ChiBrrCon 2027

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am PDT

⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-003 Downstairs)

Limited Capacity full

Orientation and onboarding for the "CPAI: Cympire Red Team Village" starting at 10:15

Preregistration for the village is required, sign up for the actual CTF session (not this orientation) by adding to your schedule, seats are limited!

Speakers

Oron Mincha

North America GM, cyberpro.ai

Challenges of matching cyber&tech workforce - The content currently taught in relation to the needs of the industry

Idan Schein

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 10:15am PDT
⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-003 Downstairs)

Village

10:00am PDT

Meet-up and Chill Area

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm PDT

⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 1 (Gallery Lounge)

A small quiet (maybe!) spot to sit, meet up and chat with someone, or just hang out and chill (or work ☹️).

Friday October 9, 2026 10:00am - 4:00pm PDT
⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 1 (Gallery Lounge)

General

10:15am PDT

The challenges of tech education and the lack of practical experience

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

Limited Capacity full

Today's technological studies do not address the needs of the industry, graduates arrive with a methodology but without practical experience - the discussion will discuss the challenges and solutions

Speakers

Rasin Alexander

Professor, DePaul University

Challenges of matching cyber&tech workforce - the content currently taught in relation to the needs of the industry.

The general cybersecurity landscape and the insufficient focus on fundamental research and operating systems research to solve current cyber problems. ... Read More →

Dean Cantave

Deputy CIO IT Infrastructure and Operations, State of Illinois Department of Innovation and Technology

I am an IT executive and people-centered leader with more than 25 years of experience leading IT infrastructure, IT project management, operations, cloud platforms, and enterprise modernization across complex public-sector and private sector enterprise environments.

I currently serve as Deputy CIO for IT Infrastructure & Operations supporting the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) within the State of Illinois. In this role, I oversee large-scale infrastructure and cloud operations, IT service management (ITSM), operational... Read More →

Oron Mincha

North America GM, cyberpro.ai

Challenges of matching cyber&tech workforce - The content currently taught in relation to the needs of the industry

Michael Phillips

Proud ChiBrrCon Board Member!Michael Phillips is a seasoned Information Security and Technology leader with 40 years of experience in the Financial Services industry. He has held executive IT & Security roles at the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, UBS, SBC Warburg Dillon Read, Rosenthal... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
↙️ 4. Paranoia (Hermann Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Career

10:15am PDT

AI Meets APT: Tearing Apart a Russian Threat Actor’s Malware

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

This session breaks down a real reverse-engineering case: dissecting malware from a Russian threat actor using a mix of traditional tooling and heavy AI augmentation. It’s a practical walkthrough, not a theory talk, showing exactly how modern AI fits into an RE workflow without replacing the analyst’s judgment.The story starts with the basics: loading the sample into Visual Studio Code, wiring...
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Speakers

Dmitry Moiseev

Sr Director of Engineering, Cambium Networks

An engineer with a hacker streak who happened to grow into an executive role. I’ve worked across cloud, firmware, RF, reverse engineering, and yes, that and once even got me sued for. I see it all as part of learning how to build things that actually hold up.

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
⏪️ 3. Despair (Ballroom)

common

10:15am PDT

The Anatomy of an AI

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Systems designed around AI and ML technologies are growing as fast in complexity as they are in popularity. These systems, especially in production and at scale, often follow a microservice architecture with LLMs, Rag databases, MCP Servers, clients, and more all communicating over the network. That doesn't even include all the other supporting technologies that are usually needed to...
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Speakers

Alec Gleason

Security Architect, Cisco

I am a Security Architect & Consultant that has been working at Cisco for over 10 years. I focus on Application, AI, Cloud, and IOT security. I have performed penetration tests, architecture
assessments, and red team engagements against systems of all sizes and
complexities... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

10:15am PDT

Cyber Extortion: Breach, Response, and After Effects

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Limited Capacity seats available

