TechCon by tTech 2023 Held in Recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month

For the first time since its inception in April 2018, local technology and business conference TechCon by tTech, was held in October to recognise Cybersecurity Awareness Month. 

The annual educational conference, hosted by Managed IT Services company tTech Limited, was held at The Summit in Kingston on October 4, 2023 under the theme “Resilience”. 

Local and International industry experts from tTech, Cisco, eGOV Jamaica Limited, Fortinet, ConnectWise, GraceKennedy Limited, Design Privacy, Hitachi Systems Security Inc. and Microsoft were among the speakers shedding light on a variety of cybersecurity concerns.

During the welcome to guests at the event, tTech Limited Head of Sales and Marketing, Marsha Bucknor, stated, “Our dependence on digital infrastructure has grown exponentially, encompassing every facet of our lives, ranging from communication and commerce to safeguarding critical systems and our personal well-being. As Zig Ziglar once said, ‘When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal; you do not change your decision to get there.’ This sentiment underscores the importance of resilience in our pursuit of a secure and thriving digital future. So today, we have gathered some of the brightest minds from our industry, government and private sectors to engage in discussions, share insights, and collectively address the multifaceted challenges posed by cyber threats.” 

Further, tTech Limited CEO Norman Chen explained that the focus on security and resilience this year was especially necessary due to the constantly evolving nature of people’s cyber dependence and the simultaneous threats to businesses and livelihoods by cyberattacks - something that has been exhibited by recent spike in ransomware and other attacks on Jamaican organisations. 

As such, attendees, both in-person and online, learned key information on issues ranging from: ways to prioritise security in software development, and how their businesses can protect themselves from dark web attacks, to the different threat management strategies businesses can implement such as Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR), Security Operations Centre (SOC) and Security Information and Event Management (SIEM). 

Meanwhile, the breakout discussions of the day-long event which especially caught the attention of business leaders and IT experts in attendance were a discussion on the Ethics of Artificial Intelligence and an hour-long panel discussing the upcoming enforcement of the Data Protection Act of Jamaica (DPA), 2020. 

Minister of Education and Youth, The Hon. Fayval Williams, who was instrumental in the passing of the Act during her tenure at the Ministry of Science and Technology, tTech Business Analyst Lesley-Anne Wilson, GraceKennedy Limited IT Operations Manager Omar Bell and Design Privacy Founder Chukweumeka Cameron were among the panellists discussing the DPA. Guests were updated on the technical measures to put in place to be compliant with the law and conflicts of interest. 

The law expresses that no business shall process personal data after December 1, 2023 without having registered with the Office of the Information Commissioner. To do so opens an individual or business up to criminal sanction. 

With a focus on knowledge exchange, emerging trends, policy and regulations and collaborative solutions, all TechCon attendees were gifted with a complimentary Incident Response Plan Checklist, and another 10 attendees received a free Dark Web Scan.

tTech CEO, Norman Chen later expressed that, “Building resilience in our cyber infrastructure is not just a goal; it's a responsibility we share to ensure the safety, security, and prosperity of our digital age.” 

TechCon 2023 was a hybrid event sponsored by Fortinet, Hitachi Systems Security Inc. and GraceKennedy Foods Limited.