Infosecurity Europe

Infosecurity Europe
Name	Infosecurity Europe
Status	Active
Genre	Trade fair and conference
Frequency	Annual
Venue	ExCeL London
Location	London
Country	United Kingdom
First	2004
Organiser	IDG Communications
Attendance	"tens of thousands"

Infosecurity Europe

Infosecurity Europe is an annual European trade fair and conference for information security professionals, held in London at venues such as ExCeL London and featuring exhibitors, speakers, and hands-on sessions. The event brings together representatives from corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Cisco Systems, Google and Amazon (company), public sector bodies such as NHS England, National Crime Agency (UK), and standards organizations like ISO and NIST. Delegates include CISOs from firms in the FTSE 100, cybersecurity startups linked to accelerators like Techstars and Y Combinator, and academics from institutions such as University of Oxford and University College London.

Overview

Infosecurity Europe functions as a marketplace and forum connecting vendors such as Symantec, McAfee, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and Check Point Software Technologies with buyers from banks including Barclays, HSBC, and Deutsche Bank and consultancies like Deloitte, PwC, KPMG, and EY. The exhibition presents product launches from companies such as CrowdStrike and Proofpoint alongside demonstrations by hardware vendors like Intel and ARM Holdings. Policy discussions often involve representatives from European Commission, NATO, Interpol, and regulatory authorities including Financial Conduct Authority and Information Commissioner's Office. The programme integrates training and certifications sponsored by organizations such as (ISC)², ISACA, and SANS Institute.

History

The event traces roots to early 2000s trade shows influenced by conferences such as RSA Conference and Black Hat (conference), growing alongside major incidents like the Equifax data breach and WannaCry ransomware attack. Over time it has mirrored shifts marked by regulation such as the General Data Protection Regulation and the development of frameworks like ISO/IEC 27001 and NIST Cybersecurity Framework. Its evolution features keynote themes reacting to events including the 2016 United States presidential election cybersecurity concerns and tensions involving SolarWinds hack. Organisers adapted formats used by fairs like CeBIT and Mobile World Congress to balance exhibition halls and programme theatres.

Conference and Exhibition

The exhibition comprises halls hosting vendors from endpoint protection firms like Trend Micro to cloud security providers such as Okta and Zscaler, as well as managed security services from BAE Systems and BT Group. Conference tracks mirror topical streams found at DEF CON and Shmoocon, covering threat intelligence from feeds such as MISP and analysis from vendors like Mandiant (now part of Google/Alphabet Inc. acquisitions). Hands-on labs emulate capture-the-flag styles seen at CTF competitions and partner with training bodies like SANS Institute and university research groups from Imperial College London and University of Cambridge. The exhibition layout often features pavilion zones for sectors such as finance, healthcare, and critical infrastructure, drawing delegations from EDF Energy and transport operators like Transport for London.

Speakers and Programme

Keynote and session speakers have included executives and researchers associated with institutions like GCHQ, National Cyber Security Centre (UK), Microsoft Research, Google DeepMind, and MIT Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. Panels often feature authors and thought leaders linked to works published by O'Reilly Media and research from think tanks such as Chatham House and Royal United Services Institute. Programme themes reflect attacker case studies referencing incidents involving NotPetya and Stuxnet, and defense topics including zero trust models inspired by publications from Gartner and Forrester Research. Workshops offer certification prep aligned with (ISC)² CISSP and ISACA CISM syllabi.

Attendees and Impact

Attendees range from CISOs of multinational corporations like Siemens and BP to security engineers from technology firms such as Facebook and Apple Inc., and procurement teams from retailers including Tesco and Marks & Spencer. The event influences procurement decisions, partnership announcements, and venture funding conversations involving investors like Sequoia Capital and Accel. It has catalysed collaborations among academic labs at ETH Zurich, industry labs at Cisco Talos, and public–private initiatives seen in forums like ENISA and European Cybercrime Centre. Media coverage spans outlets including The Guardian, Financial Times, Wired (magazine), and trade press such as SC Magazine.

Awards and Initiatives

Associated awards and initiatives draw on industry recognition schemas similar to SC Awards and programmes such as the Cyber Security Challenge UK. Demonstrator initiatives have showcased projects from research grants by bodies like Horizon 2020 and startups supported by accelerators like Wayra. Scholarships and outreach programmes connect with universities including King's College London and outreach bodies like TechUK to encourage diversity similar to initiatives by Women in CyberSecurity (WiCyS).

Criticism and Controversies

Criticism has addressed issues familiar to trade shows such as vendor hype and marketing-driven messaging similar to critiques levelled at RSA Conference and Gartner Symposium/ITxpo, potential conflicts of interest involving sponsorships from large vendors like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, and debates over access and ticket pricing affecting small startups and community groups like those engaged with OWASP. Controversies have occasionally centered on data-sharing practices, parallels to incidents involving Cambridge Analytica, and tensions between commercial priorities and public interest represented by regulatory bodies such as European Data Protection Supervisor.

Category:Information security conferences