An Aberdeen Cyber Security Officer is a finalist in this year’s Scottish Cyber Awards. Robbie Ross, CSO for internet service provider, IT support and security specialist, Converged Communication Solutions, has been shortlisted in the Cyber Community category of the Awards, which will be held on 24th November at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh. Now in their sixth year, the Scottish Cyber Awards are a cornerstone of the country’s cyber calendar, celebrating the contributions made by individuals who go above and beyond to make a difference to the cyber security of Scotland.
The Cyber Community award recognises those who are delivering the cyber message and helping to build resilience in communities across the country. Drawing on experience gained as Cybercrime Safety, Prevention and Resilience Liaison Officer with Police Scotland, and more recently as CSO at Converged, Robbie has created and delivered more than 20 bespoke, non-technical presentations specifically targeting communities with little or no knowledge of the subject. Travelling the length of Scotland, he has spent significant amounts of his professional and personal time educating people of all ages including school pupils, school leavers, parents, silver surfers, local football teams, charities and members of national organisations.
“Everyone’s data has value, and the fallout of data theft can have far reaching consequences for the victim,” explains Robbie. “Cyber security can be a confusing topic for many people, and I see my role as helping to simplify the subject for them, so that they can be better protected online. My employer shares this passion for information-sharing and views these educational community initiatives as a key part of our company’s offering – this nomination is as much theirs as it is mine.’
“It’s fantastic to have made the awards shortlist. Last year we were finalists for the outstanding cyber team award, as well as being shortlisted in both the outstanding community event and community hero categories of the inaugural Cyber Community Awards. Once again, we face stiff competition but that’s something to celebrate – it’s a testament to the great work being done across Scotland to increase awareness of the potential threat of online data theft, and the measures available to tackle the problem. Personally, and professionally, I’m delighted to be involved in the fight against cybercrime.”
Other finalists in the Cyber Community Award category are Abertay University’s Abertay cyberQuarter and Donna Anderson from North Ayrshire Council.
Converged Communication Solutions is an independent, Aberdeen-headquartered IT and cyber security provider. Established in 2005, the company offers an integrated range of Internet connectivity, IT support, telephony and cyber security services to companies and organisations across Scotland. It employs around 30 staff, which includes strong technical support and cyber security teams. Converged is a Certification Body for the Cyber Essentials Plus and Cyber Essentials standards, an assessor for the IASME Governance Standard and an official partner of CityFibre’s Aberdeen project. More information about Converged Communication Solutions is available at www.converged.co.uk or telephoning 01224 656380.