Renowned hacker Mafiaboy is headlining the Investment Industry Association of Canada’s (IIAC) upcoming cybersecurity conference.
The IIAC is holding a conference in Toronto on June 4 that will examine the issue of cybersecurity, and the measures industry firms should be taking to protect themselves from these kinds of attacks.
The event’s keynote speaker is Michael Calce, who now works as a cybersecurity consultant, but first came to notoriety in 2000. This is when the then-15-year-old Montreal high school student launched a series of high-profile denial-of-service attacks on various major websites including Amazon, CNN, E*Trade Financial Corp., eBay, and Yahoo!.
Those attacks were investigated by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and ultimately resulted in numerous charges against Calce, who went by the name Mafiaboy online. He eventually pled guilty and was sentenced to eight months in a juvenile facility, a year’s probation, and a small fine.
“Michael Calce’s story is a captivating behind-the scenes tour of hacking and proof positive that its rapid evolution is making the internet the new frontier for crime in the 21st century,” the IIAC says in its announcement for the event.
In addition to Mafiaboy, the full day conference will feature local and international experts discussing a range of topics, including: establishing governance and risk management frameworks for cybersecurity; regulatory perspectives on cybersecurity; dealing with law enforcement and other legal considerations for cyber incidents; preventative measures and internal controls; the timely detection of threats and planning to minimize damage.
“This important event… will provide you with practical information about how the financial industry is, and should be dealing with such threats,” according to the announcement.
A full lineup of speakers and the conference agenda will be announced shortly.