Conference Helps Usher in Age of GDPR

The chapter held April's Data Breach Notification conference to discuss the application of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) before it took effect May 25, with stiff penalties for violating the new rules. The event allowed institutions and companies to offer feedback about technologies and processes for complying with the GDPR. Chapter President Lt. Gen. Antonio Tangorra, ITAF (Ret.), welcomed attendees and emphasized the significance of the conference. Mario Terranova of AgID spoke about the complex threat of stolen data in public administrations. Public institutions can be an appealing target for cyber attacks. Countermeasures such as layered information systems must be defined, he said. Rita Forsi of ISCOM illustrated how the national cybersecurity plan has been implemented, in particular, with Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) integration. Col. Mark Menegazzo, Guardia di Finanza, presented how operators carry out their investigations to guarantee data protection in compliance with the new European rules. Danilo Bianco of Leonardo introduced the company's strategy for data protection in "GDPR, a New Strategy for Data Protection in Public Administration." The company's approach is based on a management system for data privacy that fits the GDPR requirements. Lt. Col. Giuseppe Mario Di Stefano, V Department of the Higher Defense, discussed the technological challenge and evolution of cyber governance in defense. Governance is changing to face evolving threats, and crisis reaction must improve through suitable funding programs, he said. Emanuele Gentili of TS-Way introduced cyber threat intelligence to achieve a global knowledge of enemies and digital hackers, preventing data breaches. Almaviva's Roberto De Finis presented "GDPR: Are Data Under Control?" He addressed how data are collected and their interconnection. Aldo Di Mattia of Fortinet reported the experience of the Fortinet Security Fabric, dedicated to protecting company data through the interaction of several systems in a unique intelligence solution. VMWare's Rodolfo Rotondo spoke about how to develop a strategic approach to cybersecurity in the mobile-cloud era of the Internet of Things. Organizations have to be based on platforms that ensure the alignment of security to the data to protect, he said. Paolo Cecchi of FireEye gave the last speech, providing an overview of today's threats and trends, their relationships with geopolitical scenarios, and how to operationalize security for a new era.