Event Schedule

Times for this Event are in Central Time (CDT/CST).

The Conference will be open from 9:00 - 4:30 April 27th and 9:00 - 5:30 April 28th.

• DAY ONE
• Welcome to the Houston Cybersecurity Conference
• The Reason Why Ransomware is Really HEATing Up 10:00 am

  Presented by Menlo Security

  When entire workforces went remote in 2020 because of the global pandemic, organizations pivoted quickly to new business models by migrating apps and services to the cloud to enable the anywhere, everywhere workforce. That’s resulted in business users spending an average of 75% of their workday working in a browser. These same digital enhancements, however, also ushered in widespread transformation that expanded attack surfaces and created new opportunities for cyber miscreants, giving rise to Highly Evasive Adaptive Threats (HEAT), which are used as beachheads for initiating ransomware, data theft, and account takeovers.

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  Speaker:

  Mark Guntrip

  Mark Guntrip

  Sr. Director of Cybersecurity Strategy at Menlo Security

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• Data Tracing - A New Approach to Data Protection 10:25 am

  Presented by Cyberhaven

  Data visibility and protection has continued to use the same, problematic approach for the past 25+ years. Regex, keywords, dictionaries, exact data matching, fingerprinting, partial file matching, limited contextual awareness, filetypes, etc. These approaches are useful at times, but are problematic (resource intensive), limited (text-only files), prone to false-positives, and easy to circumvent. Data tracing is a new approach that focuses on the identification of how data comes into existence in an organization, what occurs with that data, and ultimately provides visibility into the operations and transformations that occur providing a complete picture of the lifecycle of data and its derivatives.

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  Speaker:

  Chris Saucier

  Chris Saucier

  Senior Solutions Architect at Cyberhaven

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• USSS Briefing 11:05 am

  Speaker:

  Teddie Whitaker

  Teddie Whitaker

  ATSAIC at Department of Homeland Security

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• Digital Forensics: Insights from the Secret Service Houston Field Lab! 11:20 am

  Local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies across Texas rely on the US Secret Service Regional Forensic Lab.  Today, TSA Skoby will share (as much as he’s allowed) some of the cutting-edge practices used by the lab for prosecuting criminals.  It’s not just ransomware and business email compromise – but also robberies and homicides that have a cyber element; this is when agencies across Texas rely on the Digital Forensics Lab. 

  Ever wondered what happens to those confiscated laptops? Server images with advanced malware? How about when digging information from a biometric-locked mobile device that can prove to be the lynchpin of a criminal investigation?  These agents spend their days working behind the scenes, doing the stuff we’ve all seen depicted in the movies and TV crime dramas. 

  More importantly, they will explain for the Data Connectors audience what cybersecurity leaders can do to make themselves more secure. They’ll cover how to assure employee user agreements are in place, how to think about logging and audit, systems to consider, relationships to have in advance of a breach that could save you from problems down the road. Relating local stories that may seem familiar from headlines, this exclusive insight into the digital forensics’ lab will be a unique opportunity to learn about the innovative and exciting tactics used by the Secret Service to protect citizens and financial infrastructure. 

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  Speaker:

  Clarke Skoby

  Clarke Skoby

  Advanced Digital Forensics Expert and Technical Staff Assistant at USSS - Houston Field Office

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• Lunch
• Win The Cyberwar With Zero Trust 12:45 pm

  Zero Trust is revolutionizing network security architecture: it is data-centric and designed to stop data breaches. Zero Trust also adds a layer of agility to modern networks that is impossible to do in traditional network designs. These 21st century networks have been adopted by government entities and large enterprises around the world. In this session, John will discuss the concept of Zero Trust and explain why Zero Trust is the world’s only true cybersecurity strategy. He will show how a Zero Trust Strategy will achieve tactical and operational goals. This session will discuss how Zero Trust will not only transform network security but function as a business enabler, by focusing on the businesses grand strategic objectives.

