Monthly theme - July 2026 - Cybersecurity & Privacy
July's theme in The Data Lab Community is Cybersecurity & Privacy!
Data and AI now sit at the heart of how many organisations work, from everyday decision making to complex automated systems. That makes cybersecurity more important than ever. Sensitive datasets, AI models, cloud tools and connected workflows all need to be protected, and small gaps can quickly become serious risks.
The aim isn't to turn everyone into a security expert. It's to build better awareness, encourage stronger everyday habits, and help teams make security a natural part of how they work with data, technology and AI.
Throughout July we’ll look at what cybersecurity means for data and AI professionals today. We’ll cover how incidents unfold, how common attacks work, and what practical steps individuals and teams can take to reduce risk.
Events 🎟️
As part of our activities throughout the month, we're running a whole host of events and webinars related to the theme. Make sure to register for the ones you'd like to attend via the links below!
- You're Easier to Attack Than You Think - 21 July 2026 12:30-13:30 BST [Online]
In this session, Josh Trueman and Fróði Sveinsson will show you exactly how hacking is done, live, including a phishing attack that can grab your details in real time, plus a few more surprises along the way. Come along to see how these attacks actually work, and pick up a few simple habits that can make you a much harder target.
- Inside an Incident: Lessons from the Front Line of Cyber Response - 23 July 2026 12:30-13:30 BST [Online]
Companies are rarely judged for getting attacked, but they are judged on how they respond. In this session, Caólán draws on his own experience in incident response, plus examples from well-known public incidents, to walk through what the incident management and response lifecycle actually looks like when you're in it.
- Security in AI-enabled Organisations: Why Culture, Controls and Common Sense Still Matter - 29 July 2026 17:30 - 19:30 BST [Edinburgh, UK + Online]
At this event we’ll bring together cybersecurity engineers from Accenture and Skyscanner to share what it takes to create a resilient security culture in the age of AI. We’ll examine why leadership buy-in, strong foundations and shared responsibility matter just as much as technology, while also looking at recent security challenges linked to growing AI adoption and the lessons other teams can learn from them.
- Guardrails and Governance for Secure AI Exploration and Automation - 30 July 2026 13:00 - 13:50 BST [Online]
As public sector organisations increasingly look to draw critical insights and operational efficiencies from AI, establishing a foundation of robust data privacy and security is no longer optional. At this session, we'll show how robust content governance helps to safeguard and enable AI adoption. You’ll discover how unstructured content can safely become a secure AI asset, learning how permissions-aware AI acts as a critical governance control to protect sensitive information.
Upcoming themes 📆
Here's a reminder of what we have coming up for the rest of 2026!
- July - Cybersecurity and Privacy 🔒
- August - Creative Industries and Gaming 🎨
- September - Financial Sector 🏦
- October - Health and Life Sciences 🦠
- November - Data Visualisation 📈
If you are interested in contributing to any of our monthly themes, let us know by completing this short form, and we'll get back to you with more info!
We'll help promote events that align with our themes to our 8000+ members, offering an excellent opportunity to reach new audiences and amplify your activities. If you would like some more info on how you can get involved, whether that is by organising an event or sharing other relevant content, get in touch at [email protected], and we'd be happy to chat!