Internet Security Days
Since 2011, Phantasialand had been the venue for the ISD, one of Germany’s most important national meeting places for IT security experts, security managers and user companies – interrupted only by the pandemic. Under the motto “Security as a Gamechanger”, the Internet Security Days (ISD) 2024 took place for the first time at the RheinEnergieSTADION, home of 1. FC Cologne.
The focus was on email security, new threat landscapes, the use of artificial intelligence, and regulatory requirements such as the NIS2 Directive. It became clear that digital innovation can only be sustainable with reliable protective measures, and that cybersecurity not only minimises risks but also drives innovation.
In the area of email security, the alarming dimension of the problem became clear. In Germany alone, cybercrime caused damage totalling €206 billion in 2023. Email remains the central means of communication, especially in business, which is why a lack of security standards can lead to significant financial and legal consequences, as well as reputational damage.
BSI President Claudia Plattner underlined the importance of the issue in her keynote, in which she highlighted the technical guidelines for email authentication as effective protection against phishing and spoofing – a topic she described as a “matter close to her heart”. The “Secure Email” workshop explored these aspects in depth, with contributions on current challenges, key technologies and the technical guidelines TR-3108 and TR-3182.
In terms of regulatory requirements, the focus shifted to the NIS2 Directive; its original deadline was initially planned for October 2024 but has since been postponed. Companies need to prepare, as risk management will become mandatory to comply with legal requirements and avoid sanctions. A dedicated workshop provided guidance on assessing their own level of impact and what necessary measures they need to take.
Experts agreed that, given the increasing professionalisation of attackers, complete protection against cyberattacks is becoming increasingly unrealistic. The focus is therefore shifting towards early detection of attacks and risk minimisation. In various discussion rounds, solutions were presented for effectively countering threats such as ransomware and phishing, and for putting the concept of cyber resilience into practice.
Artificial intelligence plays an ambivalent role here – both as a potential threat in cyberattacks and as a valuable tool for defence. AI-driven attacks can be more precise and harder to detect. At the same time, AI also offers the ability to efficiently detect anomalies in data traffic and take protective measures more quickly.
The event offered a total of 25 keynotes, panels and discussions with around 40 cybersecurity experts over two days. Exhibitors such as Cloudflare, SoSafe, dogado, Huawei and Myra Security provided insights into the latest IT security solutions at their stands.
In addition to the Security Night at PLAYA IN COLOGNE, a special highlight of this year’s ISD was the recognition of eco members TIMOCOM, DOKOM21, dogado GmbH and DMI GmbH & Co. KG for 15 years of loyal membership in the Association.
