Ian Thornton-Trump CD
Ian Thornton-Trump CD is an ITIL certified IT professional with 30 years of experience in IT security and information technology. From 1989 to 1992, Ian served with the Canadian Forces (CF), Military Intelligence Branch; in 2002, he joined the CF Military Police Reserves and retired as a Public Affairs Officer in 2013. After a year with the RCMP as a Criminal Intelligence Analyst, Ian worked as a cyber security analyst/consultant for multi-national insurance, banking, and regional health care verticals. With a deep background in cyber threat intelligence Ian was previously the CISO for Cyjax Ltd., a UK based threat intelligence provider to enterprise customers. As a CISO at Inversion6 Ian’s role is to spearhead the efforts to duplicate the success of Inversion6 USA by offering fractional CISO and advanced cyber security solutions in the UK and EU markets. Ian has deep experience with the threats facing small, medium and enterprise businesses. His research and experience have made him a sought-after cyber security consultant specialising in building security operations providing services as a vCISO, and sharing his passion for building effective threat intelligence programs for small, medium, and enterprise organisations.
Session
In Grayzone Warfare: From IT Systems to OT Effects, Ian Thornton‑Trump CD examines how modern cyber conflict operates in the space “between peace and war,” where adversaries pursue strategic advantage without crossing traditional thresholds of armed conflict. Using his established insights into hybrid warfare and cyber‑physical risk, Thornton‑Trump reveals how attacks that begin in enterprise IT environments increasingly cascade into operational technology (OT), critical infrastructure, and industrial control systems.
This session presents cyber incidents as components of intentional grayzone campaigns that blend espionage, disruption, economic coercion, and psychological pressure. Thornton‑Trump demonstrates how weaknesses in identity systems, supply chains, governance, and security visibility are exploited to bridge IT and OT, turning digital access into real‑world consequences—including safety risks, service disruption, and national‑level instability.
Ultimately, this presentation challenges leaders and security professionals to view cyber defense as a matter of operational safety and geopolitical reality—recognizing and countering grayzone activity before IT compromise becomes irreversible OT impact.