[August 05, 2011] Information Security Conference slated for September [Jordan Times, Amman] Tweet (Jordan Times, The Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Aug. 05--AMMAN -- Regional and local IT and information security professionals will convene in Jordan next month to look into the latest trends in cyber crimes and the latest security solutions. The conference, to be held on the shores of the Dead Sea, will bring together the CEOs of some 300 IT companies, decision makers and security experts from the region's public and private sectors, according to Mohammed Omar, CEO of VirtuPort, the organisers of the Middle East and North Africa Information Security Conference (MENA ISC 2011). "We are holding this conference because information security is currently the most important pillar of the future of IT," he said on Thursday. "There is a need for more awareness on cyber security threats in the region. The conference seeks to educate decision makers on the latest security solutions and to focus on new technologies, including cloud computing and the security of the cloud, and not concentrate spending on traditional IT solutions." The two-day conference, which opens September 18, will feature speeches by International Data Corporation, Forrester and industry security vendors. It will also include a trade exhibition. Representatives from the financial, banking, healthcare, education, energy and public sectors are scheduled to attend the conference, Omar said, stressing the importance of adopting advanced security solutions due to their "high significance". He added that several cyber crimes including hacking, e-fraud, violations against online transactions, defacing of websites and phishing will be discussed during the conference, citing recent hacking attempts that affected websites in Saudi Arabia and Jordan. "The future of the IT industry is outsourcing and cloud computing and for use of these technologies to grow further, there is a need for more focus on network security and data protection in light of these developments," Omar said. "The Middle East is one of the largest growing markets in IT and more awareness is essential," he noted. "The conference is a platform for networking between participants." Information security and telecom exhibitors including Juniper, HP and Zain will also take part in the event. According to Internet protection giant McAfee, more than 90 per cent of critical infrastructure in the world is poorly protected against cyber attacks and the Middle East is "more vulnerable" than the rest of the world as network protection is far less advanced. ___ To see more of the Jordan Times or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.jordantimes.com. Copyright (c) 2011, Jordan Times, Amman Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For more information about the content services offered by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services (MCT), visit www.mctinfoservices.com, e-mail [email protected], or call 866-280-5210 (outside the United States, call +1 312-222-4544) [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]