Building Trust in a Digital-First World
Last week, CyberLab proudly joined industry leaders at the Manchester Digital Fintech Conference, where our very own Matthew Workman, Cyber Sales Account Manager, took to the stage for a panel discussion on one of the most pressing topics in the sector today: Trust & Security – Navigating Risk in a Digital-First World.
Chaired by Tim Brewin of Lloyds Banking Group, the panel brought together voices from across the fintech and digital innovation landscape, including Chris Bush of Nexer Digital and James Cowe of Barclays. Together, they explored how fintech’s can balance innovation with the growing demands of security, compliance, and – most critically – customer trust.
Cyber Security as a Trust Enabler
Matthew Workman, representing CyberLab, emphasised that cyber security plays a foundational role in building and maintaining customer trust. He highlighted the importance of transparency – demonstrating how customer data is protected and showcasing credentials such as Cyber Essentials Plus and ISO certifications. These visible assurances help reinforce confidence and credibility.
He also shared how CyberLab’s partners, including Sophos and Forcepoint, are leveraging AI to proactively defend against emerging threats. Sophos, for instance, uses AI to simulate fraud scenarios by creating scam websites, enabling their Threat Hunters to study how attackers might exploit generative AI. Their Data Lake aggregates telemetry from across their services, allowing them to replicate and neutralise threats before they spread to other clients.
Forcepoint, meanwhile, focuses on data-centric security, incorporating AI into services like Data Loss Prevention (DLP) to help organisations manage and protect sensitive information more effectively.
“Show customers how you’re protecting their data. Display your credentials – Cyber Essentials Plus, ISO certifications – make it visible and understandable.”
– Matthew Workman, CyberLab
Scaling Security with Growth
Matthew broke down the cyber security challenges fintechs face at different stages of growth:
- Start-up: Resource constraints and compliance readiness are key hurdles. Outsourcing to managed SOC teams can bridge the gap.
- Scale-up: As the attack surface grows, so does the risk. Alert fatigue and patch management gaps make MDR (Managed Detection and Response) services essential.
- Enterprise: At this level, the stakes are highest. With vast amounts of sensitive data, these firms are prime targets for ransomware and advanced persistent threats. Security must be embedded into every layer – from infrastructure to culture.
“As fintechs grow, their security strategy must evolve – what works at launch won’t scale without risk.”
– Matthew Workman, CyberLab
What We Learned at Manchester Digital’s Fintech Conference
CyberLab’s presence at Manchester Digital’s Fintech Conference wasn’t just about contributing to the conversation – it was about reinforcing our role as a trusted partner in helping fintechs grow securely in an increasingly complex digital world.
As the fintech sector continues to evolve at pace – driven by innovation, AI adoption, and customer demand for seamless digital experiences – the threat landscape is evolving just as quickly. From phishing campaigns powered by generative AI to sophisticated ransomware attacks targeting high-value financial data, the risks are real and growing. For fintechs, trust is no longer just about safeguarding money – it’s about safeguarding digital identities, data, and experiences.
That’s why cyber security can’t be treated as a bolt-on. It must be embedded into the DNA of every fintech business – from the infrastructure and tooling to the culture and mindset of every employee. Whether you’re a start-up navigating compliance for the first time or an enterprise defending against advanced persistent threats, your security strategy must scale with your ambition.
At CyberLab, we believe that trust is earned through transparency, consistency, and proactive protection. We’re proud to work with fintechs at every stage of growth, helping them build resilience, reduce risk, and stay ahead of emerging threats. Our involvement in this panel was a reflection of that commitment – and a reminder that in a digital-first world, security is not just a technical requirement, but a business imperative.
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