Researchers and industry invited to help tackle the biggest threats in cyber

This October, experts from the University of Salford will host the third international Challenges and Reality of the IT Space: Software Engineering and Cybersecurity conference. Providing a crucial platform for researchers, industry experts and academics to engage in meaningful discussions, share insights and explore the latest advancements in the IT and cybersecurity sectors, the online event will take place between the 24-25 October 2024.

According to the UK Government’s Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, half of businesses and a third of charities report having experienced some form of cybersecurity breach or attack in the last 12 months, which rises to 70% for medium-sized businesses and 74% for large businesses.

Exploring the issues currently impacting the space further and actions organisations can take to protect themselves, the conference will be hosted by University of Salford’s Business School, in partnership with State University of Trade and Economics (Kyiv, Ukraine), Poznań University of Economics and Business (Poznań, Poland), University of Commerce and Services (Poznań, Poland), and Institute of Social and Economic Development (Kyiv, Ukraine).

“The global cybersecurity landscape is incredibly challenging right now with organisations worldwide continuously at risk of increasingly more sophisticated threats. We’re seeing news of cyberattacks more frequently than ever before and it’s crucial organisations are equipped to protect themselves,” said Dr Yun Chen, Senior Lecturer in Business IT and Subject Head of Digital Business and Information Systems at the University of Salford’s Business School.

The conference will cover five key topics: national cybersecurity, current threats and countermeasures in cybersecurity, user privacy, security in software engineering, and software design, development and maintenance. Various areas of cybersecurity, from the role of national cybersecurity in economic stability to zero trust architecture, as well as denial of service and ransomware attacks will be covered.

“We’re now inviting both researchers and cybersecurity specialists from across the industry to participate in our discussion platform for intensifying international cooperation and shedding light on the modern and future challenges of software engineering and cybersecurity.

“The IT and cybersecurity spaces are constantly evolving and it’s critical organisations stay ahead of the game to protect themselves from threats to remain resilient. The conference will present an invaluable opportunity to bring academics and industry together to discuss vulnerabilities and countermeasures, as well as what needs to be done to mitigate risks,” concludes Yun.