The 2024 Critical Infrastructure Protection & Resilience Europe topics of discussions will include:
Plenary Session Topics
Implementation and Impacts of CER Directive and NIS2 Directive
The CER and NIS2 Directives come into force in October 2024, where failing compliance could bring hefty fines, operational restrictions, or even shutdowns for critical infrastructure owner/operators. Non-compliance exposes vulnerabilities to cyberattacks and disruptions. What are the implications on the operator/owners and agencies and what impacts could there potentially be on public safety and economic stability? How has implementation gone to date and what more needs to be done?
Mini Symposiums
Communications Sector Symposium
Across Europe, communication networks are the lifeblood of communities and critical infrastructure. Disruptions cripple businesses and leave emergency response in chaos. With the internet central to all sectors, safeguarding communication assets and building resilience is essential for European businesses, governments, and all critical infrastructure.
Critical Industries / ICS SCADA Symposium
Across Europe’s critical industries, security practices increasingly integrate due to converging physical and cyber threats. Four main categories guide these practices: physical security, cyber resilience, personnel training, and robust supply chains. Integrating secure manufacturing (or other key processes) with resilient logistics, including IT/OT and SCADA systems, is essential for reliable deliveries and a thriving European economy.
Transport Sector Symposium
The movement of goods and people is vital to a local and national thriving economy. Without a safe, secure and resilient transport network, an economy will crumble. The transport network, from rail, road, air and sea, is at threat from cyber attacks, terrorist threats and natural hazards and its protection and resilience is key for communities and countries to maintain their economies.
Information Technology (CIIP) / Cybersecurity Sector Symposium
Safeguarding Europe’s digital backbone is paramount. Information technology underpins our workforce, businesses, and access to crucial data. Robust Critical Information Infrastructure Protection (CIIP) through cybersecurity and network security is vital. Recent ransomware attacks and evolving threats like malware (Stuxnet remains a stark example) necessitate heightened vigilance to shield Europe’s information assets.
Power & Energy (Grid Resilience) Sector Symposium
Europe’s energy sector, reliant on oil, gas, and renewables, is paramount. Without it, other critical infrastructure fails. Recent and regular cyberattacks and changing weather patterns highlight the need to safeguard our energy assets, including IT/OT and SCADA systems. How can we minimize outage or attack impacts and fortify Europe’s grids?
Crisis Management, Coordination & Communication
Regular exercises combined with clear communication protocols between operators and agencies/emergency responders ensure everyone’s on the same page. Open information sharing creates a shared understanding of threats provide a more effective response. How do we better coordinate and co-operate to enhance protection and resilience?
Key Sessions
Emerging Threats against CI
The threats to critical infrastructure are like a chameleon. Cyberattacks evolve, threat of terrorism activities are on the increase, natural disasters worsen due to climate change, and new threats like AI manipulation emerge. This constant shift demands continuous updates to security measures. How can we identify, monitor and manage their levels of potential damage?
Cyber Regulations, Standards and Best Practice
Escalating cyberattacks by state actors and persistent criminal activity necessitate urgent action. Robust cyber regulations, clear standards, and effective best practices are required to fortify defenses. So what are the latest regulations and how can we raise standards and standardise best practices in cyber defense?
Technologies to Detect and Protect
What are some of the latest and future technologies, from ground, land or underwater technologies, access controls, and space based or cyber technology, to predict or detect the wide range of potential physical and cyber threats to CNI. How is AI being utilised in technology to enhance performance.
Risk Mitigation and Management
Proactive threat preparation significantly reduces disruptions to infrastructure and the broader community, bolstering resilience, safety and security. How can we effectively address these evolving physical and cyber threats to minimize outages and financial losses?
Collaboration, Information Sharing and Enhancing PPPs
Effective risk, resilience, and emergency plans rely on open information sharing across Europe. Knowledge empowers informed decisions for CI protection. How can we dismantle barriers to information exchange and foster trust between governments, operators, and communities? Stronger PPPs hinge on this collaboration.
CI Interdependencies and Cascading Effects in Community Situational Awareness
It is the interoperability between independent critical national infrastructures that is the catalyst for multiple failures in the so called cascade effect. As more infrastructure becomes increasingly interdependent, how do we identify the weaknesses to enhance resilience across industries to prevent and/or mitigate the effects of a natural disaster or man-made attack? How should the CI community build situational awareness to mitigate the cascading effect across infrastructures.
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