CISOs and their groups should defend their organizations’ knowledge and networks from a relentless barrage of threats and an array of vulnerabilities, whereas additionally making certain compliance with related cybersecurity and business requirements, laws, laws and frameworks.
To remain knowledgeable in regards to the newest cybersecurity traits and dangers, safety professionals typically flip to business occasions. Conferences assist safety practitioners sharpen their abilities, hone their methods and consider applied sciences. They supply invaluable alternatives to study from business consultants and leaders, community with friends, and acquire data of how one can mitigate perennial and rising threats.
Cybersecurity conferences additionally foster collaboration and data sharing, that are essential in combating an more and more advanced risk panorama. At conferences, professionals can share real-world experiences, focus on greatest practices and drive innovation.
The next are among the prime conferences safety professionals ought to contemplate attending in 2026.
RSAC 2026 Convention
When: March 23-26, 2026
The place: Moscone Middle, San Francisco
Value: $149-$2,995
The gold commonplace convention for safety professionals, the RSAC Convention consisted of a single cryptography panel dialogue when it started in 1991. Over the previous 35 years, it has grown right into a multiday occasion that includes a whole bunch of periods, keynotes, labs and networking for its greater than 44,000 attendees.
Monitor periods cowl AI, CISO insights, cryptography, networking, id and third-party danger administration.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Jen Easterly, former director of CISA; Bruce Schneier, safety technologist and writer; Antony Blinken, former Secretary of State; and Whitfield Diffie, cryptography pioneer.
Be taught extra about RSAC Convention 2026.
Black Hat USA 2026
When: August 1-6, 2026
The place: Mandalay Bay Conference Middle, Las Vegas
Value: TBA
Black Hat USA returns for its twenty ninth yr with a six-day occasion that includes 4 days of cybersecurity trainings adopted by the two-day most important convention August 5-6. The present started in 1997 to unite safety professionals and hackers, and has since grown into an occasion attracting greater than 20,000 attendees.
Monitor periods embody AI and machine studying safety, offensive and defensive software safety, malware, platform safety, reverse engineering and risk looking.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Mikko Hyppönen, former chief analysis officer at WithSecure; Chris Inglis, former U.S. Nationwide Cyber Director; and Amit Yoran, former director of the Nationwide Cyber Safety Division on the Division of Homeland Safety, and former CEO of Tenable.
Be taught extra about Black Hat USA 2026.
Gartner Safety & Threat Administration Summit 2026
When: June 1-3, 2026
The place: Gaylord Nationwide Resort and Conference Middle, Nationwide Harbor, Md.
Value: $4,175-$4,925
Gartner’s annual Safety & Threat Administration Summit helps CISOs and their groups align their safety packages and techniques with enterprise priorities, enabling them to beat cybersecurity challenges and handle dangers successfully. The present gives keynotes, ask-the-expert periods and one-on-one conferences with Gartner analysts.
Monitor periods embody AI; cyber resilience; cybersecurity management, administration and governance; knowledge safety, privateness and compliance; and safety tradition, habits and consciousness.
2026 audio system embody Gartner analysts Christopher Mixter, Leigh McMullen, Jeremy D’Hoinne, Fadeen Davis and Arthur Sivanathan.
Be taught extra about Gartner Safety & Threat Administration Summit.
ISC2 Safety Congress 2026
When: October 24-28, 2026
The place: Gaylord Rockies Resort and Conference Middle, Aurora, Colo.
Value: $425 to $1,695
ISC2 is a nonprofit world business group for cybersecurity professionals. Identified for its certifications, together with the gold commonplace CISSP, ISC2 has been holding its annual Safety Congress since 2011.
The multi-day present, which gives a digital choice, options preconference workshops adopted by the three-day most important occasion consisting of shows, periods, keynotes and networking alternatives for all ranges of safety professionals, from CISOs and managers to practitioners and designers.
Tracks embody AI and machine studying safety, cloud and infrastructure safety, frameworks and requirements, id and entry administration (IAM), cyber management and ethics, and rising applied sciences.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Brian Krebs, cybersecurity journalist and writer; Alex Stamos, former CISO at SentinelOne; Jenny Radcliffe, social engineer; and Don Freese, former senior government on the FBI.
Be taught extra about ISC2 Safety Congress 2026.
