IRISSCON 2026 puts preparedness for cyberattacks and hybrid threats in focus
Ireland risks being dangerously unprepared for increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and hybrid threats unless the Government acts urgently to strengthen the country’s national security capabilities, according to Brian Honan, head of the Irish Reporting and Information Security Service (IRISSCERT) and founder of BH Consulting.
Ireland risks being dangerously unprepared for increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and hybrid threats unless the Government acts urgently to strengthen the country’s national security capabilities, according to Brian Honan, head of the Irish Reporting and Information Security Service (IRISSCERT) and founder of BH Consulting.
The warning comes ahead of IRISSCON 2026, IRISSCERT’s annual cybersecurity conference, which takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday, 11 November.
Recent incidents include cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, bomb threats that disrupted flights to and from Ireland, and emailed bomb threats that forced evacuations and disrupted operations at Irish media organisations, including RTÉ.
He warned that without a national strategy, agencies and organisations risk responding in isolation.
Honan said they highlight how quickly threats can disrupt businesses and public services, and raise questions about Ireland’s ability to detect and respond to incidents that can interrupt essential services and undermine public confidence.
A coordinated approach, he said, would help ensure they have the resources they need and can work together when an incident affects several sectors at once.
Many are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks and lack the resources, expertise and practical guidance to protect themselves, keep operating during an incident and recover afterwards.
IRISSCON 2026 will bring together international cybersecurity experts, researchers, industry professionals and law enforcement representatives to discuss emerging threats and how organisations can prepare for them.
We cannot afford to wait for a major national crisis, similar to the ransomware attack against the HSE in 2021, before taking it seriously.
What happened
Ireland risks being dangerously unprepared for increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks and hybrid threats unless the Government acts urgently to strengthen the country’s national security capabilities, according to Brian Honan, head of the Irish Reporting and Information Security Service (IRISSCERT) and founder of BH Consulting.
The warning comes ahead of IRISSCON 2026, IRISSCERT’s annual cybersecurity conference, which takes place at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Wednesday, 11 November.
Recent incidents include cyberattacks targeting supermarket refrigeration systems in Ireland and elsewhere in Europe, bomb threats that disrupted flights to and from Ireland, and emailed bomb threats that forced evacuations and disrupted operations at Irish media organisations, including RTÉ.
What changed
He warned that without a national strategy, agencies and organisations risk responding in isolation.
Who is affected
Honan said they highlight how quickly threats can disrupt businesses and public services, and raise questions about Ireland’s ability to detect and respond to incidents that can interrupt essential services and undermine public confidence.
A coordinated approach, he said, would help ensure they have the resources they need and can work together when an incident affects several sectors at once.
Why it matters
Many are increasingly exposed to cyberattacks and lack the resources, expertise and practical guidance to protect themselves, keep operating during an incident and recover afterwards.
IRISSCON 2026 will bring together international cybersecurity experts, researchers, industry professionals and law enforcement representatives to discuss emerging threats and how organisations can prepare for them.
Technical details
We cannot afford to wait for a major national crisis, similar to the ransomware attack against the HSE in 2021, before taking it seriously.
What remains unknown
Responsibility for the recent incidents remains unclear.