The Greater San Antonio Chamber proudly hosted the 2024 Cyber Forum to kick off Cybersecurity Awareness Month. This event brought together industry leaders to discuss cybersecurity's pressing issues and how businesses can better protect themselves in today’s digital landscape. We were honored to have Ken Smiley, Executive Vice President – Treasury Management Division Leader, Amegy Bank; Karen Nielsen, Executive Vice President – Division Manager, Amegy Bank; Brett Piatt, President & CEO, CyberFortress; and Trip Hillman, Partner, Cybersecurity Services, Weaver, share their insights into the cyber world today. Special thanks to our sponsor, Amegy Bank, for supporting this critical conversation and helping to keep our community informed.
The forum highlighted some crucial takeaways organizations should consider when enhancing their cybersecurity efforts. One of the main topics discussed was the importance of effective training. Panelists stated that while many companies offer cybersecurity training, it often falls short of changing user behavior. In other words, education alone isn’t enough; it must be tailored to resonate with employees and motivate them to adopt more secure practices in their daily routines. This is key to building a resilient security culture in any organization.
In addition, the discussion stressed that moving to the cloud does not negate the need for backups. Maintaining secure and reliable backup systems is critical even when adopting cloud technologies. While the cloud offers flexibility and scalability, companies must remain vigilant about backing up critical data independently to avoid potential data loss. Panelists also discussed moving away from outdated payment methods, such as checks, to more secure electronic payments. Electronic payments offer greater security and efficiency, but it's essential to implement safeguards. One is Positive Pay, a service preventing fraud and adding an extra layer of protection for financial transactions.
The 2024 Cyber Forum provided an excellent opportunity to explore the challenges and solutions for protecting digital data. As we look forward to continuing the conversation throughout Cybersecurity Awareness Month, we emphasize the need for ongoing discussions to maintain high awareness and preparedness.