A word from our sponsor Cofense
Facing the Challenges of Email-Based Threats: How IT Security Teams Can Overcome Unprecedented Pressures
As the world becomes more interconnected, IT security teams are facing unprecedented pressures from the growing sophistication of phishing and email-based threats. The digital world changes by the minute, and with more people relying on email as a primary means of communication, cybercriminals are creating increasingly devious schemes that target unsuspecting users. In this post, we’ll take a closer look at the challenges IT security teams face in dealing with these threats and explore strategies for overcoming them.
The Growing Sophistication of Phishing and Email-Based Threats
Phishing and email-based threats are advancing exponentially, and with the possibilities that AI unlock this isn’t set to change any time soon. Malware, Spear-phishing, Vishing and Business Email Compromise (BEC) are just some of the tactics increasing in sophistication, and are becoming far more targeted, often involving highly convincing email content and even spoofing well know brands, senior colleagues or even government bodies. This makes it tough for users to spot fraudulent emails and puts IT security teams under enormous pressure to identify and respond to threats quickly.
Consequences of Security Team Pressures
We have seen the volume of malicious emails increase by 104.5% in 2023. Combine this with the increased sophistication, and the pressures of dealing with email-based threats are enormous for IT security teams, with staff often putting in long hours, fighting fires continuously, and struggling to keep pace with the rate of evolution. This pressure can lead to employee burnout, which has serious consequences, including staffing shortages, human error, and an increase in data breaches overall.
The Importance of Having Support
There is no question that security teams need a new level of support in today’s environment to combat threats effectively. Gone are the days of relying solely on traditional solutions like SEG’s, firewalls and anti-virus software, as they simply can’t keep up with the evolving threat. Teams should be empowered with access to dedicated and expert in house resources that can help them to identify, protect and remediate live threats. You should also ensure you are supporting your security teams with a robust employee training and reporting process, so that your entire workforce is acting as a line of defense.
Intelligence and Tools
These resources should be driven by vital live threat intelligence to enable security teams to be proactive rather than reactive, and as a consequence ease the burden on their time and resources fighting fires. For example, utilising live threat databases to deploy auto-quarantine functionalities, or run searches against new IOC’s/ types of attack to allow remediation. Additionally, feeding this threat intelligence into training and simulations will mean employees are always aware of the latest tactics being adopted, and what to look out for.
In conclusion, IT security teams are dealing with an ever-increasing volume of sophisticated email threats, and organisations need to look to a next level of support in order to maintain a strong defense. In order to achieve this, security teams need to be provided with the right support and tools, including evolving live threat intelligence, strong employee education, and tools that help to ease resource and time demands. By investing in these solutions, IT security teams can mitigate the risks of email-based threats and keep the organisation secure.
Contact Cofense to find out how you could empower your security teams to deliver effective email security. Cofense solutions leverage a unique network of over 35 million Cofense-trained employees reporting live threats in real-time. Ingesting this intelligence delivers enterprise-level advanced training and simulations, as well as proactive email threat detection and remediation. In short, Cofense helps you to see and stop threats other email security systems miss.
We are incredibly pleased to announce we raised a record breaking £306,000 for Childline.
Thank you to all of our guests; we hope you enjoyed the White Hat Ball and can’t wait to see you again next year.
Thank you to our sponsors; AWS and Deloitte, Zero Networks, Qualys, All Safe and Sound, NCC Group, Rela8 Group, Cofense, Eskenzi PR, Riversafe, Gradian, Zscaler.
Planning is already underway for our 20th anniversary year. See you in January 2025!
A message from our sponsor Rela8 Group
Thank you for supporting the White Hat Ball 2024
As the curtains closed on this year’s White Hat Ball, I couldn’t help but feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. The White Hat Ball 2024 was not just an evening of glamour and sophistication; it was a testament to the incredible generosity and compassion that defines our community. The team over at NSPCC and the organising committee have pulled together something truly special and it is a privilege to have been able to continue playing a part in that success by partnering with them again this year.
Throughout the evening, I witnessed firsthand the power of community. From the incredible auction to the heartfelt speeches, each moment reinforced the strength of this community and its dedication to creating positive change. Community is what we are all about at Rela8 Group and we couldn’t be prouder to see so many members of our Technology Leaders Club playing their part for the greater good.
On behalf of the Rela8 Group & Technology Leaders Club, I would like to extend our deepest thanks to each and every one of you who attended this year’s White Hat Ball. With your support, we raised over £300,000 for the NSPCC & Childline. I myself am a father of three and many of our staff are starting their own families so it’s a cause that is incredibly close to all of our hearts. We are doubly proud to be able to say that £28,000 of that total was raised from the Taylor Swift and Bruce Springsteen Wembley Boxes we donated to the auction. Your presence, enthusiasm, and support transformed a night of celebration into a powerful force for good. Together, we have accomplished something truly remarkable.
