Investment in mental health amongst cybersecurity professionals set to increase according to Infosecurity Europe poll

Infosecurity Europe opens registration for 2023 with cyber investment a critical talking point at the upcoming event

Infosecurity Europe, the most influential information security event running from 20-22 June 2023 at ExCeL London, have today shared findings of a recent Twitter poll addressing cybersecurity budgets and investment in 2023. When questioned on which aspect of cybersecurity they’d like to see more investment, mental health topped the list with almost 45% of respondents identifying this as a priority.

Nicole Mills, Exhibition Director at Infosecurity Group, says: “Cybersecurity is an ‘always on’ industry that demands time, patience and resilience from all those involved. Whether it’s trawling through false positives, analysing threat intel, or managing the response and repercussions of a data breach, the nature of the role, and being accountable for the security and safety of an organisation can be overwhelming. It’s amazing to see this recognition and to see that investments are being made into the wellbeing of these security professionals.”

Collaboration and threat intel sharing were also voted for by 38%, highlighting the need for the cybersecurity industry to work together to build an environment of trust and transparency in order to exchange knowledge, resources and ideas.

“Threat intel sharing within industries is ripe for investment. When we look at how the construction industry has come together through their CISO Forum and collaboration with the NCSC and BEIS, to share threat intel, information about incidents, and what tools and strategies they are deploying, they recognise a common enemy against their industry, despite the fact they are in direct competition,” commented Ian Hill, Director of Cyber and Information Security, UPP Corporation.

Furthermore, over 40% of respondents believe that the current economic climate will see budget cuts increase the risk level to their organisation. More then 20% see the potential for external threats to further increase risk, and insider threats were ranked by 13% as becoming a bigger risk as businesses contend with economic shifts. Positively, 21% expect to see no change to the risk level to their organisation, suggesting that the current crisis will have little bearing on their organisations’ cybersecurity budget.

However, the financial industry is predicted to be at an increased risk of a cyber-attack as cybersecurity budgets take a hit according to 60% of respondents. Healthcare followed with near 30% expecting threats to increase as budgets suffer. This is hardly surprising given the value of the information they hold.

The poll findings are indicative of the themes and discussions lined up for this year’s Infosecurity Europe conference which will run from Tuesday 20-Thursday 22 June 2022 at ExCeL London. Visitor registration opened on Monday 13th March for the 2023 event and cybersecurity professionals and members of the infosec community are invited to sign up and secure their place.

The event will provide opportunities to hear from, and network with, the people who make up our community, exchange ideas, build resilience and be able to work together to protect our shared future. Below are some of the sessions that visitors will be able to take advantage of at the 2023 event:

• The Keynote Stage will feature speakers from the sharp end of the industry who are tackling major information security challenges every day. Look out for the upcoming keynote announcement!
• The Leaders Programme is a networking programme open to CISOs and Heads of Information Security to attend conference sessions, the ‘off-the-record’ round-table programme informing security strategies, and discover the latest technology and solutions in their field.
• The Strategy Talks are a series of inspiring presentations showcasing the latest information and cybersecurity insight, knowledge and expertise. These presentations address the strategic business challenges impacting information security.
• At the Insight Stage, attendees can expect to gain new perspectives and strategies to apply within their organisation, to enhance cyber-resilience and strengthen security posture and gain fresh ideas on how to tackle strategic and technical cybersecurity challenges.
• The Talking Tactics sessions are ‘how to’ sessions and are intended to deal specifically with how to overcome a particular challenge.
• The Technology Showcase features short sessions where exhibitors put their latest products and technologies in the spotlight to guide organisation’s security investment and ensure ROI.
• The Innovation Showcase gets to grips with the latest technological innovations in cybersecurity as exhibitors showcase and demonstrate the exciting new products and services they have to offer.
• Security Workshops allow attendees to benefit from in-depth, practical sessions offering advice on how to strengthen information security posture. Security workshop expert speakers provide attendees with learning-orientated sessions to improve their skills while networking with peers.
• At Geek Street, visitors can participate in immersive, hands-on learning experiences as well as learning from the experts. With activities for varying levels of experience, take a break from the exhibition floor and reconnect with your inner geek!

Nicole Mills, Exhibition Director at Infosecurity Group, added: “Cybersecurity is a dynamic discipline, and provides the opportunity to learn directly from those with real-world experience of overcoming challenges and managing high pressure situations. The sharing of knowledge and experiences is vital to inspiring and expanding collective knowledge that will be vital to building and empowering a unified industry. The conference brings together key industry figures and like-minded individuals to kick start these critical discussions and drive the change we need to see to combat the growing challenges in cybersecurity.”

Attracting 6,295 responses, the Infosecurity Europe Twitter poll was conducted during the week of 6 February 2023.