Recent headlines contain a steady stream of bad news from the latest data breaches: Anthem, the nation’s second-largest health insurer and parent company of Blue Cross-Blue Shield of Georgia, just suffered a massive data breach. As many as 80 million customers may have had their account information stolen with their Social Security numbers.
The Target and Home Depot breaches resulted in major financial concerns for retailers and consumers. Meanwhile, the Sony breach demonstrated the ramifications of state-sponsored cyber terrorism on our national security. Cyber hacking has evolved from kids just having fun to sophisticated criminals who hack for profit or industrial espionage. This evolution makes cybersecurity the most important issue in technology today.
Cybersecurity and enhancing cyberdefense hit close to home. Georgia is among the top three states in the nation for information security, according to the Technology Association of Georgia’s “Where Georgia Leads” report.
The state is home to more than 115 information security companies. Georgia companies employ more than 10,000 network and computer systems engineers. Software and IT services represent 27 percent of Georgia’s tech employment sector. The U.S. Army Cyber Command Center is also located in Georgia.
Metro Atlanta has several core assets to support the cybersecurity ecosystem. The region is home to prominent cybersecurity companies, such as AirWatch by VMware, which provides enterprise software to allow businesses to securely manage mobile data; Ionic Security, which provides enterprise data security solutions; and Pindrop Security, which focuses on stopping phone fraudsters who prey on call centers and banks. The region also features a strong IT workforce, thriving start-up community and top-tier higher education system.
These cybersecurity assets are a critical part of Atlanta’s story that will be told in March at the Georgia Cyber Security Mission to Israel. A metro Atlanta delegation will travel to Tel Aviv and participate in the CyberTech International Conference & Exhibition, the largest cybersecurity conference in the world outside the United States.
The delegation will include Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed, representatives from the Georgia Department of Economic Development, CONEXX – the American Israel Business Connector, the Metro Atlanta Chamber and local universities, as well as IT executives including chief information and chief technology officers of Atlanta-area companies.
This trip offers an opportunity for metro Atlanta to cultivate ties with Israel’s technology industry in addition to innovators from around the world. Israel, known as the “Startup Nation” for its large concentration of startups and history of innovation, has been at the forefront of defense technologies and is world renowned for its cybersecurity expertise.
The trip will lay the foundation for participation in the Binational Initiative on Israel and the American South Cybersecurity Symposium, to be held in June at Georgia Tech. This event will bring together the Southeast’s cybersecurity community and Israeli government officials, cybersecurity companies and universities. Understanding and responding to cyber-attacks, and best practices for securing networks and data, will be discussed.
As more companies suffer significant security breaches, there will be a greater emphasis on identifying better ways to protect data. The Anthem breach represents the latest in sophisticated cyber-attacks. The true cost of this breach will not be known until the information is used to the detriment of consumers, organizations and, ultimately, our economy.
New technologies will need to be developed, new companies created, and a skilled cyber workforce cultivated to respond to future attacks. The unique ecosystem needed to create and nurture such companies already exists in metro Atlanta and Georgia. The recent breaches and upcoming events with Israel provide the opportunity for our region to assume a preeminent leadership role in cybersecurity and achieve an international reputation in this critical industry.
Jorge Fernandez is vice president of global commerce, and Justin Daniels chairs the global commerce Atlanta gateway program, of the Metro Atlanta Chamber.