We hope to see you all at an upcoming event soon.
Paul Gibson, CEO & Founder, Rela8 Group
A message from our sponsor Zero Networks
Zero Networks is making true Zero Trust architecture a reality for enterprises of any size.
Founded in 2019, Zero Networks is a unified platform for network segmentation, identity segmentation, and remote access. Our microsegmentation offering is automated, agentless and segments all network assets to stop lateral movement and block ransomware with a firewall and just-in-time MFA. Our advanced ZTNA solution allows an enterprise to securely connect employees and vendors to its network, without compromising speed or performance. And our Identity Segmentation solution provides for unprecedented control of admin and service accounts to enable the principle of least privilege.
Our cross-industry clients trust Zero Networks to block ransomware by stopping all unauthorized lateral movement with microsegmentation; apply Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA) at the port level, enabling just-in-time MFA for anything; pass penetration tests; securely and efficiently connect remote employees and vendors; comply with cyber insurance and/or regulatory requirements; and more.
We are honoured to have officially entered the White Hat Ball community this year and help raise both awareness and funds for such an impactful organization: Childline. Together we helped raise over £299,000, which will allow the Childline team to help over 74,000 children in need of connection and guidance, ultimately creating a more secure, interconnected world that extends beyond digital boundaries.
Silent and Live Auction
With just days to go until the White Hat Ball 2024 our silent auction is live!
You can view and bid on our silent auction lots now
Bidding ends 11pm on 26th January 2024
Live Auction
We have 7 incredible auction lots for you to win. The auction will be taking place live on stage on 26th January.
Secure your table at the White Hat Ball 2023 in aid of NSPCC Childline!
The White Hat Ball Committee are delighted to invite you back to the annual White Hat Ball, in aid of NSPCC Childline! Taking place at the Royal Lancaster Hotel, London on Friday 27th January 2023.
The evening
Champagne reception in the Westbourne Suite
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Sumptuous three-course dinner in the Ballroom with celebrity host
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Live auction
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After party with live band
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Carriages at 2am
The White Hat Ball is the highlight of the Information Security and Risk industry event calendar and we are excited to be returning to a face-to-face event! The evening offers the chance to have an incredible evening with industry colleagues, being entertained from start to finish, all in the name of a fantastic cause.
Click here to book your tickets 2023 White Hat Ball Booking Form
A message from our sponsor Cado Security
Cado Security was founded in 2020 to empower security teams with a smarter and faster way to investigate and respond to cyber incidents in the cloud. Data is moving to the cloud. Cyber attackers are moving to the cloud. Yet when security teams need to investigate a threat in a modern environment, it’s incredibly complex and time consuming. The Cado Response platform automates data capture and processing across cloud and container environments to take the complexity out of cloud inventions and enable security teams to respond at cloud speed.
Cado Security is pleased to sponsor the White Hat ball and stand beside Childline in their work to support young people in the UK.
White Hat Ball 2022 announcement- new date- 25th March
We want to provide an update about our upcoming White Hat Ball which was due to be held on Friday 28th January at the Lancaster London.
We have been closely monitoring government guidelines around live events, alongside the ever-changing landscape posed by COVID, and have taken the decision to re-schedule the event for Friday 25th March at the Lancaster London.
We feel that this decision allows us to safeguard the health of our guests, whilst also ensuring the event can be as successful as possible.
If you have purchased a table or tickets to the Ball you will already have been contacted by a member of our Events team- if you have not been contacted please do get in touch with Robyn at Robyn.Stevenson@NSPCC.org.uk.
We really do appreciate your continued support of White Hat and Childline through what has been a difficult time and your support allows us to continue answering calls from children who need our help. We’re really excited to be back in March 2022 and do hope to see you there.
vArmour and White Hat- a partnership
vArmour, founded in 2011, exists to serve the modern enterprise. Businesses are now reliant on
thousands of applications, many of them distributed across geographies, users, domains, and
infrastructure. These applications create relationships and dependencies between applications, users,
devices, and data, many of them unknown or otherwise obscured. Discovering, observing, and
controlling digital relationships is the next frontier to successfully operating and securing the enterprise.
We’re pleased to be a part of the White Hat community and to support the work of Childline who
provide a friendly ear to children across the UK who may find themselves under stress and needing
someone to talk to. Childline, like us, believe that relationships matter.
Thank you to vArmour for sponsoring this year’s White Hat Ball Afterparty and helping us to raise money for Childline
