As part of the Cybersecurity and International Affairs Workshops by the Cybersecurity and Privacy Institute and the Balsillie School of International Affairs
Brian O’Higgins, Angel Investor and Board Member (Entrust)
All technology invariably has an intended good use, but will be picked up by bad actors for malicious intent. Government policy needs to be carefully considered if it intends to control use by bad actors. Previous attempts in controlling technology have mostly backfired, and hopefully we can do better going forward. This session will cover the various ways in which near and long-term blockchain technology may help or hinder the provision of cybersecurity. It remains to be seen how technological capacity, legal frameworks, and political will may determine which nations will take the lead in this area. This lecture will explore which actors in the international arena are best positioned to reap the economic and strategic advantages of blockchain technology
Biography
Brian O’Higgins has over 30 years experience as a leader in security technology development—possibly known best for his role pioneering PKI (public key infrastructure)— and as the co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Entrust, a leading Internet Security Company. He was also a co-founder and Chief Technology Officer of Third Brigade, an enterprise security company that was acquired by Trend Micro in 2009. Brian's approach to security is both visionary and pragmatic. He is a frequent presenter at security and industry events around the globe, and a founding author and contributor to the Cloud Security Alliance. He is often sought out as an industry expert by the press to comment on current events related to cyber security.
Brian’s current list of affiliations includes advisory board positions with Defence R&D Canada, the Ontario Centers of Excellence, and as an Executive Fellow with the Mistral Venture Partners fund. He also serves on the board of Directors for Fischer International, Interset, and Identos, and is an advisor for Crypto 4A, Titus, APX, Zighra, Infosec Global and Bluink.
In 2012 Brian was honoured to be a recipient of the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal that recognizes individuals who have made significant contributions to Canada. Brian is an avid skier on both snow and water, and a competitive marathon runner. In 2011, he won his age group category at the Boston Marathon.