With COVID-19 social restrictions having made hosting and attending physical exhibitions, events and meet-ups practically impossible since March last year, one initiative that has helped to bring people from the information security industry together in the digital sphere is Cyber House Party.
First launched in June 2020, Cyber House Party is an industry-led, online event series that unites the cybersecurity community during a challenging time, creates open and honest debate around highly important issues, raises money for UK charities and, not to forget – delivers some much-needed humor and lightheartedness, with great music thrown in for good measure.
Following the success of the inaugural event last summer, a second instalment – Cyber House Party 2.0 – was held in September, with a festive Cyber House Christmas Party held in December.
Now, the organizers have announced that Cyber House Party 3.0: The Easter Special – potentially the final purely virtual iteration of the event as hopes of the return of in-person events gather pace thanks to the success of the vaccine rollout – will be taking place on Thursday April 1, from 5pm till late.
Upon review of the planned agenda for the upcoming event, it is clear Cyber House Party 3.0 aims to deliver the same thought-provoking, relevant discussions, networking, community spirit and all round ‘fun and games’ of the previous three.
“Cyber House Party was initially set up to raise spirts during the first lockdown of 2020 and in the process, rally the UK cybersecurity community around some good causes and fundraise for UK charities,” the organizers told Infosecurity. “With ongoing restrictions imposed by COVID-19 in 2021, the team felt the fundraising events should continue as much into 2021 as possible, starting with Cyber House Party 3.0.
“Our mission remains the same: contribute to the wellbeing of the UK cybersecurity community, help get more people into cybersecurity careers, provide exposure and fundraising for good causes and, most importantly, have some fun! To that end, we will be raising money for Childline, Trinity Homeless and PSDS, which supports families and children with Down Syndrome.”
The event will also be supporting Happy Days for Everyone, a charity whose mission is to empower people to grow their own happiness from within.
“With ongoing restrictions imposed by COVID-19 in 2021, the team felt the fundraising events should continue as much into 2021 as possible, starting with Cyber House Party 3.0”
Important Issues, Meaningful Discussions
The Cyber House Party team have a set of specific goals for all of their events, and one of those is highlighting and raising awareness of highly significant topics impacting individuals and organizations from across the information security industry.
Cyber House Party 3.0 will continue in that vein, with a selection of topics – both technologically- and human-focused – being explored. These will include panel debates featuring industry experts and thought-leaders on what machine learning versus artificial intelligence really means for the cyber-sector and strategies for improving cyber-talent development, along with discussions on dealing with online harassment (to be moderated by Infosecurity’s Eleanor Dallaway) and recognizing and addressing cyber-related stress and mental health issues.
With particular reference to the latter two themes, the Cyber House Party team said: “There is a lot of discussion now about mental health and information security professionals are dealing with a lot of pressure in their jobs. Burnout is often cited, and those in the industry know it’s often a thankless job. We are inviting industry leaders to share their views and personal experiences regarding the responsibilities of the security function and whether or not it is the right time to reset them to something more realistic and effective.”
Furthermore, and in relation to the rising presence of trolling, bulling and harassment in the online world, Cyber House Party 3.0 will explore how such issues manifest both inside, and outside, of the security industry.
“We’ll hear first-hand accounts from victims, highlight support networks to identify what help is available and we will also bring a wonderful success story on how to overcome such cruel behavior.”
The team hopes that, by addressing these issues during the event, those that have suffered or are currently suffering from mental health or online harassment recognize they are not alone, that there is always help available and, for those people just coming into the industry, that the sector has a community of supporters who are always willing to offer support.
“Our interview with reformed addict, DJ Brandon Block, will help highlight that, even in the face of adversity, there is always something to help you through hard times. More than anything, we would like our discussions to inspire people to help contribute to the community in any way they can. We have seen and heard some life-changing stories about how the event has helped people and has generated some really positive outcomes – we just want that to continue.”
Fun and Games
Along with addressing pointedly important and relevant issues within the security sector, Cyber House Party is also synonymous with offering a sense of fun and comic relief to help lift people’s spirits during a time when so many have been affected by the pandemic and related factors. So, what does the event have in store this time around?
“The next event kicks off the Easter weekend and so we have a special Easter edition of Have I Got a Cyber Quiz For You! hosted by the wonderful, best-selling author Geoff White,” the team explained. “We have our regular Cyber Room 404 fun with Stu Coulson calling the shots on some of our industry’s most annoying traits, and our very own expert Cyber Clive proves once again that his superior and intellectual mind is beyond all reasonable belief!”
That’s not all the good time to be had either, with an after-party featuring one of Ibiza’s original super DJs and supporting DJs from the industry playing music late into the evening.
“Our goal has always been to raise spirits during adverse times imposed by restrictions and to offer something different from the mainstream corporate events. We believe that having a blend of informative, fun and entertaining items helps to create a unique space where the community can feel relaxed without any commercial pressure,” the organizers explained, adding that, despite having a headline set from one of the world’s greatest Ibiza legends, Cyber Clive is always there to steal the show.
“Our goal has always been to raise spirits during adverse times imposed by restrictions and to offer something different from the mainstream corporate events”
The Party Goes On?
So that’s what’s on the billing for the next Cyber House Party – and it looks like attendees will be in for an absolute treat – but what about beyond that? What does the future have in store for Cyber House Party, particularly now that in-person events appear to be edging ever closer?
“The first event took place specifically in the absence of Infosecurity Europe, where the UK cybersecurity community would meet and catch up with industry colleagues and friends. Even though it would be a giant leap into the unknown, we do hope that, at some point, Cyber House Party could have a place in the physical world (as well as the virtual one) and align itself with a major conference event such as Infosec – we shall see!”
The likelihood of that depends greatly on the ongoing support and help from the cyber-community and volunteers, with contribution – no matter how small or large – critical to the future success of the events.
“The events are very much the direct result of our community’s participation and the help of our volunteers. As long as we keep delivering on our key goals, we will carry on delivering the events. We are already seeking more diverse and willing speakers, participants and DJs for our future events, so people should get in touch if they are interested.
“We are also hoping that our wonderful industry vendors will get even more involved with donations and also in helping us to find new and fruitful ways of raising more money for our chosen charities.”
The opportunity to contribute is truly open to any and all looking to give something back to the industry and raise money for the charities, the team added. For more information on getting involved, contact cyberhouseparty@gmail.com.
“Individuals can donate to our charities via our Virgin Giving pages and companies can also get involved by providing a nominal donation that gives them some prominent branding throughout the event. Anyone is welcome to get involved and join the CHP team.”
Registration is open for the Cyber House Party 3.0 now, and is available via the event LinkedIn page or website.