The 2024 Beyond Cyber Security series has officially concluded, and as the festive season approaches, it’s the perfect time to reflect on what has been an extraordinary set of events.

Hosted at the Greater Manchester Digital Security Hub (DiSH), the series was designed to create a premier platform for a diverse group of leaders and stakeholders to come together and explore cyber security from fresh angles and unique perspectives.

Beyond Cyber is all about pushing boundaries, breaking down siloed thinking, and bringing together divergent perspectives.

Across three inspiring gatherings in August, October, and December, the series delivered exceptional insights, vibrant discussions, and fostered new connections and collaborations. Beyond Cyber has proved to be an invaluable platform for sharing innovative ideas, sparking fresh perspectives, and building relationships with the potential to drive meaningful change in the cyber security landscape.

Here is a brief look back at some the key highlights of our 2024 series:

In August Ben Owen, OSINT expert and Cyber Spy from the Award-winning Channel 4 series Hunted captivated us with his talk “Inside the Mind of a Hacker”. Focusing on the human side of cyber, Ben’s talk highlighted the pivotal role reconnaissance plays in the early stages of a hack, underscoring the importance of understanding and managing our digital footprints. He demonstrated how easy it is for our online trails to be traced through inexpensive and readily-available software, drawing on various examples including his recent involvement in an FBI manhunt to illustrate.

The October event featured renowned Harvard Professor and Digital Anthropologist Gabriella Coleman. In her talk “The History and Impact of the Hacktivist and Nation State Hack and Leak”, Gabriella took us a further step closer to the human side of cyber, drawing on her extensive research and interviews with hacker communities. She explored the evolution of hacktivism and the rise of the hack-and-leak tactic, tracing its roots from counterculture movements like AntiSec to its modern-day geopolitical impacts. These insights sparked discussions on the socio-political dynamics of hacking, its cultural significance, and the profound implications for politics, ethics, and society.

Last but certainly not least, December brought the brilliant Robin Ince to the Beyond Cyber stage, comedian and co-host of the Sony Gold Award winning BBC Radio 4 series The Infinite Monkey Cage. Robin brought his signature humour and unique perspective to the challenges of AI with his talk “The Campaign to Preserve the Human Imagination”. He took delegates on a provocative journey through art, sci-fi, poetry, and music to critically explore what it means to be human in the age of AI. His talk captured how imagination, emotion, and creativity define us as a species, prompting a crucial question: What might we be losing as we remove more of the human from thought-processes, decision-making and creative processes?

Each event was further enriched by thoughtful panel discussions, engaging Q&A sessions, and lively networking receptions, fostering connections and ideas that will resonate far beyond the series itself. None of this would have been possible without the incredible contributions of the guests, panellists, and keynote speakers, whose insights and expertise were the heart of the series’ success.

Discover Beyond Cyber: Revisit the experience or catch up on talks you missed

Recordings from all three events are being made available on the Lancaster University cyber channel – keep an eye out for more videos as they are added to the collection. Whether to revisit a particular talk or explore sessions missed, the videos are there to help relive the experience and draw further inspiration.

Lancaster University are delighted that Beyond Cyber will continue with a new series in 2025. Keep an eye on the horizon for what comes next as the boundaries of cyber security conversations continue to be pushed.