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iON at BSides Calgary 2021

October 19, 2021

It’s that time of year again… 

BSides Calgary takes place on October 21 and 22, and iON is very excited to be a part of it! For those of you new to the event, here is some background: 

Security BSides is both an idea and a non-profit company that drives dozens of regional cybersecurity events around the world. Borne out of some security industry experts’ frustration at not being accepted to speak at the 2009 BlackHat Security Conference in Las Vegas, Security BSides was conceived as a “more friendly” Las Vegas cybersecurity conference “that could be enjoyed by all1.” The idea took off, spawning over 40 events across the globe including Calgary’s. The guiding principles behind these gatherings are: 

  • Expand the conversation 
  • Enable people to join the discussion 
  • Get people involved 

iON is proud to sponsor and present at the 2021 edition of BSides Calgary, which serves as an annual gathering of IT Security professionals from across Western Canada. As a founding sponsor and participant in BSides Calgary since its inception in 2016, we’re delighted to see the event going strong five years later. Commitment to the community is a core part of the iON Code and that starts with the Western Canadian cybersecurity community, where generous knowledge sharing has helped all members improve. The result is a robust and vibrant culture we share with our region’s information security colleagues, a culture to which we are always pleased to contribute.  

As with 2020’s edition, BSides Calgary 2021 will be held entirely online to help ensure the health and safety of all presenters and guests as we make our way through the fourth wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s event features an outstanding lineup of over 40 speakers as well as a coding tournament and Capture the Flag competition.   

For iON’s part, Field CTO Steve Mathezer will represent both iON and the SANS Institute as he conducts his presentation Security Lessons from Mandalore. True to the relaxed feel of BSides Calgary, this presentation will mix in pop culture references from a galaxy far, far away with pragmatic, real-world cybersecurity guidance. iON’s Senior Security Architect Brian Hamman will also conduct a presentation on ICS cybersecurity that draws on his many years of experience in this field. With many high profile attacks attempted on large industrial facilities in the past few years, this is a presentation you do not want to miss!  

To get your tickets or get more information for BSides Calgary 2021, visit the BSides Calgary website. 

You can also check out iON presentations from past BSides events using the following links: 

Stephen Mathezer: Security Speed Dating 

Stephen Mathezer: We Don’t Need a Better Mouse Trap 

Stephen Mathezer: Securing Active Directory in the Enterprise 

Chris Timmons: Security in Innovation 

Kurt Pomeroy: How to Successfully Transition from IT Generalist to Penetration Tester 

 

See you there!