Chicago Cybersecurity Conference Highlights Need For Online Security

The need for online security is more important today than ever, and this is highlighted by the upcoming Chicago Blue Team Con, which bills itself as “the premier cybersecurity conference for defenders”. This event is meant for professional development and information sharing among security professionals. The importance of the event is highlighted by the keynote speaker, infosecurity expert Lesley Carhart, who will deliver the address titled "We're All Scared, Too: 10 Years of Lessons from Cybersecurity Mentorship”. The conference takes place on August 26 and 27, 2023.

Blue Team Con 2023 is also notable since it will include talks by experts from Microsoft, Crowdstrike, Meta, IBM, AWS, and the Department of Homeland Security. They will speak about detecting and protecting against proxy attacks, log management best practices, handling of “human malware” in the workplace, and the use of cyber ranges and simulation to reduce risk. Representatives from Carhart (digital forensics) and Dragos (intrusion detection) will also be present and have been active in the security scene in Chicago and elsewhere.

If all of this sounds confusing, you’re not alone, and such events aim to help people understand the issues and risks. Many security issues – particularly when it comes to use of the Internet – come down to proxies such as this, which act as a “buffer” between you and the rest of the Internet. This functionality helps keep your network safe from malware and attacks with plenty of privacy.

There are many different types of proxies, and a popular type is residential, which allows you to choose a location – by mobile carrier, country, city – and use the Internet as if you’re a user in that geographic area, thus protecting you from general web traffic. Residential proxies correlate to IP addresses from real ISP customers. This allows for secure video streaming, banking, online shopping, and other sensitive activities.

Indeed, the need for proxies is only growing as indicated by data from research firm MarketsandMarkets, which indicates that the global Content Delivery Network (CDN) market size is expected to grow from $19.2 billion in 2022 to $34.5 billion in 2027. A CDN is made up of interconnected servers to deliver online content to users, and the CDN interconnects proxy servers distributed globally to numerous data centers. CDNs help deliver downloadable data for media files, images, live streaming media, text, social media data, and software and are used by companies worldwide.

No two ISPs are the same, and Google Cloud CDN is one of the better ones by a variety of measures including Internet speed, pricing, reliability, customer service, and other factors. How much an ISP blocks, or restricts, Internet access is a factor determining the best provider for users of proxy servers. Some ISPs tend to block certain sites such as adult content or gambling sites. Others with even stricter policies block social media, news sites, and others.

Since proxy servers can be set up in either your operating system or your browser, it’s handy for everyday users to consider a proxy manager for Firefox (from the Firefox web store). Others are available for Google Chrome and additional browsers. They are also available for use specifically with Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Ebay, and other services.

The big streaming video providers such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Hulu have been blocking proxies, leading to playback issues. This can be addressed by using high-bandwidth residential proxies to get around IP bans. Residential proxies use IPs that don’t change automatically after every session, avoiding an account getting flagged for suspicious activity.

Security problems will exist as long as the Internet does, but fortunately, security experts and providers are helping navigate the barriers. Proxy service providers are one such entity, and conferences such as Chicago Blue Team Con are also helping guide the way towards improved cybersecurity.