SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — Experts at the Sioux Falls Cybersecurity Conference on Tuesday say everyone from large corporations to mom-and-pop stores needs a cybersecurity plan. The convention center was filled with people wanting to learn a little more about how to protect their information.
“You've either been hacked, you're going to be hacked, or you're not going to be hacked,” keynote speaker Jim Edman told the crowd from the stage.
One of the experts was Edman, a cybersecurity adviser at the Department of Homeland Security.
“We do many things in our daily lives, such as locking doors, opening windows, and banking. We need to do the same in cyberspace. It’s just about doing things and applying the best practices that we’re talking about,” Edman said.
Edman says we all need to better understand the risks and educate ourselves.
Combined Pool and Spa manager Lucas Dowden said the cybersecurity conference was an eye-opener.
“Today we also learned about the dark web, which I had no knowledge of, but what's on the internet is scary. You can definitely learn and it's important to just be aware,” Dowden said. said.
Edman said such gatherings are important because they provide a place for businesspeople, IT professionals and even local government officials to learn from each other.
“The bad guys talk every day,” Edman said. “They exchange information about what's working and what's not working. They're better at communicating than we are. We need to get better at communicating and sharing what we've learned.” there is.”
In other words, networking. Attendees said it was a common occurrence at the conference. Edman encouraged people to have a plan in place so they can respond quickly and minimize damage if they are hacked.
The conference was sponsored by the Sioux Falls Area Chamber of Commerce.
