The International Security Expo – the two-day event – returned for the first time in nearly two years in late September; co-located with a newly-launched International Cyber Expo.
The realities of a cyber attack came alive as the immersive training firm CrisisCast with Cyberprism carried out a theatrical live cyber attack on a revolving stage.
Brian Mitchell, Lead Producer at CrisisCast said: “It’s been great to see both visitors and fellow exhibitors embrace the essential role storytelling has in engaging with audiences and demonstrating the role Cyber Prism plays during a live cyber attack. Presenting an immersive demonstration, that brings to life the real-time battle between defender and attacker has been a great way to impress clients with how the software works. We’ve had some great conversations and will be leaving the show with some really strong leads.”
Visitors were able to engage in the dialogue from both sides of the attack and understand the psychology and motivating factors from two perspectives at one – the attackers and the boardroom of the fictional attacked oil and gas firm.
Elsewhere at the Cyber Expo, Cyber Griffin offered attendees an NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre) certified, immersive training experience through its tabletop exercise designed to explore the decisions that people make to protect their businesses from modern-day threats.
The event’s International Hosted Buyer Meeting Programme enabled senior buyers from around the globe to come together and do business, regardless of travel restrictions. With the Department of International Trade’s UK Defence & Security Exports, free personalised matchmaking service gave qualified buyers an upstairs space away from the show floor to speak to solution providers. The sessions ran virtually and physically.
Rachael Shattock, Group Event Director at Nineteen Group added: “I can’t describe how fantastic it feels to reunite the whole security industry, face-to-face after over 18 months without a physical event, and provide a platform to network, learn and discover the latest security solutions from the world’s leading suppliers. This year is also particularly special as we successfully launched the first International Cyber Expo with its own dedicated Global Cyber Summit conference programme, interactive activities, and a raft of top suppliers.”
Meanwhile always popular with visitors is the LPCB Live Testing Lab; forced entry specialists attempted to break through physical security products including mesh fencing systems from the likes of ARX and Fastline, key safes from Burton Safes, glazing units from Selectaglaze, hinged gates from Lochrin Bain, and turnstiles from Frontier Pitts and Eagle Automation.
The event’s CPD certified talks saw over 90 sessions and 120 speakers. Damian Hinds, recently appointed Home Office Minister for Security and Borders, opened the second day with a speech. He highlighted how events like the Expo bring the security community together to inspire and be inspired, commenting, “in the security field you have to keep on innovating because the threat, what we’re up against, keeps on shapeshifting and changing.”
Government officials speaking included Mark Goldsack, Director DIT, UKDSE; Angela Essel, Head of JSaRC – Joint Security and Resilience Centre (JSaRC); Tracy Buckingham, Deputy Director Security and Cyber Security Exports – DIT UKDSE; Kevin Knappett, Cell Broadcast Delivery Lead Digital Infrastructure Directorate UK Government, DCMS; and Shaun Hipgrave, Director Prepare, Protect, CBRNE & Science Directorate – Homeland Security Group, Home Office.
International Security Expo and International Cyber Expo will return to Olympia in west London next on Tuesday and Wednesday, September 27 and 28, 2022. Visit: https://www.internationalsecurityexpo.com/.
More in the November print edition of Professional Security magazine.
