Bratislava is home to a cybersecurity giant
Event organisers have to ensure digital security
The success story began in 1987, when the authors of an antivirus programme named NOD, Miroslav Trnka and Peter Paško, connected with Rudolf Hruby. They chose to name the company after ESET, the Egyptian goddess of health, marriage and love. From a small company, they have grown into a global trademark with over 100 million users in 202 countries. Even though the world has changed profoundly since 1987, the company’s initial idea has remained the same – to ensure a safer digital world, where anyone can enjoy a safe digital experience. All sensitive data, online payments, passwords, smart home, web camera and events are today often accompanied by ESET Internet Security.
During the period of event digitalisation, questions regarding privacy and sensitive data protection are becoming prevalent. Cyber attacks are now often focused on events, resulting in a continuous spike in incidents. However, after an incident has already happened, it can often be too late, bearing catastrophic consequences.
Considering all previously mentioned results, a logical question arises: Why don’t event organisers do more for ensuring cybersecurity?
The first reason we have already mentioned is that information security is not a primary activity of a company, and it is in human nature to worry about risks that are important to us. Although cyberattacks continue to make headlines, the news is predominantly associated with large companies. Consequently, the majority believes that they are too small to be attacked and that their sector would not be interesting for cybercriminals. Therefore, they do not find the cyber threat real.
Cybercriminals are looking for exactly such companies or events that are vulnerable and are simple to hack. Such companies are not only easy targets for cyberattacks but also present great financial opportunities for criminals, who make a profit in the form of ransom money or stolen data regarding bank accounts. Large organisations usually have a big budget for ensuring safety, while smaller companies often do not. The key problem event organisers face is losing the trust of attendees, sponsors and event partners.
Moreover, there is the risk that the attacker gains access to intellectual property or other sensitive commercial information and uses them to their advantage. Imagine a situation when at an event, experts behind closed doors discuss a new vaccine for COVID-19. In short, we must ensure safety, and luckily, there are companies such as ESET, which represent exceptional added value for the meetings industry in Bratislava.
If we were to judge by the development of events, it is clear that event organisers have to redefine their approach towards cybersecurity and treat it as a priority. With a consistent approach towards data management and training staff, this part of event organising can become a major competitive advantage.
Bratislava is one of the centres of the European digital revolution, offering solutions for the meetings industry. In Kongres Magazine, we have featured the solutions of Slido and numerous other start-ups that are also valuable for organisers of digital and live events. Due to the ingenuity of these companies, Bratislava has become an extremely popular destination among digital nomads. Together with Prague, Budapest and Vienna, they form the golden triangle of Central Europe. We believe this will become even more meaningful after the corona crisis.
ESET Campus
