Today, November 21, 2023, I had the pleasure of visiting Conxion in Waregem with a group of friends, thanks to an invitation from Howest. Conxion is an IT company specializing in advising and implementing projects and features for other companies. Our group consisted of 17 students and one lecturer.

Arrival and Introduction

We arrived at the building around 13:15 and entered at 13:30. Conxion is located on the upper floor of a shared office building. The office was clean and had a welcoming atmosphere, with various projects, systems, and other items displayed for us to inspect and interact with. The ambiance immediately conveyed a sense of professionalism and innovation, setting the tone for the rest of our visit.

The Presentation: Embracing Zero Trust Technologies

Once everyone was seated, we listened to a talk about "Zero Trust Technologies," which Conxion uses to secure their partners. The first speaker, Kevin, discussed several critical topics, including "Modern Workplaces," "Business Applications," "Connectivity," "Hybrid Cloud," "Services," and "Security." He provided a comprehensive overview of these technologies and how they are effectively utilized in the modern business environment.

Kevin’s presentation was insightful, breaking down complex concepts into understandable segments. He emphasized the importance of integrating these technologies to create a cohesive and secure IT infrastructure. His explanation of how Conxion helps businesses transition to modern workplaces and adopt hybrid cloud solutions was particularly enlightening.

Delving Deeper into Security with Gilles

The second speaker, Gilles, focused more on the security aspect of Conxion. He provided a fascinating insight into "Zero Day" exploits and how Conxion deals with them. Gilles explained that they have about 97 minutes to patch every system when a Zero Day exploit is leaked to prevent exploitation by "Black Hat Hackers."

He highlighted that approximately 80% of hacks are due to social engineering on the identity layer, with most originating from phishing attacks. This underscores the importance of using strong passwords, multi-factor authentication (MFA), and employee training. One of the most striking facts Gilles shared was the vulnerability of an 8-character password, which can be brute-forced in about two and a half hours, whereas a 14-character password would take around 9 million years to crack. This stark comparison reinforced the necessity of long, complex passwords in maintaining cybersecurity.

Hands-On Experience and Engagement

After the two talks, we had some time to explore and engage with various interactive displays. We had the opportunity to play with some Lego and domotica that represented elements of a company's IT infrastructure. This hands-on experience allowed us to see the practical applications of the concepts discussed during the presentations. Additionally, we filled out a survey during this time, providing feedback on our experience and the information we had received.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the visit to Conxion was both educational and engaging. We gained valuable insights into the world of IT security and the importance of adopting modern technologies to protect and enhance business operations. The presentations by Kevin and Gilles were particularly impactful, providing us with a deeper understanding of the challenges and solutions in the IT sector. The hands-on activities further enriched our experience, making the visit a memorable and informative event.

This visit not only broadened our knowledge of IT security and technology but also underscored the importance of staying updated with the latest advancements to safeguard against evolving cyber threats.