S4x20: The future of IIoT cybersecurity is here

It’s common knowledge that risks to the industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) and critical infrastructure are increasing. As a case in point, our Talos threat research team is now discovering more IoT-related vulnerabilities on a regular basis than traditional “IT” vulnerabilities. This week, while preparing to head out to Miami for S4x20, I’ve been thinking about how the awareness of these risks has also been on the rise. The first S4 event took place in January 2007 — 13 years ago! You could easily say the organizers and those first attendees were ahead of their time. Fast forward to 2020, and vendors like Cisco understand the need for new skills and tools to address IIoT cybersecurity, and we’re excited to share how we’re doing so.

S4’s purpose is to: “Nurture and grow a community of talent that is creating the future of OT and ICS security through bold and innovative thinking and action.” Having been involved with S4 since 2014, I can say that the organization delivers on its mission. It’s been exciting to see S4’s growth, which also speaks to the need for this kind of research and exchange of ideas. In fact, it is the place to be if you want to get up to speed on IIoT cybersecurity — Cisco’s investment as a sponsor is a testament to that.

This year on the main stage, Vikas Butaney, our Vice President of Product Management, IoT, will discuss how to control your data from the edge to the multi-cloud. We know that the best decisions are made when the right people and applications have the right data at the right time. Unfortunately, that’s easier said than done. In his keynote, Vikas will explore the intersection of security, data governance, and control as vendors and integrators seek to leverage more of your data and offer more cloud-based services.

I’m really excited to be on the sponsor stage this year to share the strategy behind Cisco’s acquisition of Sentryo and the role that our IoT solutions play in our IIoT cybersecurity strategy. We’ve developed an integrated industrial cybersecurity solution that links IT and OT in a truly collaborative way to help improve resilience and security. Join me on Tuesday at 2:15-2:45 p.m.

There will be a lot to learn, see, and do next week at S4. We hope you’ll join us as we highlight our vision for the future of IIoT cybersecurity. Catch one (or both) of our sessions, see a demo, or just stop by for a chat.

See you there.