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  Speaker:

  John Kindervag

  John Kindervag

  Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Strategy

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• Put Your Business Ahead of Disruption: MDR in Action 1:50 pm

  Presented by eSentire

  As new threats are constantly born, how proactive is your company about cybersecurity? Put your business ahead of disruption and build a more responsive cybersecurity operation to protect your business from cybercrime. Brent Feller, Director of Solutions Architects at eSentire will share how eSentire’s Managed Detection and Response solution stops threats before they become a business disrupting event. He will cover real, recent attacks and how we stopped them in their tracks.

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  Speaker:

  Brent Feller

  Brent Feller

  Director of Solutions Architects at eSentire

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• Windows 11: Adapt Early or Follow Cautiously? 2:15 pm

  Presented by baramundi

  6 years after the release of Windows 10, Microsoft introduced their new Operating System Windows 11. That fact is causing a lot of IT Departments to evaluate their decision whether it is worth it to make the transition now or not. Especially with a lot of companies still having remote work and older machines in place this decision comes with a few new challenges companies need to be aware of. On the other hand Windows 11 opens up new possibilities with regards to security and efficiency. 

  Axel Peters from baramundi software will tackle the big questions that IT departments have regarding Windows 11: Should I start planning deployment now or sit tight for a while? How does Microsoft’s latest OS affect endpoint management? And how will it affect endpoint security?

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  Speaker:

  Axel Peters

  Axel Peters

  VP West Operations, baramundi

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• Will the Real Zero Trust Please Stand Up? 2:40 pm

  Beyond the potential, beyond the hype, zero trust is a strategy that organizations of all sectors and sizes are employing today.  It is a complex concept that unifies many different facets of cybersecurity.  Even the most seasoned cybersecurity professionals can be overwhelmed when attempting to take on Zero Trust architectures.  As efforts now shift to the long-term strategic view of the ‘new normal’, organizations are questioning how they will ensure business resiliency in 2022 and act more quickly against new and evolving cyber threats.

  Our experts will discuss the various aspects of a zero trust approach including users, identity management, access, and network configuration concepts.

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  Panel Participants:

  Joshua Borges

  Joshua Borges

  Director of Field Engineering at ColorTokens

  Mark Guntrip

  Mark Guntrip

  Sr. Director of Cybersecurity Strategy at Menlo Security

  Jason Garbis

  Jason Garbis

  Chief Product Officer at AppGate Cybersecurity

  Scott Greaux

  Scott Greaux

  Vice President of Products at Net Abstraction

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• CISA Briefing 3:05 pm

  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) first issued its “Shields Up” warning in mid-February. Working with other agencies, important information is updated regularly at cisa.gov/shields-up.  Consolidating that information and a host of the intelligence that CISA has made available, Mr. Robert Russell, Acting Director for CISA Region 6 will go over the nature of the current threats posed by these and other pressing headlines.

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  Speaker:

  Robert Russell

  Robert Russell

  Acting Regional Director, Region 6 (AR, OK, TX, LA, NM) at Department of Homeland Security

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• Cyber Executive RoundTable 3:30 pm

  Submit your bio for consideration to participate on our Houston Cybersecurity Conference

  Cyber Executive RoundTable to [email protected]

  or fill out our Call for Speakers form here.

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  Guest Moderator:

  John Kindervag

  John Kindervag

  Senior Vice President, Cybersecurity Strategy

  Panel Participants:

  James Morrison

  James Morrison

  CISO at Ntirety

  Keith Frederick

  Keith Frederick

  CISO at ViaSat

  Michael Oberlaender

  Michael Oberlaender

  Global CISO

  Guy Dulberger

  Guy Dulberger

  Vice President, Information Security & CISO at Ritchie Bros

  Chris Wolski

  Chris Wolski

  CISO at Port of Houston Authority

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• Networking Reception and Happy Hour 4:20 pm

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• DAY TWO
• Welcome to the Houston Cybersecurity Conference
• A New, Modern Way to Protect Data 10:00 am

  Presented by Pure Storage

  The world of data backup and recovery has evolved with ransomware to highlight the need for a resiliency architecture that gives an organization the ability to quickly and reliably get back up and running after a cyber attack. This session will dive into how an attack (such as ransomware) unfolds and key considerations to give before, during and after so that the post-event recovery needs of the business can be achieved.

