Michael Chertoff to keynote RSA Conference Europe 2010

Former U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff is scheduled to deliver a keynote at RSA Conference Europe 2010 on Thursday, 14th October 2010.

Mr Chertoff will give his remarks in his keynote entitled: Ensuring Our Freedoms and Security in the Uncertain World of Cyberspace.

As the Internet has grown at an exponential rate around the world, so have the number of individuals, groups, and nations that wish to do others harm in cyberspace. How did this happen? The Internet’s defining characteristic was that it was built on such core principles as flexibility, openness, speed, and value.

Security was never a driving consideration. With the dramatic rise of threats to a system rife with vulnerabilities, we must now consider what protections and security measures are necessary to preserve the freedoms and prosperity we enjoy today in cyberspace for the benefit of future generations.

Should the architecture of the Internet evolve to include more discipline and higher expectations for participation? What role should governments and the private sector play in building a safer and more secure Internet? What can the international community do to effectively prevent our most critical infrastructures from being used as vehicles for attack? We have reached the point where we need to arrive at real solutions to ensure a safer environment for us all.

Linda Lynch, RSA Conference Europe Manager said: “Mr Chertoff’s addition to the Conference agenda will give delegates an insider’s view into the critical role information security plays within government and how that affects citizens in general on both sides of the Atlantic. RSA Conference Europe consistently provides delegates insight into the most critical information security issues, ranging from enterprise security, to government, to the consumer perspective, at national, European and global levels.”