Atlanta’s Chief Information Security Officers Debate Future of Cybersecurity; 2022 Trends

Targeted by Nation-States and Ransomware Gangs, Boards and Executive Leadership Teams Face Realities of Current Threat Landscape

ATLANTA, Oct. 25, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Data Connectors, representing the largest cybersecurity community in North America, confirmed the details for the Atlanta Cybersecurity Conference this week. The important gathering for senior executives in the region that has been listed as one of the top five in the country returns to an in-person format, after a 19 month hiatus.

The conference features prominent Chief Information Security Officers (CISO) executives from the region, as well as industry luminaries, cybersecurity solutions experts, and representatives from government agencies including the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the United States Secret Service.

The 15th annual event returns with a two-day agenda, highlighting important areas of cybersecurity such as identity and access management, cloud email security, development security operations (DevSecOps), and managed detection and response.

“Boards and executive leadership teams are confronted with the reality that they can no longer engage in digital transactions or e-commerce without understanding the global cybersecurity landscape or the state of their internal security program,” said Derek Johnson, local cybersecurity executive from the Susan G. Komen organization and Board Member at the InfraGard Atlanta Members Alliance. In his featured keynote at the conference, Johnson will lead a discussion for the cybersecurity community members on hand to explore the topic further this Thursday afternoon at the Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center.

In his presentation “Atlanta FBI Looks Back on 2021 Cyber Threats,” Special Agent Nathan Langmack, from the FBI Atlanta Field Office, will dissect the key components of some of the recent high-profile ransomware attacks such as SolarWinds and Colonial Pipeline. He will use these and others to surface lessons learned that translate to what CISOs and all information security executives should regard as best practices.

These discussions include some of the top executives throughout the region, such as:

• Kevin Gowen, CISO at Synovus Bank

• Dean Mallis, CISO at MARTA (Metropolitan Atlanta Rapid Transit Authority

• Jameeka Green Aaron, CISO at Auth0

• Michael F.D. Anaya, Head of Attack Surface Analysis at Palo Alto Networks

• Tamika Bass, CISO at Georgia Department of Revenue

• Taiye Lambo, Founder at HISPI and Pioneer vCISO

Over 300 members of the Data Connectors Cybersecurity Community are expected to attend this week. More than 30 community partners and affiliate organizations will also be a part of the gathering including Votiro, Auth0, Attivo Networks, Security Scorecard, and the local chapters of ISC2, AFCEA, and CNSP.

The Conference will take place on Wednesday - Thursday, October 27-28 starting at 8:00 a.m. E.S.T at the Atlanta Marriott Buckhead Hotel & Conference Center, 3405 Lenox Road NE, Atlanta, Georgia 30326. Registration is FREE for qualified professionals, who can also obtain Continuing Professional Education (CPE) credits for participation.

More information for the Summit can be found at dataconnectors.com/atlanta.

About Data Connectors
Since 1999, Data Connectors (dataconnectors.com) has facilitated collaboration between senior cybersecurity professionals, government/law enforcement agencies, industry luminaries, and solution providers. Today, the community comprises over 650,000 members and 250 Community Partners across North America. Members enjoy informative education, networking and support via award-winning Virtual Summits, live conferences, Web Briefings, and regular communications.

Note to reporters: If you wish to attend these sessions at no charge, please contact Michael Hiskey, Chief Strategy Officer, at +1.636.778.9495, or info@dataconnectors.com.