   

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  Speaker:

  Andy Stone

  Andy Stone

  CTO - Americas at Pure Storage

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• It’s Cloudy Up Here: Defend Against the TOP 3 Identity Attack Vectors in Microsoft 365 10:25 am

  Presented by Tenfold

  In today’s complex digital landscape, corporations increasingly rely on cloud platforms to connect with their staff, partners and customers. For cybersecurity experts, however, this move to the cloud presents many new challenges and possible threats. To protect your company from harm, you first need to understand the specific risks and vulnerabilities of these services. 

  Join us to learn how Microsoft 365 contributes to the risk of data breaches, what the three main identity attack vectors are and how you can keep your business safe in the cloud.

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  Speaker:

  Helmut Semmelmayer

  Helmut Semmelmayer

  CEO at tenfold

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• Empowering Users To Be the Best Human Firewall in Your Organization 10:50 am

  Your business users, those oft-confused carbon-based life forms normally roaming the halls of your office building, are now at home on their (probably very secure) private networks.  Maybe with corporate devices, maybe not.  This makes it more important than ever to arm them with tools, training and the sense to look for suspicious activity.

  Our panelists today will talk more about this issue, and what you can do to make your users the best last line of defense.

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  Panel Participants:

  Jeff Baker

  Jeff Baker

  Director of Solutions Engineering at Slash Next

  Jim Johnson

  Jim Johnson

  Director, Pre-Sales Engineering at Arctic Wolf Networks

  Jay Paz

  Jay Paz

  Senior Director of Delivery at Cobalt Labs

  Andrew Keller

  Andrew Keller

  Lead Product Engineer at Envoy Data

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• The Journey Toward Zero Trust - How Companies Get Started 11:35 am

  Presented by Banyan Security

  As we settle into life with COVID, the topic of zero trust security and a remote workforce is top of mind for all enterprise security teams. During this session you’ll hear from the Banyan Security’s Director of Product as they share how companies can implement zero trust methodologies at scale.

  The audience will gain understanding in:

  – How to get started: Selling the strategy, people, process and technology

  – How to make real progress in months, not years. Demonstrating continued business value

  – Real world examples. Highlighting improvements to user experience and security posture.

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  Speaker:

  Faraz Jamal

  Faraz Jamal

  Director of Product at Banyan Security

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• Leading Across the Aisle: Achieving DevSecOps Through and Across Teams 12:00 pm

  Presented by ShiftLeft

  As technology advances to achieve new levels of efficiency, Security and Engineering leaders alike are taking a fresh look at the processes they have in place. “Shifting security left” means making fixes earlier in application development where less time is required from developers and software becomes more secure before it even goes out the door. But for decades, AppSec has evolved around slow and siloed tools.  As automation takes over and AppSec becomes an integrated part of DevOps, a new culture of collaboration and enablement between Security and Engineering is necessary for success.

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  Panel Participants:

  Mike Manginella

  Mike Manginella

  Director, Application Security at ShiftLeft

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• Lunch Break
• Guest Keynote: Lisa Plaggemier, Interim Executive Director, National Cyber Security Alliance 12:50 pm

  People often don’t do things they know they should, even when they can benefit. What’s the reason behind this? New research from the National Cybersecurity Alliance reveals the public’s attitudes and beliefs about security, and potential drivers and barriers towards the adoption of secure data security habits. We will share the highlights of this revealing research, and how we can apply such behavioral science insights to develop more effective awareness and behavior change initiatives. In this session, National Cybersecurity Alliance Executive Director Lisa Plaggemier will explore the findings from the organization’s annual survey and outline what can be learned when creating awareness programs.

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  Speaker:

  Lisa Plaggemier

  Lisa Plaggemier

  Executive Director at National Cyber Security Alliance (NCA)

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• Guest Keynote: Insecure: Employees as the Key to Your Cybersecurity or Insecurity 1:25 pm

  Human error is the number one cause of data breaches, and researchers at Stanford University have found that employee mistakes cause almost 88% of data breaches. These mistakes can cost companies millions, with the average cost of a data breach being $3.86 million. Building a solid cybersecurity culture starts with employees. This presentation will explore the role employees play in breaches, examine some high-profile examples, and then outline how employers can reduce these risks and make employees their greatest cyber defenders.

