New: AIPC Cyber Security Task Force

Over the last two years, many convention centers have implemented digital solutions to meet the changing needs of their customers. At the same time, the facilities themselves are becoming more and more digitalized – examples are signage, access management (keys replaced by access cards) systems and increasing usage of IoT in place to use energy as efficiently as possible, etc.

This can make convention centers more vulnerable for cyber-attacks, having a disruptive impact on not only the venue itself but of course also on events taking place. And it is not impossible that the event taking place could be the trigger for the cyber-attack.

The impact of a cyber-attacks could be diverse: from having to pay a ransom to unlock systems to events having to be cancelled on the spot.

It is important that convention centers are fully aware of this threat and the possible consequences and prepare themselves.

AIPC – as global association of convention centers – want to support it members, by bringing in expertise from global experts and making these insights available to its community.

That is why AIPC launches a Cyber Security Task Force. The objective is double: creating awareness by sharing information on incidents taking place in a confidential way, through the pooling of intelligence between our members and creating best practices on how to best prepare for such incidents.

By pooling this information and intelligence, AIPC with its members can create the first ever dedicated cyber intelligence tool, dedicated to convention centres.

Obviously, putting this is place required specific knowledge and that is why AIPC has partnered with PARATUS, a global cyber security consultancy company.

How does it work?

1. If a members want to share information, they can send a mail (all of which in secure, member and centre anonymous) to a specific e-mail address which is managed by PARATUS: cyber@aipc.org.
2. PARATUS will then process the information, provide feedback to the member in question and integrate any useful information in an anonymized way in a report, which will be shared with the AIPC community on a monthly basis.
3. After 6 months, based on all the specific information collected from convention center, a first set of best practices will be made available to the AIPC members.

It is important to know that cyber criminals will often “test” an attack in a specific region, before going after organizations in other regions. The fact that AIPC has a truly global member network is a key benefit, as incidents occurring in one region can immediately be reported to the members in the others regions, allowing for adequate preparation.

So please join this new initiative and help make our world a safer one.