Des Moines Cybersecurity Conference

Since the mid-1990s, phishing has evolved into a foundational attack method and remains one of the most common cybersecurity threats organizations face today. It’s also become a key focus of employee training programs across industries. In this session, we’ll explore the history of email security, trace how phishing techniques have adapted over time, and take a closer look at the emerging threat of Phishing-as-a-Service (PhaaS) — a new, scalable model that’s lowering the barrier to entry for cybercriminals.

From roles to real‑time policy, trust layers, and AI‑driven detection

AI and large language models are transforming how organizations operate—and how attackers exploit new gaps. Traditional identity and Zero Trust controls remain essential, but they’re not enough for AI‑driven workflows. This session introduces three emerging defense patterns designed for the AI era: adding a trust layer to monitor and govern model interactions, enabling security operations to detect and respond to AI‑specific threats, and securing the AI supply chain to maintain integrity and resilience. We’ll connect these patterns to leading risk frameworks and conclude with a practical decision aid and clear next steps for securing your organization.

We often talk about threats in terms of dollars lost, data stolen, or headlines made. But the real threat lives deeper—in the structure, the strategy, and the growing ambition of the actors behind the screen. Today’s cybercriminals don’t just encrypt files; they build economies, launder, influence, and forge alliances that stretch across borders and industries. In this talk, we’ll peel back the layers of modern cybercrime and explore how loosely affiliated hackers have evolved into organized syndicates. These groups operate more like multinational corporations than rogue disruptors—complete with HR departments, recruitment pipelines, insider relationships, and state protections.

In today’s threat landscape, breaches are no longer rare events—they’re a reality. While preventing every intrusion is unrealistic, limiting its impact is achievable. This session explores how microsegmentation serves as a foundational control in implementing Zero Trust, helping organizations contain attacks and maintain business continuity.

Microsegmentation enables security teams to isolate workloads, users, and devices by creating fine-grained security zones across IT, IoT, and OT environments. When applied correctly, it prevents unauthorized lateral movement and reduces the blast radius of cyberattacks—especially crucial in hybrid and legacy infrastructures.