Haim Bibas, Chairman of Israel’s Federation of Local Authorities, presented digitalization and automation processes implemented in local authorities. The goal: financial savings and better service for residents. He spoke on the joint stage of Cybertech Global Tel Aviv and the Sparks Innovation Summit.

“Influence campaigns are a new kind of weapon and we need to understand how to secure ourselves. Cyber defense must also be used against this threat, not only against breaches,” said Rami Efrati, the former Head of the Civilian Division of Israel’s National Cyber Bureau and a Managing Partner at MSF Partners.

The President of the State of Israel, Isaac Herzog, spoke on the joint stage of Cybertech Global Tel Aviv and Sparks Innovation Summit this morning (Wednesday).

“The past six months have affected not only the Middle East but the entire universe,” Herzog said at the top of his talk. “It’s been a dark and painful time – but we’ve also seen the tremendous light, social resilience, caring, and determination of Israelis.

Amir Peretz, Chairman of the Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI); Israel’s Former Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Defense, Minister of Environmental Protection, and Minister of Economy and Industry, spoke on the joint stage of Cybertech Global Tel Aviv and Sparks Innovation Summit this morning (Wednesday) the state of Israel post October 7th.

Oren Sagi, the Managing Director of Cisco, spoke on the joint stage of Cybertech Global Tel Aviv and Sparks Innovation Summit this morning (Wednesday) about what Israel’s high-tech and business sectors have done for the civilians of Israel since October 7th.

Moshe Lipsker, Israel GM & SVP Global Product Development, Imperva (aquired by Thales), spoke on the main Cyebrstage Global Tel Aviv stage this afternoon (Tuesday) and presented the six global trends expected to shape the cybersecurity arena this coming year. They include:

“Cyber is a dynamic and intelligent threat, unlike most operational risks firms may face, and this is important when discussing what can be done.  Cyber is wrongly perceived as exclusively technical – but it’s actually a business problem, and quite often this gets missed,” said Paul Williams, the President of the UK’s Electric Infrastructure Security Council (EIS).

A unique panel bringing together some of the brightest minds that served in the IDF’s elite Unit 8200 took place at Cybertech Global Tel Aviv this afternoon (Monday). Moderated by the Managing Director of 8200 Impact, Leehe Friedman, the panel discussed the various ways social media can reshape war – with an emphasis on Israel’s current Swords of Iron War.

The industry as a wholeis going through tremendous challenges, but one thing that hasn’t changed is that Israeli cybersecurity is considered the Ivy League of global cybersecurity,” said Sharon Seemann, Partner at YL Ventures, on the Cybertech Global Tel Aviv main stage this morning (Tuesday).

“On October 7th, Hamas succeeded in undermining the physical security of the people of Israel – but at the same time, cyber-attacks directed by the Iranian regime began targeting all of Israel’s sectors around the clock, undermining security in that domain as well, something which is still ongoing” said Gabi Portnoy, Director-General of the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD), on the main Cybertech Global Tel Aviv stage this morning (Tuesday).