A special event is being held to showcase how easy it can be to gain access to a company’s data.

Described as a ’live cyber attack’, the company Riela Cyber will conduct the demonstration alongside the Isle of Man Chamber of Commerce at the Eagle Lab in Douglas today (June 24).

The event is designed to highlight the common attack methods used by cyber criminals in corporate settings and the common misconceptions within companies around cyber security measures.

The organisers hope that attendees will learn about adequate measures companies should take to minimise risks and how to improve their cyber security.

The company’s Cyber Security Engineer, Dr Joseph E. Ikhalia, Ph.D. will be playing the role of a ’black-hat hacker’ on the night to showcase just how simple it can be for hackers to gain access to a company’s data.

Well known to those versed in the world of popular culture, black-hat hackers are the stereotypical hackers portrayed on the silver screen.

In the increasingly modern world of computer security however, a ’black-hat hacker’ is a hacker who violates computer security for their own personal profit or malice.

A ’white-hat hacker’ on the other hand, is a hacker who hacks into systems to draw attention to vulnerabilities that require repair.

Dr Ikhalia is known for pushing boundaries and pioneering new avenues within the growing field of cyber security.

He designed the world’s first social network security awareness app, ’Social Network Criminal’.

In a social media post to promote the event, Dr Ikhalia said: ’Cyber security is my passion.

’Having the opportunity to show business professionals what a hack looks like from a hacker’s point of view will allow attendees to understand the threat of cyber attacks better.’

The showcase event is fully booked.