One of the world's leading Internet security experts, Eugene Kaspersky, has described the World Cyber Security Technology Research Summit at Queen's University Belfast as key in preventing a Cyber World War.

Eugene Kaspersky, CEO and co-founder of the largest antivirus company in Europe, Kaspersky Lab, will be giving a keynote address at the second annual Cyber Security Technology Research Summit on Friday 16 March.

The cyber security guru is joining some of the world's leading cyber security experts and government policy makers from around the world for a two-day meeting of minds to combat future threats to global cyber security.

The annual Summit, held at the Centre for Secure Information Technology (CSIT), Queen's University - the UK's lead university centre for cyber security research, made headlines across the world when it was launched last year, and has attracted even more leading international experts in cyber security to this year's Summit in Belfast.

Speaking ahead of the event, Eugene Kaspersky said: "For almost a decade I've been doing my best to attract the attention of governments and officials around the world to the imminent threat of cyber-war and cyber-terrorism and the need to prevent it - but with limited effect. The World Cyber Security Technology Research Summit at Queen's is an excellent platform for getting the message across to those that count. This event is internationally important and significant as it addresses one of the most pressing issues of global security - cyber defence.

"We have entered a new age, the Age of Cyber-Warfare, and decisive international action needs to be taken immediately if we don't want to see our technology-permeated world – where everything is managed by IT systems – crumble around us. A crucial part of that action is technology research, and the Cyber Summit at Queen's University in Belfast is a big step in the right direction, bringing researchers, experts and policy-makers together and creating an exceptional platform for productive dialogue and cooperation."

Queen's University Professor John McCanny, CSIT Principal Investigator, said: "The success of the inaugural World Cyber Security Technology Research Summit last year is reflected by the fact that even more of the biggest names in global cyber security are attending this year's summit at Queen's. This event is unique in that it is a meeting of minds of cyber security experts, researchers and government policy makers from around the world.

"We at CSIT recognise there are two aspects of cyber security; defence and opportunity. A safe and secure Internet acts as a platform for economic growth and societal development. We have seen the democratising effects of the Internet in countries around the world; we have also seen how health, business and the wider development of mankind are supported by the information age that we all live in. Together at Belfast 2012 we aim to identify, map out and ultimately combat the biggest threats to our online security so that we can help make the Internet of Tomorrow a safe and secure platform for the next phase of the human journey.

"Cyber security affects us all. Be it via smartphones and their apps, online banking or through the most intricate of government defence systems, we are all at risk of cyber security attacks. This Summit at Queen's University is of huge international importance and we welcome the very best global cyber security experts to Belfast for this highly significant event."

Guests at the Summit include speakers from Kaspersky Lab, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the UK's Home Office, the European Commission, McAfee, the U.S. Cyber Consequences Unit, Cisco, SRI International, Georgia Tech, IBM and CyLabs.