Navigating cybersecurity

AIPC’s August 2024 Cybersecurity Report reveals significant vulnerabilities following a global IT disruption and offers strategies for enhancing cyber resilience across the venue sector, reports tech correspondent Joe Gallop. Cybersecurity has become a critical focus for the event and conference industry, as underscored by AIPC’s (International Association of Convention Centres) August 2024 Cybersecurity Report. The report provides an in-depth analysis of recent cyber threats that have impacted the organisation’s members and offers actionable insights for them to bolster their defences. One of the most significant incidents reported this month was the global disruption caused by the Crowdstrike Falcon Sensor update, which directly impacted 15% of AIPC members and indirectly affected another 10%. The outage primarily disrupted inter-centre IT systems, leading to an average delay of 3.5 hours in operations – a stark reminder of the vulnerabilities within the current systems. This incident also underscored the industry’s heavy reliance on Microsoft systems, particularly in security and HVAC operations. The report calls for an urgent reassessment of how these critical systems are managed, emphasising the need for diversified backup solutions and robust update procedures. The disruption has not only affected operations but also led to a noticeable increase in phishing attacks, further highlighting the evolving nature of cyber threats in the industry. The report offers these key takeaways for AIPC members and the broader conference and meetings community: Virtual machines and sandboxes: One of the primary recommendations is the consideration of virtual machines and sandboxes for all major updates. This approach, while challenging to implement, could serve as a critical safety measure, ensuring that new updates are thoroughly vetted before full deployment. Failure mechanism testing: It is essential for organisations to regularly test and install failure mechanisms. This approach ensures that even in the event of a disruption, systems can quickly switch to a backup, minimising downtime and operational impact. Diversification of IT systems: The report highlights the dangers of having ‘all eggs in one basket’. The lack of diversification in IT systems was a significant vulnerability during the Crowdstrike outage. Implementing diversified backup systems, even temporary ones, could mitigate the impact of similar incidents in the future. Cybersecurity Bootcamp AIPC is planning a comprehensive Cybersecurity Bootcamp in Q1 2025. The five-day programme is designed for IT staff from convention centres worldwide and will cover a wide range of topics, from prevention to response. The Bootcamp promises to deliver high-quality training, comparable to that provided to global corporations and financial institutions, ensuring that participants are well-equipped to protect their organisations against cyber threats. The recent report from AIPC is a crucial reminder of the ever-evolving cyber threats facing the conference and meetings industry. As the digital landscape continues to grow in complexity, it is more important than ever for organisations to remain vigilant, proactive and collaborative in their cybersecurity efforts.