skills and represent our ecosystem? Please share and encourage your peers so that we can get as much NI representation in the team as possible!

📢 Just 1 Day to go! - Last chance to register 📢 We are excited to invite you to our Cybersecurity Awareness Month Webinar: 30 Minute Spotlight: Senior Leadership Cyber Awareness - The Hidden Threat To Your Business. This event emphasizes the crucial role of senior leadership in cybersecurity. Speakers: Peter Leitch, Founding Partner of ANSEC IA Terry Moore, CEO of Outsource Group These industry leaders have transformed how businesses globally handle cybersecurity threats. Don’t miss this chance to learn from the best! Event Details: Date: 22nd October 2024 Time: 2:10pm – 3:10pm Location: Online Join us for an insightful afternoon where Peter and Terry will discuss navigating third-party risk and AI in business. Plus, there will be a unique opportunity for a Q&A session with both speakers. Register Now: Visit https://lnkd.in/eDJ5tEaB to secure your spot and receive a calendar placeholder. We look forward to seeing you there! The Outsource Group Team

There are some issues that demand urgent attention and innovation, so it is encouraging to see this challenging opportunity, as detailed below. Please consider registering for the online information session. https://lnkd.in/e3YbPz6N

That was some morning over at Danske Bank UK for the Advancing women in cyber event. It was fantastic to see so many colleagues, old and new in the room as we celebrated some genuinely brilliant women. Special thanks to the team at Danske Bank UK for supporting and hosting this event, which launches a year of partnership with the cluster. Not all cyber leaders can code... Our keynote Giedre Tijusaite gave us all a refreshing take on leadership, as well as her career journey. Giedre's career takeaways so far are: ❓ Ask questions 🔍 be curious 🔁 get feedback 🏋♀️ know and own your strengths In her own words "I still don't code - that's just not my cup of tea, I love being in cyber security in my own way" Our brilliant panel, chaired by Emma Proctor , gave us all food for thought on how education, mentoring and finding the right company fit can have a life changing affect on your wellbeing, motivation and chances of success. So many inspiring and surprising paths have been taken, from the keen puzzler and lock picker Michelle Simpson, the aspiring musician Jill Shaw and talented computer scientist Fionnula Kelly, who was mentored by her teacher to 'just keep going', we heard so many examples of talented women succeeding in their field. The challenge of just 18% of women making up the cyber workforce will not be fixed overnight, but conversations about building strong networks of support, mentoring and inspiration can contribute in shifting the dial. Thanks so much to everyone who attended today and particular thanks to Kellie Redford , Gillian McGucken and Séamus Gallagher for hosting and inspiring us to do this. This event is the first of our partnership with Danske Bank UK and we look forward to what we're sure will be a fruitful and impactful partnership. Let's keep the conversation going!

Tomorrow we will take the time to celebrate some of the fantastic women in cyber who are really turning the dial on gender equality in industry and academia, here in Northern Ireland ( as well as Lithuania)! Thank you to Danske Bank UK for hosting this important event. If you're coming along, be prepared to discuss and share ideas on how we can all support women to thrive in cyber security. See you there - 10am start at Danske Bank UK, Donegall Square West, Belfast. Emma Proctor Giedre Tijusaite Michelle Simpson Jill Shaw Fionnula Kelly and Kellie Redford