The IoTSSA Cyber Security Services Expo kicked off its 2019 tour at TopGolf in Jacksonville, Fla., on January 24. It is the first of six events the IoT Security Services Association has on the docket for this year.
Dan Wensley, former president of Passportal, and Brian Sherman, IoTSSA resident host moderator, opened the conference. They discussed the importance of IoT security and the channel, and the need to protect SMB customers.
Susan Kostbar, director of member relations for vendors and distributors at industry organization CompTIA, presented the latest in IoT research and how it affects the channel, and offered some 2019 security predictions.
In additon to vendor presentations and an introduction to IoT Playbook, the integrator and solution provider’s guide to profiting from the Internet of Things, the morning included an MSP panel discussion on challenges IT providers face when building out their security offerings, along with how compliance requirements impact SMBs’ security decisions
The afternoon featured a keynote address from Wayne Selk (pictured above), CISSP and director of professional services at†ConnectWise. Selk talked about how much of the current risk equation the MSP owns versus customers, and how to communicate this and further the MSP’s role as a trusted partner.
During the subsequent penetration testing demo, attendees learned about the anatomy of a hack, what hackers are doing inside clients’ networks, and why knowing the enemy is the first step in defense.
Finally, a security expert panel discussed how to take the pain out of building cybersecurity practices.
The day ended with awards and prizes, followed by a golf outing.
Next up on the IoTSSA cybersecurity tour is Salt Lake City on March 26.