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  Speaker:

  Anthony Hendricks

  Anthony Hendricks

  Director and Chair of Cybersecurity and Data Privacy Practice Group at Crowe & Dunlevy

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• Achieving Effective Security with Managed Detection and Response 2:15 pm

  Presented by Alert Logic

  Managed Detection and Response (MDR) continues to have significant growth and expected to be over $2 billion in the next 5 years. Many consider this a conservative estimate and there are differing views around MDR so this session is going to focus on answering three questions: 

  • Is MDR is right for the organization you represent? 
  • What should you consider for effective detection and response? 
  • How does a managed approach enable security outcomes?

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  Panel Participants:

  Antonio Sanchez, Jr.

  Antonio Sanchez, Jr.

  Director of Product Marketing at Alert Logic

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• Fast and Furious Attacks: Using AI to Surgically Respond 2:40 pm

  Presented by Darktrace

  Fast-moving cyber-attacks can strike at any time, and security teams are often unable to react quickly enough. Join Darktrace Senior Cyber Security Executive, Blake Goins, to learn how Autonomous Response takes targeted action to stop in-progress attacks, without disrupting your business. Includes real-world threat finds, case studies and attack scenarios.  

  Topic for this session– Autonomous Response 

  • Explore today’s threats and challenges 
  • How advances in AI have been leveraged to allow for very surgical actions to be taken autonomously – where humans can no longer react fast enough

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  Speaker:

  Blake Goins

  Blake Goins

  Senior Cyber Security Executive at Darktrace

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• Recover from Ransomware: Coming Back After an Attack 3:05 pm

  A recent survey claimed that ransomware attacks hit 80% of the organizations studied in 2021; more than 60% of those who were hit by the attacks paid the ransom.  Whether you chose to pay the ransomware or not, the entire network may be contaminated.  Attackers often put in “back door” access which is hard to discover, and many organizations are repeatedly attacked.

  In the POST-ATTACK scenario, rebuilding images, devices, re-formatting storage, software upgrades, patches, and even new equipment are all part of this process.  In this panel, our experts will talk about what to do first – and what to avoid, and where the traps may lie.

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  Panel Participants:

  Sean Deuby

  Sean Deuby

  Director of Services

  Robert Johnston

  Robert Johnston

  Founder & CEO at Adlumin

  Andy Stone

  Andy Stone

  CTO - Americas at Pure Storage

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• FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge, Mark Webster, Houston Field Office 3:50 pm

  In this short introduction, ASAC Mark Webster will provide a welcome to the second day of the conference. He will briefly discuss some of the ways to protect critical infrastructure, the FBI Cyber mission, and how to contact the FBI should a company encounter indicators of compromise. ASAC Webster can also discuss the FBI resources available to assist companies in cyber threat situations.

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  Speaker:

  Mark Webster

  Mark Webster

  ASAC at FBI, Houston Field Office

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• DHS-CISA Briefing: The Russia-Ukraine Conflict’s Impact on the Cyber-Threat Landscape 4:05 pm

  The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Cyber Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) first issued its “Shields Up” warning in mid-February. Working with other agencies, important information is updated regularly at cisa.gov/shields-up.  Consolidating that information and a host of the intelligence that CISA has made available, Region 6 Cybersecurity Advisor George Reeves will go over the nature of the current threats posed by these and other pressing headlines.

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  Speaker:

  George Reeves

  George Reeves

  Region 6 Cybersecurity Advisor, DHS-CISA

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• Cyber Inter-Agency Cooperation Panel 4:40 pm

  Guest Moderator:

  Kevin Cooke

  Kevin Cooke

  SSA at Department of Homeland Security

  Panel Participants:

  Clarke Skoby

  Clarke Skoby

  Advanced Digital Forensics Expert and Technical Staff Assistant at USSS - Houston Field Office

  George Reeves

  George Reeves

  Region 6 Cybersecurity Advisor, DHS-CISA

  K. Nowell

  K. Nowell

  SSA at the FBI Houston Field Office

  Mike Alvarez

  Mike Alvarez

  Criminal Investigator at texas.gov

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• Conference Closing Session 5:25 pm

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