The it-sa Expo&Congress is fully living up to its reputation as Europe’s leading trade fair for IT security, and the IT security event with the highest exhibitor numbers worldwide: In 2023, 797 exhibitors (2022: 693*) from 31 countries will be present in Halls 6, 7 and 7A, which are all fully booked. As a barometer of trends in the sector, the it sa Expo&Congress between 10 and 12 October will thus offer key insights into IT security: International professionals in matters of cybersecurity will be on hand in Nuremberg to share information in the form of expert presentations, product-independent contributions in the “it-sa insights” topic series, and at the accompanying Congress@it-sa. On the evening preceding the actual event, representatives of exhibiting companies and high-ranking political and administrative personalities gathered at a State reception for the opening of the Trade Fair, hosted by the Bavarian State Ministry of Finance and Regional Identity.

“IT security has grown to be an essential foundation for the state, economy and society to be able to function – each individual attack can have far-reaching consequences,” says Frank Venjakob, Executive Director it-sa. “IT security officers are constantly ‘on’, and in the end it’s down to teamwork and the best possible strategy combined with the appropriate technical solutions that help them stay one step ahead of the cyber criminals. One of the key interests of it-sa therefore lies in  personal interaction, sharing expertise and having all the players working together, from specialists to top management.”

Top marks for exhibitor numbers, exhibition area and international participation

The it-sa Expo&Congress hits the mark: “The response from the industry was phenomenal, with all the available spaces this year allocated by September (up 22 percent compared to 2022),” Venjakob notes with pleasure. The number of participants from abroad has risen further (proportion of international participants: 27%), as has the amount of exhibition space booked by international exhibitors (up 16%). Special mention must be made of the two pavilions for Austrian and Czech firms, and another from the US state of Virginia. Accompanying events such as the Bitkom Executive Dinner or the German-Czech IT security breakfast organized by TeleTrusT further emphasise the importance of the it-sa Expo&Congress as a meeting place for personal dialogue.

Comprehensive technical information and Special Keynote in five forums

For all the guests at the trade fair, the contributions by it-sa exhibitors and partners in the five forums are free to attend: Presentations, study analyses and panel discussions show where the IT security journey is headed. Product-neutral contributions designated as “it-sa insights” provide knowledge on trends, current questions of law, and special topics. In addition, a range of live hacking demonstrations promise insights into how hackers operate.

Apart from the German-language forums, all presentations in the international forum in Hall 6 are given in English. The slogan here is “Not on-site and yet still live”, since the presentations are being transmitted live online on the it-sa 365 online platform. The Special Keynote at it-sa Expo&Congress 2023 is being given by Crime and Intelligence Analyst Mark T. Hofmann. In his presentation “Hacking the Hackers” he takes his audience along on a journey into the psychology of Internet criminality. He shows who we are dealing with when it comes to hackers, and how companies can protect themselves with a “human firewall”. The Special Keynote is also being given in the international forum on 12 October and is therefore simultaneously available as an online service from it-sa 365.

“Women in Cybersecurity” meets the challenge of the shortage of skilled workers

The shortage of skilled workers and new talents extends to the world of IT security. Yet the full potential is still far from being exploited, since the proportion of women in the industry is still very low in international terms. The focus of the “Women in Cybersecurity” discussion series is therefore the question of how more women can be encouraged to take an interest in IT Security, and how companies can present themselves in the best light as employers in this connection. “We want to use the Women in Cybersecurity theme to generate interest in IT security among women, alert employers to the potential offered by female skilled workers and managers, and improve the visibility of role models in IT security,” says Venjakob. “That’s why we are particularly pleased that new BSI President Claudia Plattner is also taking part.”

it-sa Expo&Congress: A stage for startups

With Startups@it-sa in Hall 7, the it-sa Expo&Congress offers young, innovative companies a special demonstration area: This opportunity for newcomers to attend together is the starting point for gaining an insight into the future of the IT security industry, and to get to know future providers. The ATHENE Startup Award UP23@it-sa will be presented for the sixth time on 11 October. Five startups will pitch for the coveted prize for new talents: enclaive, KEEQuant, Mondoo, Quantum Optics Jena and Staex.  At the end of this exciting event, the jury of experts will select the three winning startups which will, for the first time, receive cash prizes offered by the sponsors, Deutsche Telekom Security, Kaspersky and Infinigate, and ranked by the placing of the respective awardees.

Extensive congress programme and annual meeting for IT security chiefs at a State and municipal level

The accompanying congress programme, Congress@it-sa, which began on the day prior to it-sa itself, is an additional opportunity to share specific industry knowledge. Some 50 congress presentations by the event partners are addressed to the various participant groups, ranging from questions of using AI to aspects of law, such as the requirements of the NIS 2 Directive, and the future of IT security in the age of quantum computing. The agenda is broadened further by features with a practical focus, such as the Cybercrime simulation game, a collaborative effort between Bitkom and the police, or insights into genuine hacker attacks. On the programme once again this year is the annual meeting for IT security chiefs at a State and municipal level, which is aimed at heads of IT security in administrative positions.

it-sa@home: Hybrid formats on the it-sa 365 dialogue platform

Even while the trade fair is in progress, registered users of the it-sa 365 digital platform can also participate in the event activities live online: By broadcasting selected contributions from the public forums and the studio especially set up at the heart of the trade fair activities, the organizers are taking impressions and information from the trade fair into the digital world. In addition to expert interviews, including those with special Keynote speaker Mark T. Hofmann and BSI President Claudia Plattner, it-sa@home offers impressions from the exhibition halls and an informative programme for the entire duration of the event. In addition, users of it-sa 365 will benefit from the familiar advantages of the platform when attending the trade fair: In addition to searches for specific exhibitors, products, solutions and experts, this platform offers a  “matchmaking” function and opportunities to make direct contact via chat or to arrange appointments.

^{* The visitor, exhibitor and floor space figures for this trade fair event are calculated and certified in accordance with the uniform definitions published by FKM – German Society for Voluntary Control of Fair and Exhibition Statistics.}