Infosec Europe 2014

As Infosec Europe 2014 drew to a close, our security experts share their thoughts after Europe’s number-one information security event.

Regaining Perspective

by Gavin Millard

"Do you want a flying monkey?" "Do you want a T-shirt for a scan of your badge?" At what point did we lose sight of the importance of the challenges we face in security and say, "Let's just give everyone a pink pig so we can get their e-mail address."

For the Tenable team at Infosec 2014 we did something different; we had no freebies, no gimmicks, just a team of great security people sharing their thoughts and discussing the issues faced by everyone. We took security seriously and it worked. Here are observations from our team at Infosec.

The Ones Who Matter

by Space Rogue

They say if you have been to one information security industry conference you have been to them all. The rows and rows of vendor booths (or here in the UK vendor stands), the cheap chotsky giveaways, the loud presentations as you walk the aisles, featuring names of companies you have never heard of and endless attempts to scan the information on your badge. But one of the most important aspects of a convention is the personal relationships that are developed in between the product pitches. They provide the opportunity for vendors and customers to meet one-on-one and learn from one another to discuss the best solutions for customer challenges.

So while Infosec Europe 2014 is much the same as every other information security industry conference, there are different people at each conference and that’s what matters. That’s what makes standing in the same small 100 square foot box for nine hours in a row or walking miles visiting booths (or stands) worthwhile. It’s the people that matter.

Goodbye Distractions

by Jack Daniel

This was my third year at Infosec Europe and it has become one of very few big conferences I really enjoy. One reason is that I have frequently ranted against “booth babes” and other inappropriate distractions at conferences and trade shows; Infosecurity was one of the first to take action and institute a reasonable dress code and curb this problem, and the show is better for it. Infosecurity is also at the center of what is a growing sense of community among security professionals—this was also readily apparent at nearby BSides London, 44Cafe and the Security Bloggers Meetup and Awards. I’m glad Tenable is part of this growing community.

Tube Strike Be Damned

by Colin West

The tube strike didn’t stop the tide of people wanting to learn more about protecting their businesses against today’s cyber-attacks. They came to learn and network and it was great to meet new people and catch up with old acquaintances established over many years in this industry.

In those discussions it was evident that customers love working with our Nessus solutions and enjoy providing feedback on what they’d like to see in products in the future. This year was also marked by more conversations with larger systems integrators who expressed the importance of partnerships when delivering security solutions.

It was good that Tenable was present, sharing our experiences with Infosec's audiences and demonstrating best practices led by those members on our team who do so much to support the IT security community.