Andrzej Kawalec, Head of Cybersecurity, Vodafone
Andrzej Kawalec is the Head of Cybersecurity at Vodafone Business. Manages Vodafone Business’ global portfolio of security offerings. An inspirational and creative leader in the use of advanced information technology, Andrzej is constantly working to refine the balance between securing and enabling information assets.
Andrzej is widely recognised for his expertise in cyber security and digital change. A former CTO himself, he has a vast amount of experience working at the board-level across public and private sectors, helping to define and promote cyber security strategy. He believes that Security is the enabling layer for innovation. From autonomous driving to digital healthcare, the technologies and societies of the future will not reach their full potential without secure digital foundations.
"Extortion as a Service - the evolution of kidnap from people to data"
Criminals have always looked to exploit large and high value targets like banks, as the digital world changes criminal methods are changing. They are exploiting this new landscape, frequently innovating faster than defenders. They have industrialised and are capable of prosecuting attacks at scale using advanced campaigns.
In this session, we will look at how criminals are changing their approach, how the evolving threat landscape impacts us and how organisations can protect themselves and build out their cyber maturity.
Today, the nature of organisations is that they are fundamentally more reliant on technology than ever before. Hybrid ways of working have exploded the attack surface, and the pandemic has forced many businesses to quickly implement digital solutions in order to continue operating, meaning security has all-too-often become compromised.
Criminals are exploiting this changing landscape and are constantly scanning the internet for these open doors and easy opportunities. They have industrialised and are capable of prosecuting at scale using targeted campaigns.
Ransomware as a service (RaaS) is now a fully functioning business, with a highly developed criminal ecosystem offering malicious SaaS software, pay-as-you-go consumption, tech support and even revenue share models. Furthermore, they are all working together, sharing affiliates. If one gang drops, another one will take its place. It’s like a game of ‘wack-a-mole’ and it’s a global problem that is not going away, especially as more businesses will continue to digitally transform in order to survive.
Protecting your business, all comes down to securing data properly. Know what you’re doing and understand your high-risk areas. Paying ransom will not solve the problem.
