The 1st Regional Cyber Security Forum was organized CIDAUT Foundation, as well as, the Interreg Europe CYBER project partner Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León (ICE) under the training and support Program for R&D Business Centr@Tec, in collaboration with the General Foundation and the BISITE Research Group of the University of Salamanca, the VIEWNEXT Innovation and the National Cybersecurity Institute (INCIBE). This Forum had aimed to facilitate the development of the regional cybersecurity ecosystem, to encourage the regional entrepreneurship and the attraction of talents to the cybersecurity field. Finally, it also aims to promote the activities of the Regional Cybersecurity Pole.

The official opening of this event was carried out by Mrs. Beatriz Casado (Chief of Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León) and Mr. Enrique Cabero (Vice-rector of Academic Policy and Social Participation at the University of Salamanca).

Next, Mr. Deepak Daswani (Chiefs Security Ambassadors of ELEVENPATHS) presented a global view of the cybersecurity for a competitive industry. Mr. Faustino Nieto (CEO of Productos Ibéricos FANISA SL) showed that cyber-attacks exist across his own personal story. This was followed by a presentation of different successful cases in the cybersecurity context. Different cybersecurity solutions used by the automotive industry and food sector was showed, respectively, by Mr. Álvaro Villarino and Mr. Eduardo Sanz (R&D Project Managers of CIDAUT Foundation) and Mr. Juan Manuel García (CISO of Cerealto Siro Foods). While, Mr. José Alberto García Coria and Mr. Victor Flores (VIEWNEXT) made an applied demonstration of ethical hacking. Subsequently, Mr. Daniel Fírvida (Project Manager at National Cybersecurity Institute – INCIBE) made a presentation on “Industrial cyber-security vs Industry 4.0” and Mr. Miguel Carriegos (Professor at University of Leon) spoke about “Competences, skills and talent management in cyber-security”.

After lunch, Mr. José Francisco de Diego (Regional Manager of Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León at Salamanca) showed the Interreg Europe CYBER project, and Mr. Tomás Castro (president of the Spanish Cybersecurity Innovation Cluster) made a presentation on the Cybersecurity Innovation HUB.

The Forum proceeded with a discussion panel in which all attendees were encouraged to take part: Mr. Antonio Sahagún (ELEVENPATHS), Mr. Juan Manuel García (CEREALTO SIRO FOODS), Mr. Fernando Pérez (AETICAL), Mr. Manuel Domínguez (UNIVERSITY OF LEÓN), Mr. Benjamín Sahelices (UNIVERSITY OF VALLADOLID), Mr. Javier Martín Limorti (UNIVERSITY OF SALAMANCA) and Mr.  Álvaro García (CIDAUT Foundation).  Finally, Mrs. Beatriz Casado (Chief of Innovation and Entrepreneurship of Institute for Business Competitiveness of Castilla y León) closed the Forum and invited the attendees to participate in the next workshops and events organized under the training and support Program for R&D Business Centr@Tec.

In addition to thematic workshops and panel discussions, a cyber-exercise “Capture the Flag” (CTF) took also place on the day of the event. This cyber exercise provided a forum for the local cybersecurity talents to demonstrate their skills and to be recognized by the cybersecurity stakeholders.