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Murray State to Host 12th Annual Cyber Security Conference

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Murray State will host its annual cyber security conference on Tuesday, April 9th.

Twelve years ago, Murray State began hosting cyber security conferences. Since then, technology has continued to transform, forcing cyber security to adapt along with it. Michael Ramage visits Sounds Good to discuss the next cyber security conference, and what 'cyber security' means in today's technological age. 

Since the creation of the Internet in 1983, online technology has transformed from a luxury to a necessity in many businesses. While more advanced technology might appear to also be more secure, the methods used by hackers to compromise cyber security have been adapting to these advancements. "Threats are evolving, threats are different, but they're still there," explains Ramage, the director of Center of Telecommunications at Murray State. What was once 'bored high schoolers looking to see if they could [hack something],' has now evolved into high profit crime, often conducted overseas. "When it gets down to it," says Ramage, "the bad guys are looking at the same thing as good guys in a cost benefit analysis." 

Murray State's Program of Distinction in Telecommunications Systems Management (TSM) and Community Financial Services Bank (CFSB) began the annual Patterns of Distinction - Security Matters Conference in 2009 to create the largest technology security conference in the region. The free security conference offers small business and security gurus the opportunity to hear from industry individuals about a variety of issues and topics. The speakers and topics they will discuss include:

  • Tonya McKinney - Chief Innovation Officer, TCS Salesforce Practice
    McKinney will briefly visit the most publicized opportunities for blockchain in cybersecurity from data veracity/security and hardware provenance to software update validity and biometric private keys. She'll also discuss challenges to blockchain cybersecurity from fishing and malware, to tech attacks and user behavior, to dictionary attacks.
  • Tyler Leet - Director of Risk and Compliance Services, Regulatory Compliance Group, Computer Services, Inc.
    Leet will discuss risk management as a strategic opportunity to understand a business from new vantage points. This session will talk about adding value to the risk management process and consider real-world examples of what worked best (and what didn't) for businesses.
  • Lauren Proehl - Lead Information Security Engineer, CenturyLink Corporate Defense 
    Proehl discusses the many different branches of security that help secure organizations and individuals. While practitioners frequently feel torn between offensive and defensive career paths, there is a blended track that is frequently overlooked. 
  • Scott Ware - Great Lakes Regional Vice President of Sales, Great Lakes Case & Cabinet Co., Inc.
    Ware will discuss the detrimental nature of recent cyberattacks and attacks against physical IT assets and the increased attention to standards compliance that govern how data should be properly protected. 

The POD Security Matters conference will take place on the third floor of the Curris Center on Tuesday, April 9th. Registration begins at 8 a.m., and Ramage encourages small and large business owners to attend not only out of preemptive caution, but also because "our regulations and laws have gotten to a point where, for many businesses -- depending on the sector, whether it's health care, education, or financial services -- it's no longer an option to be concerned with cyber security, it's a requirement."
While walk ups will be accepted if there is available space, Ramage encourages those interested in attending to register online here

Tracy started working for WKMS in 1994 while attending Murray State University. After receiving his Bachelors and Masters degrees from MSU he was hired as Operations/Web/Sports Director in 2000. Tracy hosted All Things Considered from 2004-2012 and has served as host/producer of several music shows including Cafe Jazz, and Jazz Horizons. In 2001, Tracy revived Beyond The Edge, a legacy alternative music program that had been on hiatus for several years. Tracy was named Program Director in 2011 and created the midday music and conversation program Sounds Good in 2012 which he hosts Monday-Thursday. Tracy lives in Murray with his wife, son and daughter.
Melanie Davis-McAfee graduated from Murray State University in 2018 with a BA in Music Business. She has been working for WKMS as a Music and Operations Assistant since 2017. Melanie hosts the late-night alternative show Alien Lanes, Fridays at 11 pm with co-host Tim Peyton. She also produces Rick Nance's Kitchen Sink and Datebook and writes Sounds Good stories for the web.
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