ScotlandIS Cyber

The stakes have never been higher. With cyber threats becoming more complex every day, Scotland’s public sector must act now to protect vital services and citizens’ data.

Holyrood Connect’s Public Sector Cyber Security Scotland 2026 returns to Edinburgh on 3 February, brining together cyber security experts and industry leaders to explore practical solutions to current and future challenges.

Through keynote speeches, expert panels, and interactive masterclasses, this event offers insight into how organisations can stay ahead in a constantly shifting landscape.

Key Themes

• Strategies for embedding cyber resilience into public sector digital infrastructures
• Harnessing the power of AI to improve real-time threat intelligence and response
• Cyber incident exercising and enhancing incident response readiness across public services
• Fostering collaboration and innovation

Attendees will also have the opportunity to enjoy an exhibition area and connect with peers during dedicated networking sessions.

Who Should Attend?

This event is aimed at public and third sector professionals, including:

• CIOs, CISOs, Heads of Digital and IT
• Information Security and Risk Managers
• Cyber strategy, policy, and governance professionals

Join us in Edinburgh in February to connect with peers and help shape a safer digital future for Scotland.

Join our new series of events, ScotlandIS Tech Tidbits, on the first Tuesday of every month!

These 30 minute webinars will be short, informative sessions on a variety of topics, from exporting to cybersecurity, cloud computing to procurement, and many more.

Each event will feature a ScotlandIS member offering their expert insights and advice on the topic in hand, however you do not need to be a member to attend these talks.

For February, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Kathryn Strachan, a marketer, business advisor and author.

AI isn’t just for marketing copy. It can transform how startups solve real business problems. In this session, you’ll learn how to use AI tools like ChatGPT to tackle critical challenges such as extending runway, reducing churn, designing pricing experiments, and improving operational efficiency.

Through real-world examples and live exercises, we’ll show you how to turn vague questions into powerful prompts that deliver insights, action plans, and data-driven decisions for your business.

Scotland’s public sector continues to face evolving and sophisticated cyber threats. Ensuring digital resilience and robust incident response is critical to protecting vital services and citizen data. 

Holyrood Connect’s Public Sector Cyber Security West will return to Glasgow on 4 February. Now in its second year, this focused half-day briefing event will once again bring together cyber security leaders and public sector professionals. Through keynote speeches, expert panels, and interactive masterclasses, the event will deliver practical insights and real-world strategies to strengthen cyber resilience across Scotland’s public sector. 

Who Should Attend?

This event is aimed at public and third sector professionals, including:

• CIOs, CISOs, Heads of Digital and IT
• Information Security and Risk Managers
• Cyber strategy, policy, and governance professionals

Secure your free place

This event is free to attend for those working in the public and third sectors. If you work in the private sector, please email sales@holyrood.com to discuss commercial opportunities.

Cyber Security Series

We’re also hosting the Public Sector Cyber Security Series in Edinburgh on 3 February – find out more here.

Start your cyber resilience journey today: Help your third sector organisation stay safe online.

Charities are using digital systems every day to deliver their services and keep in touch but with this capability comes a level of risk.

Join us in partnership with SCVO and Kick ICT for an engaging half-day event tailored specifically for third sector organisations looking to help their organisation stay safe online. This event is designed to give you the tools, knowledge, and connections to boost your cyber resilience.

Who should attend?

Anyone working and/or volunteering for a third sector organisation in Scotland at the beginning of their cyber resilience journey, and maybe not sure where to start, who provides leadership and/or is responsible for aspects of operations/IT.

What’s on the agenda?

Improve Cyber Awareness Anyone working and/or volunteering for a third sector organisation in Scotland at the beginning of their cyber resilience journey, and maybe not sure where to start, who provides leadership and/or is responsible for aspects of operations/IT. Learn steps to enhance your organisation’s understanding of cyber risks and how to stay vigilant.

Interactive Workshop: Build Your Cyber Incident Response Plan Get hands-on experience creating a tailored plan to ensure your organisation is prepared to respond effectively to cyber incidents.

One-to-One ‘Meet the Experts’ Sessions Sit down with cyber experts to discuss personalised steps you can make for improving your organisation’s cyber resilience.

Lunch & Networking Enjoy a relaxed lunch while connecting with like-minded professionals from the third sector. Share experiences, challenges, and solutions as you strengthen your network.

Don’t miss this opportunity to take the first steps towards a safer, more secure organisation. Together, we can build a resilient third sector, equipped to thrive in the face of digital challenges.

Agenda

1300 – 1330: Arrival, registration

1330 – 1345: Welcome and intro

1345 – 1430: How to improve your cyber resilience 

1430 – 1530: Networking lunch with 1:1 sessions running alongside 

1530 – 1615: Build your incident response plan

1615 – 1700: Closing remarks/event close

Join our new series of events, ScotlandIS Tech Tidbits, on the first Tuesday of every month!

These 30 minute webinars will be short, informative sessions on a variety of topics, from exporting to cybersecurity, cloud computing to procurement, and many more.

Each event will feature a ScotlandIS member offering their expert insights and advice on the topic in hand, however you do not need to be a member to attend these talks.

For this extra webinar in February to mark Cyber Scotland Week 2026, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Debra Cairns, Managing Director of Net-Defence.

