Cyber security has never gone away as a hot topic in the technology sphere and in 2018 it remains an enormous issue. As the next 3 billion or so of the planet’s people come online, it’s never been more important to secure their safety, their privacy and the security of their personal data. As the same time we are already in the process of building the infrastructure of the future. The smart cities and the autonomous cars-to-come will all have to be secure from cyber attack, from private or state actors.
It’s therefore salient that TechCrunch Disrupt feature the work of two of the key players in this space.
Machine learning can help companies better protect their networks, but it also provides attackers with new tools. DiDi Labs Security VP Fengmin Gong and Mike Hanley of Duo are both are the forefront of this sector. On stage at Disrupt they will discuss how their companies use these new technologies to keep hackers at bay and how others can do the same to keep their systems secure.
Hanley leads all security research, development and operations functions at Duo. Prior to Duo, he was a senior member of the technical staff at CERT/CC, working on applied R&D programs for the US Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community.
Hanley recently pointed out that it’s a a myth that most hackers are using sophisticated tactics to access data.
It’s his view that the vast majority of cyber security attacks start with phishing – where people respond to fraudulent emails and reveal their own personal information.
The problem is, he thinks, is that the security industry has been slow to offer simple, efficient solutions to protect companies’ and individuals’ digital information. He thinks the industry is too focused “on complexity and not necessarily effectiveness” and that “complexity really does breed insecurity.”
He’ll be joined on stage by Fengmin Gong of DiDi Labs, part of the Chinese ride-hailing startup.
Gong is a well-respected cybersecurity technologist with more than 30 years of industry experience. As head of DiDi Labs, Dr. Gong currently drives R&D innovation and strategy for safety, security and user experience on DiDi platforms, and works on developing the next generation of security tools
Gong has held chief scientist and R&D VP roles in a variety of large security corporations, including McAfee and Symantec JV, and served as chief security content strategy officer for FireEye, where he led the development and management of the company’s security initiatives. He is also a serial entrepreneur, having founded several leading security companies, including Palo Alto Networks and Cyphort Inc., and is an angel investor in more than half a dozen startups.
Didi was recently given the go-ahead to start testing self-driving cars in California, as it looks to catch up with its Silicon Valley rivals’ earlier start in autonomous systems.
Check out the full agenda here. Tickets are still available even though the show is less than two weeks away. Grab one here.
Shiv has over 8 years experience working on Internet of Things and an avid user of Drones