Forrester Safety & Threat Summit
When: November 5-7, 2026
The place: Austin, Texas
Value: TBA
The Forrester Safety & Threat Summit, first held because the Safety Discussion board in 2006, has grown from an viewers of 250 IT professionals to a number of hundred attendees spanning CISOs, danger and compliance leaders, safety architects and engineers, and privateness and knowledge safety officers.
The present, which gives a digital choice, options tracks together with technique and governance, danger, and compliance; zero belief; detection and response; id and fraud; and software safety.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Forrester Analysts Jeff Pollard, Jess Burn, Allie Mellen and Sandy Carielle, and visitor audio system Mansur Abilkasimov, deputy CISO and chief product safety officer at Schneider Electrical; Allan Friedman, former senior advisor and strategist at CISA; and Tim Brown, CISO and vice chairman of safety at SolarWinds.
Be taught extra about Forrester Safety & Threat Summit.
DEF CON 34
When: August 6-9, 2026
The place: Las Vegas Conference Middle, Las Vegas
Value: $540-$580
DEF CON, based in 1993, is an annual convention for moral and malicious hackers, cybersecurity professionals and researchers that happens straight after Black Hat USA.
The present options talks and shows; workshops and trainings; competitions, similar to seize the flag, lockpicking and social engineering; themed villages, together with IoT Village, AI Village, Crypto Privateness Village and Ham Radio Village; and networking. Matters coated embody malware and vulnerabilities; assault methods; penetration testing; AI; pink, blue and purple teaming; bug bounties; and IoT safety.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Peter “Mudge” Zatko, hacker and former cyber program supervisor at DARPA; Katie Moussouris, authority on vulnerability disclosure and bug bounties; Christopher Krebs, former director at CISA; and Heather Adkins, vice chairman of safety engineering at Google.
Be taught extra about DEF CON 34.
InfoSecWorld
When: October 12-14, 2026
The place: Gaylord Palms Resort and Conference Middle, Orlando, Fla.
Value: $1,395-$4,195
InfoSecWorld, held by the CyberRisk Alliance, is an annual convention for CISOs and safety professionals throughout healthcare, authorities, hospitality, logistics, manufacturing, retail, monetary providers, vitality, telecom and utilities.
Premiering in 1994, the present attracts round 2,500 attendees to its workshops, periods and keynotes. Tracks embody governance, danger and compliance; profession development; AI safety, software program provide chain safety; and cybersecurity and enterprise technique.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Pascal Bornet, writer and AI professional; Cory Simpson, CEO on the Institute for Important Infrastructure Expertise; Marene Allison, former CISO at Johnson & Johnson; and Roland Cloutier, former world chief safety officer at TikTok.
Be taught extra about InfoSec World.
Blue Crew Con
When: September 10-13, 2026
The place: Swissôtel, Chicago
Value: TBA
Blue Crew Con is an annual convention created for cybersecurity defenders, together with CISOs, safety operations heart analysts, incident responders, risk hunters and different safety professionals. Based in 2021, it gives networking alternatives, trainings and labs, and keynotes on matters similar to distant safety, electronic mail safety, ransomware and malware, cyber resilience, AI safety and cloud safety.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Jake “MalwareJake” Williams, vice chairman of R&D at Hunter Technique; Aeva Black, former part chief of open supply safety at CISA; and Lesley Carhart, technical director of business incident response at Dragos.
Be taught extra about Blue Crew Con.
SecureWorld
SecureWorld has been holding cybersecurity conferences throughout North America for greater than 25 years. It gives in-person regional occasions and exhibits tailor-made to particular business verticals.
Conferences function keynotes, panels and hands-on periods designed for CISOs and safety practitioners. Tracks cowl AI, post-quantum safety, IAM, third-party danger administration, risk modeling and nil belief.
2026 audio system haven’t been introduced. Previous audio system have included Brian McGowan, vice chairman of world safety and privateness at SharkNinja; Scott Margolis, CISO at Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority; Peter Bassey, cybersecurity audit head at BNY Mellon; and Todd Covert, CISO at Nationwide Normal, an Allstate firm.
Be taught extra about SecureWorld’s cybersecurity occasions.
Sharon Shea is government editor of Informa TechTarget’s SearchSecurity website.
