Vienna (AIT) - Developments in digital technologies are advancing at a rapid pace, making it difficult to properly consider their advantages and disadvantages. Consequently, it is often only after a new technology has entered the market that adjustments to the societal and statutory framework conditions are made. This is the focus of the second International Digital Security Forum (IDSF) taking place in Vienna’s MuseumsQuartier from 31 May to 2 June 2022, which takes as its theme “Secure digitalisation for a safe, green and sustainable future”.
Global dialogue on shared challenges
IDSF brings together international stakeholders in science, business and public administration to stimulate discussion on managing digitalisation responsibly, with a focus on the important framework conditions which will ensure that the digital transformation leads to a safe and sustainable future. The forum is run over three days, with each day dedicated to a specific thematic focus: Day 1 examines the topic of Countering Malicious Activities in Cyber Space. Day 2 is dedicated to the issue of Protecting Digital National & International Critical Infrastructure. Day 3 takes as its theme Security and International Relations. The second day also features a special social sciences conference titled “Understanding the Challenges of Digital Societies” which is organised by the Vienna Centre for Societal Security (VICESSE), an IDSF programme partner.
International guests and prominent speakers
The varied programme includes presentations by many prominent national and international figures from science, business and politics who will offer their views on dealing with new digital tools and explain the framework conditions, rules and requirements for developers, manufacturers, users and companies, as well as for legislators.
IDSF will be officially opened by Federal Chancellor Karl Nehammer and Raffi Gregorian, Deputy to the Under-Secretary-General and Director of the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism (UNOCT), as well as IDSF initiator Helmut Leopold, Head of Center for Digital Safety & Security at AIT, and Josef Hauk, President of the Austrian Defence and Security Industry Group (ASW) at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber. The international scope of the forum will be highlighted both by the introductory statements given by Ambassadors Faouzia Mebarki of Algeria, Tadeusz Chomicki of Poland, and Rasa Ostrauskaite of the EU/OSCE, and by the presence of numerous international peace and conflict management experts, including the Head of the EU Advisory Mission in Ukraine, Antti Hartikainen, and the Director of the OSCE Conflict Prevention Center, Tuula Yrjölä. The programme features prominent keynote speakers and participants, including Franziska Brantner (Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action), Gerhard Krennmair (Head of Manufacturing, msg Plaut AG), Achim Kaspar (COO Verbund AG), Wolfgang Schwabl (CSO, A1 Telekom Austria AG) and Rafal Jaczynski (CSO, Huawei CEE & Nordic Region) as well as closing keynote speaker Lukas Mandl, MEP, Vice Chair of the Sub-Committee on Security and Defence.
Austria at the centre of the digital world
Following the first IDSF in December 2020 which was held in a purely virtual form due to Covid, the second IDSF adopts a hybrid format, with a focus on in-person attendance. The forum is organised by the Austrian Institute of Technology in partnership with the Austrian Defence and Security Industry Group (ASW) at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, with support from the Austrian Federal Chancellery, the Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs, the Federal Ministry of the Interior, the Federal Ministry of Defence, the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology, the Federal Ministry for Digital and Economic Affairs and the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Regions and Tourism (responsible for the Austrian security research programme KIRAS) and in cooperation with national partner organisations such as the Austrian Security Board (KSÖ) and the Austrian Cyber Security Platform (CSP). IDSF benefits in particular from support from global organisations including the United Nations Office of Counter-Terrorism, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and the World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS).
Helmut Leopold, Head of AIT Center for Digital Safety & Security and IDSF initiator: “IDSF is not a technical conference which only addresses the various specialists in their fields. Instead, it is a stimulating forum for dialogue, in which international scientists and representatives from industry and the public sector meet as equals in an open atmosphere, to share their viewpoints and perspectives, and to jointly explore fundamental issues from a variety of angles.”
Parallel exhibition of innovative companies
IDSF also includes an exhibition which provides an international stage for innovations made by Austrian SMEs and global companies in this sector. Exhibitors include the Austrian Defence and Security Industry Group (ASW) at the Austrian Federal Economic Chamber, KSÖ Kompetenzzentrum Sicheres Österreich, Verbund, IKARUS Security Software, X-Net Services, K-Businesscom AG (vormals Kapsch BusinessCom AG), Lieber.Group with ThreatGet, Softprom, fragmentiX, W&H Dentalwerk, Donau-Universität Krems, SBA Research, DFV Digital Factory Vorarlberg, FH Salzburg, Silkroad 4.0, Vienna Cyber Security and Privacy Research Cluster (VISP), and Vienna Business Agency.
Interested companies still have the opportunity to present their solutions in person and online to an international audience. Information is available at https://idsf.io/service-offerings/.
IDSF is also supported by A1, Huawei, msg Plaut Austria, Verbund, World Institute for Nuclear Security (WINS) and the INNOX Network, the DigitalCity.Wien initiative, the Vienna Business Agency in cooperation with the ViennaUp initiative and sponsored by the Vienna Meeting Fund via the Vienna Convention Bureau.
IDSF will be a Green Event
To reflect the theme of the conference – “Secure digitalisation for a safe, green and sustainable future” – the organisers have also set themselves the goal of organising #IDSF22 to comply with the Austrian Ecolabel for Green Events, applying a range of measures such as selecting regional suppliers and conserving resources at the event location to make the event as sustainable as possible.
Programme and more information: https://idsf.io/
Contact:
Michael W. Mürling
Head of IDSF Event Organisation
Marketing and Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
Center for Digital Safety & Security
T +43 (0)50550-4126
michael.muerling(at)ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at
Daniel Pepl
Corporate and Marketing Communications
AIT Austrian Institute of Technology
T +43 (0)50550-4040
daniel.pepl(at)ait.ac.at I www.ait.ac.at