Boston College, FBI Hold Fourth Annual Boston Coference on Cyber Security
The themes emphasized in the FBI director's keynote address—the importance of partnerships across fields and disciplines, and sharing of innovation, intelligence, and expertise—were reflected in remarks and breakout sessions throughout BCCS 2020. Inaugurated in 2017 to encourage just this sort of collaboration, the annual conference, said Wray, "has become one of the most unique gatherings of voices, thinkers, and policy makers in the cyber realm. It’s one we’re really proud to be a part of at the FBI.”
Wray's remarks were followed by speakers including Mike Cote, president and CEO of SecureWorks; Helen Dixon, Ireland's commissioner for data protection; and John C. Demers, U.S. assistant attorney general for national security. Panel discussions focused on emerging technologies, operations, enforcement, as well as actual cyber and national security experiences related to risk, compliance, policy, threat trends, preparedness, resilience, and defensive strategies.
Cybersecurity specialists participating in BCCS 2020 included other FBI representatives as well as experts from the U.S. departments of Defense and Justice, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, Bank of America, Cisco Systems, Data Protection Commission-Ireland, Eversource, Federal Reserve Bank of Boston, Facebook, FireEye, Google, IBM Security, Jones Day, Microsoft, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Massachusetts Port Authority, Mintz Levin, National Grid, Oracle, Raytheon, and SecureWorks, among others.
BCCS 2020 co-organizer Kevin R. Powers, founding director of the Boston College M.S. in Cybersecurity Policy and Governance Program, served as master of ceremonies for the event with FBI Boston Division Special Agent Doug Domin, head of the cyber crime program, and Joanna Baltes, curriculum coordinator of BC's M.S. in cybersecurity program.
The conference co-chairs, Woods College Dean Karen Muncaster and FBI Boston Division Special Agent in Charge Joseph R. Bonavolonta, as well as Boston College Executive Vice President Michael Lochhead, also offered welcoming remarks.
Gloss