In a digital world, the more people are connected, the more vulnerable they become to cyber-crime. To address the importance of this issue, the GSMA devoted a Mobile360 event to the topic of privacy and security across the global mobile enterprise ecosystem.
On 11 and 12 May, GSMA-convened experts and key leaders from an array of industries that touch the global enterprise ecosystem engaged in a substantive discussion about the growing importance of privacy and security across the globe. Home to 400 security businesses employing 13,400 people and seen as the cyber security capital of Europe, the city of The Hague was the venue for the event.
Mobile 360 Series – Privacy & Security featured a combination of keynote speakers, panel discussions, technology demonstrations and in-depth case studies that addressed the growing importance of privacy and security globally. Partnering with The Hague Security Delta and the Municipality of The Hague, the GSMA designed an agenda that enabled senior executives to exchange views and best practices.
Mats Granryd, Director General of the GSMA, opened the event by stressing that mobile operators must keep the protection of subscriber privacy at the forefront of their thinking. Granryd told the audience that operators need to secure subscriber data, act transparently, ensure private communications stay that way and ensure financial transactions are carried out safely. He said that the GSMA’s Mobile Connect initiative, which enables consumers to use mobile phone credentials to safely access digital services such as e-commerce, banking, health, entertainment and e-government, has seen fantastic uptake.
Wilbert Tomesen, vice chairman of the Dutch Data Protection Authority, said his watchdog has to “regularly rap the knuckles” of organisations that take insufficient care of user data. New legislation in the Netherlands has seen 1,500 breaches in just 130 days, Tomesen said.
The second day’s keynote fostered debate on the Internet of Things and whether the mobile Industry can be covered by local laws, or whether a global infrastructure is needed. Participants also discussed what top-level executives can do to prevent breaches, and how to deal with them when they do happen.