On Tuesday, 25 November, about 200 professionals – mostly, but not only, from the Financial Services and Cyber & Technology industries – gathered at the SIX Convention Point in Zurich for the 6th National Cyber Security Event. Despite the cold and windy evening outside, the atmosphere inside was warm and focused, with Alexander Bösch and Olivia Kinghorst welcoming participants to an evening of sharp insights and frank discussion.

Navigating the Grey Zone

Mark Barwinski opened with a look at the shifting boundaries of conflict. Quoting NATO’s Mark Rutte — “We are not at war, but we are not at peace either” — he described the rise of hybrid warfare and what it means for Switzerland. Neutrality leaves the country outside NATO and EU defense frameworks, yet economically integrated and increasingly exposed. His call was clear: resilience must be built through stress inoculation, operational slack, and corporate strategies like redundancy and defensive infrastructure.

AI Agents in Security

Borna Cisar turned attention to artificial intelligence. He outlined how AI introduces new risks — expanded attack surfaces, unpredictable behavior, and vulnerable supply chains — while also empowering attackers. From smarter phishing emails to nearly autonomous malware, AI accelerates every stage of hacking. His analogy stuck: cybersecurity has always been a cat-and-mouse game, but with AI, “the mice multiply.”

Blockchain Risks

Fabian Schär highlighted governance and dependencies in blockchain systems. Beyond the familiar risks of private key loss, he pointed to vulnerabilities in smart contracts. Composability makes blockchain powerful but also creates strong network effects and fragility. His message: governance is not optional, and understanding dependencies is essential for anyone working with this technology.

Regulation Challenges

Roland Mathys closed the inputs with a candid look at regulation. Switzerland has no single cybersecurity law; instead, provisions are scattered across multiple acts, often overlapping but not necessarily aligned. Notification duties vary, reporting platforms lack effectiveness, and obligations can be excessive. His takeaway: streamline laws, harmonize definitions, and focus regulation on what is truly necessary.

Panel and Impressions

The panel discussion returned to resilience and the role of AI. Costs are rising, but so are the stakes. Agentic AI scenarios — where autonomous systems adapt attacks in real time — were seen as both a challenge and a call to prepare.

The overall impression was sobering: cyber conflict is real, AI makes attacks faster and easier, blockchain is riskier than expected, and regulation often hinders more than it helps. Yet, alongside the coping mechanisms the speakers outlined, the evening itself implies a silver lining: more than 200 professionals coming together to listen and share knowledge will surely lead to actions improving preparedness and resilience in Switzerland.

If you are interested in reading more about the topic, you might be interested in this new SFI publication, “Hacking the Basics of Cybersecurity.”

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