As a highly topical issue of the utmost importance both to SME and large organizations and institutions, cyber-security has been the subject of an interesting conference held in Malta on May 22 at the splendid Casino Maltese palace, and organized by the asset management firm AQA Capital.

The conference was an opportunity to discuss cyber-security in order to raise awareness of how crucial it has become to operators working in and for the financial world, where IT keeps gaining ground. Once aware of their own personal vulnerability, everyone can play a key role in protecting themselves, as well as the business they represent.

World-renowned Ethical Hackers   ̶  IT security and compliance experts   ̶  provided cues for discussion, and answered the audience’s questions about the role of cyber-security and internet in finance.

“What every company is now more and more persuaded of, even those that have always considered themselves as generally immune to cyber attacks, is that we are all desirable targets for cybercriminals”, said Gabriele Rossi, Head of Asset Management at AQA Capital. “Today, we need first of all to change our culture, to become fully aware of how essential it is to protect ourselves through knowledge, and by changing some of our habits. Especially in Malta, the chronicles of the last few years have revealed the scope of cyber crime, which doesn’t simply involve crimes related to institutions, organizations and large businesses any longer”, he continued.

“We’ve got a powerful resource in our hands, everyone of us has. We should perhaps learn how to use it better in order to respect the environment and ourselves, so that finance and our businesses evolve towards a positive, sustainable future”, he concluded.