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Mikko Hyppönen, Chief Research Officer at F-Secure, had news - both good news and bad news.

"The good news is that we're not running out of work. The bad news is that we're not running out of work", he grinned and the entire room of conference guests murmured in agreement. Different types of data security attacks have become a very basic everyday topic in the media, and the scale of perpetrators is extensive.

"We have some good hackers whose purpose is to demonstrate to companies and citizens the data security gaps that threaten them. Unfortunately a large proportion of hackers use their knowledge either for economic gain, to amass power, or to achieve even more dangerous ends. For that reason, keeping software secure is our most important task", Hyppönen emphasises.

The scientific IEEE Conference organised by Aalto University and Xidian University was attend by nearly 400 experts interested in the opportunities and challenges of a digital society.

5G already in 2020?

The importance of security is also emphasised by Gabriel Waller, who is responsible for data security research at Nokia Networks. Its importance is also constantly increasing, as a growing share of our everyday lives is being managed on line.  The new 5G, which is currently under development, will enable automated transport, but who would be willing to ride in a self-driving car if anyone with a knack for hacking might take control of its steering wheel or lock its brakes by breaking into its guidance system from his or her own computer?

"Cooperation is in a key position in the securing of safety and functionality of network connections", Waller believes.

"Security is a costly, but necessary, and in the long run, a profitable investment. We at Nokia are working at full capacity, and we believe that a commercial 5G network can be taken into use in 2020", he reveals.

The three-day IEEE conference was organised in Helsinki on 20 - 22 August. The partner of the event was Tekes and it was supported by Nokia, SSH Communications Security, and Ericsson.