Allstate hosts Northern Ireland's largest employee cybersecurity conference in Belfast

Published: November 19, 2019

Over 1,900 Allstate Northern Ireland employees recently took part in the largest employee cybersecurity event ever hosted at its Belfast office.

Freaky Clown in the middle of manikins wearing hoodies.

CyberCon featured an address by ethical hacker Freaky Clown, who partners with businesses, banks and government facilities to "break into" their networks to identify and fix weaknesses; and Pablos Holman, a renowned futurist, inventor and hacker.

The event was led by Keith Lippert, Allstate vice president and deputy chief information security officer, to educate employees about the importance of cybersecurity and their role in keeping Allstate secure. It included panel discussions on all aspects of cybersecurity with industry experts.

"Putting our customers' security and privacy at the centre of our design is our top priority," Lippert said. "Allstate Northern Ireland is an integral part of the research happening across Northern Ireland to improve the world's cyber defenses. Through acquiring, retaining and training top talent, and embedding a culture of cybersecurity into the DNA of our company, we strive to be the best place to work in security."

CyberCon was developed with The Allstate Corporation in the United States to further the company's commitment to developing staff knowledge on cybersecurity and upskilling the talent pool in Northern Ireland to remain at the forefront of the global cybersecurity industry.

The flagship conference coincided with National Cybersecurity Awareness Month, which occurs during October, to raise awareness of cybersecurity threats and to promote cybersecurity among citizens and organisations.

Allstate Northern Ireland is the country's largest IT company and the largest cybersecurity employer, with over 120 professionals protecting customer data, critical systems and valuable information.

"CyberCon brought together some of the sharpest minds in the global cybersecurity industry who are leaders in futuristic and innovative thinking. The sharing of experiences and ideas helps us better protect the company and our customers from cybercrimes," Lippert said.