Over the past two to three years, supply chain (SC) risk has shifted from an emerging to current risk.

Supply chain risk encompasses a wide range of factors, including economic uncertainty, political instability, natural disasters, and supplier failures. However, today we will be exploring one pressing threat: cyber risk within your supply chain.

An attack on your supply chain can cause significant impact to your ability to operate if they are unable to provide products, systems, and services. Equally as damaging is a cybercriminal launching a cyberattack against you through your supply chain.

Identifying these risks can be challenging, as supply chains are often large, complex, and interconnected. Threats can emerge at any point and take many forms, whether they are inherent, introduced, or exploited by cybercriminals looking for vulnerabilities.

Learn:

• What is Supply Chain Risk & Types of Risk (Inherent/Introduced/Exploited)
• Exploited Risk
• Human Risk
• Role of email
• SC Risk Management

Join our series of events, ScotlandIS Tech Tidbits, on the first Tuesday of every month!

These 30 minute webinars will be short, informative sessions on a variety of topics, from exporting to cybersecurity, cloud computing to procurement, and many more.

Each event will feature a ScotlandIS member offering their expert insights and advice on the topic in hand, however you do not need to be a member to attend these talks.

For this second extra webinar in February to mark Cyber Scotland Week 2026, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Parven Kaur, founder of Kids N Clicks, a platform aiming to help parents safeguard their children’s online experience by educating them on latest misinformation, social media, and digital trends.

In her Tidbit, Parven will take a deep dive into TikTok and how algorithms shape young users’ behaviour, thoughts, and actions.

Ideal for parents, guardians or those interested in online safety or the psychology behind young user behaviours and trends – book your place to join us in October.

Join Phoenix and your IT Peers for an immersive tabletop exercise: Decrypt or Defend: A Cyber Resilience Simulation sponsored by N-able. Hosted at The Ivy, Buchanan Street, Glasgow from 12:30PM until 4PM on Wednesday 25^th February 2026 as part of Cyber Scotland Week 2026.

This live simulation will put you in the shoes of key decision makers during a high-pressure cyber incident. You’ll experience the critical decisions security leaders must make when a cyberattack strikes—and discover how prepared your organisation truly is.

When seconds count, resilience wins. Don’t wait for a real attack to test your defences.

Join Phoenix and your IT Peers for an immersive tabletop exercise: Decrypt or Defend: A Cyber Resilience Simulation sponsored by N-able. Hosted at The Port of Leith Distillery, Edinburgh from 10:30AM until 4PM on Thursday 26^th February 2026 as part of Cyber Scotland Week 2026.

This live simulation will put you in the shoes of key decision makers during a high-pressure cyber incident. You’ll experience the critical decisions security leaders must make when a cyberattack strikes—and discover how prepared your organisation truly is.

When seconds count, resilience wins. Don’t wait for a real attack to test your defences.

Join our new series of events, ScotlandIS Tech Tidbits, on the first Tuesday of every month!

These 30 minute webinars will be short, informative sessions on a variety of topics, from exporting to cybersecurity, cloud computing to procurement, and many more.

Each event will feature a ScotlandIS member offering their expert insights and advice on the topic in hand, however you do not need to be a member to attend these talks.

For this third extra webinar in February to mark Cyber Scotland Week 2026, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Cian Heasley, Principle Consultant and Threat Function Lead at Acumen Cyber.

This presentation will walk through the steps that a typical organisation with limited security resources could take to integrate threat intelligence and knowledge of the threat landscape for their industry sector into operational and strategic security planning.

The focus will be on practical examples that attendees can take away and adapt for their own organisations – book your place to join us in February.

Join our series of events, ScotlandIS Tech Tidbits, on the first Tuesday of every month!

These 30 minute webinars will be short, informative sessions on a variety of topics, from exporting to cybersecurity, cloud computing to procurement, and many more.

Each event will feature a ScotlandIS member offering their expert insights and advice on the topic in hand, however you do not need to be a member to attend these talks.

For March, we’ll be joined by guest speaker Alan Thorburrow, CEO of Mindroom.

Neurodiversity refers to the natural variations in the human brain, highlighting the strengths of individuals who think, feel, and experience the world in diverse ways. In this talk, we will explore how implementing neuro-inclusive practices can help reduce stigma and promote acceptance of this often-overlooked aspect of human diversity.

This presentation is aimed at employees and employers who are interested in learning more about neurodiversity and exploring strategies to create a more inclusive environment for neurodivergent employees.

Mindroom

As an organisation founded upon lived experience, Mindroom champions all forms of neurodiversity and supports all kinds of minds. Our mission is to advance inclusion and acceptance for children, young people, and their families, driving change in how we live, work, and learn.

The 16th annual ScotlandIS Digital Technology Awards showcase excellence within the industry rewarding the innovation, expertise and ambition of businesses large and small – and the people that drive them.

Let’s highlight some of the great achievements within the tech sector over the last 12 months!

There are a variety of different awards up for grabs that could shine a light on the fantastic work you’ve been doing – our shortlist has now been announced.

Digital Tech 2026 will take place on 19th March, at the Radisson Blu hotel in Glasgow.

We look forward to you joining us for a night of food, fun and celebration of the industry.

Click the ‘Learn More’ link below now for more details and to book tickets.