CLOSING REPORT
November 2015
it-sa 2015 in Nuremberg: Europe’s biggest IT security
fair sets new benchmarks
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Strong growth: 428 exhibitors and 9,015 trade visitors
Exclusive keynote address by Edward Snowden
Special display areas and open forums with wide-ranging
information
950 delegates and 13 lecture series at Congress@it-sa
The 2015 it-sa fair at the Nuremberg Exhibition Centre once again
broke new records: at 428*, exhibitor numbers were up by 11% (385 in
2014), while trade visitors increased by 22% to reach 9,015 (7,390 in
2014). These figures show that Europe’s largest trade fair for
IT security has become even more popular among IT security vendors
and users. A wide range of information was provided in the 250 forum
presentations and 13 lecture series offered by the accompanying
congress. In addition, it-sa 2015 offered the unique opportunity to
hear a keynote speech by Edward Snowden via live video link.
“The it-sa 2015 even was a resounding success. The substantial increase
in exhibitor and visitor numbers alone testifies to its significance and the
leading role it plays in the IT security environment. As organisers we are
especially delighted about the very positive feedback from the participants.
“Exhibitors and visitors make it-sa an outstanding platform for the industry,”
says Petra Wolf, Department Head and member of the NürnbergMesse
management team, looking back on what was a lively event. Apart from the
trade fair, which formed the backdrop to high-calibre events like the Bitkom
Executive Dinner and attracted high-ranking political representatives like
Klaus Vitt, the German government’s IT commissioner, or US Consul
General Jennifer D. Gavito, the accompanying Congress@it-sa also
impressed. It provided the 950 delegates with 13 wide-ranging lecture
series covering such topics as legal provisions and security in the SAP
environment.
* The figures for visitors, exhibitors and display area at this exhibition are determined and certified
according to the standard definitions of FKM, the Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition
Statistics.
Keynote address by Edward Snowden enthusiastically received
On the third day of the fair, around 700 exhibitors and visitors crowded
expectantly into two large rooms where, via live video link, none other than
Edward Snowden appealed to them to work together to achieve more
IT security. According to Snowden, offensive capabilities are far greater
than defensive capabilities due to the enormous resources available to
government agencies and the level of professionalism of organised cyber
criminality. Defence was therefore the order of the day. At a policy level,
Snowden called on a joint effort to achieve more data privacy and security.
Just two days before his keynote, the European Court of Justice had
announced its ruling against the Safe Harbor Agreement, based on
information that Snowden had made public. He welcomed the ruling as
sending out an important signal for data protection. At the same time, he
called for companies and the IT security industry to commit to a
comprehensive rollout of encryption, which he described as the key
technical requirement for a secure global IT infrastructure. To maintain their
own competitiveness, it remained absolutely crucial for companies to
defend themselves against spying and cyber criminals.
The entire keynote speech is available from:
www.it-sa.de/keynote-snowden
For a report on the keynote go to:
www.it-sa.de/berichterstattung-snowden
Top marks for target group access and range on display
The exhibitors at it-sa were just as enthusiastic as the visitors who had
travelled to Nuremberg from 34 countries and three continents. The results
of the exhibitor and visitor poll confirm the positive mood: 91 percent of
companies were able to reach their most important target groups. Equally
high is the number of exhibitors who were able to forge new business
contacts at it-sa. More than three quarters of those polled rated their
participation in it-sa compared with other trade fairs for IT security as very
important or important. Accordingly high was the number of firms who
presented innovations or new kinds of product refinements. Eight out of ten
exhibitors used it-sa as a platform to do so. “The it-sa is an annual
opportunity to network efficiently with the right kind of people who are all
working towards more IT security”, stresses Frank Venjakob, Executive
Director it-sa at NürnbergMesse.
it-sa 2015 in Nuremberg: Europe’s biggest IT security fair sets new benchmarks
Closing report – November 2015
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The it-sa 2015 event was also a big hit with the more than 9,000 visitors:
99 percent of respondents were happy with both the range on display at
Europe’s biggest IT security fair and the information and networking
opportunities available, while 98 percent stated that they would recommend
a visit to it-sa to colleagues. Nine out of ten visitors to it-sa are directly
involved in corporate decision-making processes. More than 60 percent of
trade visitors are responsible for purchasing and procurement decisions,
while every fourth visitor works as a consultant.
Special display areas lend structure to the wide range of products and
solutions
“The range of products and solutions presented by the exhibitors at it-sa
covers all aspects of cyber security. This is where small companies, large
corporations and public authorities can find the right solutions to meet their
individual needs. The special display areas create thematic clusters,”
explains Frank Venjakob. “Data Center Plus” was the first port of call for
computing centre designers and operators and anyone interested in
infrastructure security. This special display area provided information e.g.
on access control systems or highly secure server cabinets. In the IAM
Area, visitors found products and solutions for managing digital identities
and authorisations. With 23 exhibitors, and featuring two display areas for
the first time, Startups@it-sa offered young companies a strong platform for
showcasing solutions like security analyses or measures against web
defacement, while Campus@it-sa provided universities with their own
platform for highlighting their teaching and research projects.
250 forum presentations on current IT security issues
In three open forums, visitors had access to around 250 presentations on
management, technology and trends in IT security. The topics ranged from
current situation reports to legal issues and IT emergency management.
The information was supplemented by discussions like the Bitkom panel on
the top IT security breaches. Several of the English-language presentations
had an international focus, including the presentation by Christopher
Furlow, President of Ridge Global. He talked about the “human factor in
cybersecurity” from the perspective of a global consulting company.
it-sa 2015 in Nuremberg: Europe’s biggest IT security fair sets new benchmarks
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Video recordings of the forum presentations can be downloaded free of
charge from:
www.it-sa.de/forums
Congress@it-sa ensured even more knowledge transfer
The accompanying congress programme was also very well received.
Around 950 delegates (up from 500 in 2014) enjoyed the 13 lecture series
that provided a wealth of knowhow. The annual convention of IT security
managers from regional and local municipalities, the IT baseline protection
meeting and the first Bavarian-Israeli IT security expert level meeting were
all held under the umbrella of the congress. The agenda also included
current IT security issues like advanced persistent threats (APTs),
privileged account exploits or mobile security as well as tips and tricks for
the secure management of corporate IT. “A standout feature of
Congress@it-sa is the target group-specific knowhow provided by
specialists from associations and companies. The doubling of the number
of participants shows that this concept is meeting the needs of industry
insiders,” says Frank Venjakob.
The next it-sa will take place from 18 to 20 October 2016 at the
Nuremberg Exhibition Centre.
Contact for press and media
Thomas Philipp Haas, Lena Vogl
T +49 911 86 06-83 23
F +49 911 86 06-12 83 23
[email protected]
All press releases and more detailed information, video impressions and
photos are available from: www.it-sa.de/press
Information about exhibitors and their latest products is available from:
www.it-sa.de
it-sa 2015 in Nuremberg: Europe’s biggest IT security fair sets new benchmarks
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