Cyber-extortion breach tactics and techniquesGaining access through social engineeringGaining access through zero-dayBypassing EDRElevating privileges on internal systemsFinding and exfiltrating dataCovering tracksFirst hour of a network breachLocking down accounts and killing sessionsPreserving artifactsCollecting logsTerminating accessBlocking C2 channelsDetermining scope and source of...
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Speakers

Kevin Bong

Director, Ghostscale

Biography: Kevin is a Director at Ghostscale, responsible for overseeing penetration testing, risk assessments, compliance audits, incident response, and cybersecurity advisory services. Kevin has 25+ years working in a variety of cybersecurity leadership roles, including application... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Incident Response

10:15am PDT

Advanced Personal Privacy

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT

Limited Capacity full

As surveillance from governments, private entities, and criminals has created a wild west of exploitation, I believe there is a need to discuss the solutions to prevent and mitigate surveillance. This talk is geared towards an audience that has some knowledge of personal privacy. However, I will touch base on the foundational aspects of privacy at the beginning of the talk, thus accounting for...
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Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 11:00am PDT
↖️ 1. Fear (Alumni Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Privacy

10:15am PDT

CPAI: Cympire Red Team Village - Pre-registration is best!

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 12:45pm PDT

⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-003 Downstairs)

Limited Capacity full

CPAI: Cympire Red Team VillageYou should register in advance for this session by adding it to your personal schedule, for best experience, and because seats are limited!(Click this link to see how to add a session to your personal schedule)Audience:High School Cybersecurity StudentsEntry-Level Cybersecurity StudentsNovice Penetration TestersOverviewThis village is designed for beginners with...
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Speakers

Oron Mincha

North America GM, cyberpro.ai

Challenges of matching cyber&tech workforce - The content currently taught in relation to the needs of the industry

Idan Schein

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 12:45pm PDT
⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-003 Downstairs)

Village

10:15am PDT

TinFoil Hat Competition

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 3:45pm PDT

⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 3 (Gallery Lounge)

The Tinfoil-Hat Competition is coming to ChiBrrCon!!It's going to be an absolute blast, and we're looking forward to all the crazy and creative hats everyone is going to build!Checkout the Tin Foil Hat Competition site for the rules of the competition!The Tinfoil Hat Competition is a unique event that tests the signal attenuation properties of contestant-made tinfoil hats. Using...
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Speakers

Sean Juroviesky

Senior Security Engineer, SoundCloud

Sean Juroviesky is a dedicated cybersecurity, risk management, and privacy advocate; speaking on those topics at conferences across the world including DEF CON, CypherCon, CornCon, BSides Rochester, SecretCon, Sec-T, and more. Sean also acts as a cybersecurity architect for a large... Read More →

Mark Milhouse

Chief of AI Security, HackerSidekick

Mark Milhouse (amne51ac) is a Marine Corps Veteran and ex-Amazon engineer with a broad technical background from investigating digital privacy and cybersecurity class action cases at Edelson PC to serving as Chief Technology Officer at 160 Driving Academy and Truckers Network. Mark... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 3:45pm PDT
⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 3 (Gallery Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Village

10:15am PDT

Partner Expo and Sponsor Recruiting Desk Area

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 4:00pm PDT

⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 1 (Gallery Lounge)

Meet and greet our Partners at their expo tables, and Sponsors who have recruiting tables!

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 4:00pm PDT
⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 1 (Gallery Lounge)

Career

10:15am PDT

Human-in-the-Loop: Why AI Still Can’t Pick This Lock

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 4:00pm PDT

⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 2 (Gallery Lounge)

An Interactive Lock Village ExperienceAI can process vast amounts of data, recognize patterns, and automate decisions—but it still can’t feel a binding pin, sense subtle feedback through a tension wrench, or adjust instinctively when a lock fights back.This session is not a traditional talk. Instead, attendees are invited into a hands-on Lock Village where physical security takes center stage....
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Speakers

Ben Hughey

FOUNDER/CEO, VECTOR AHEAD, LLC

Ben Hughey is the owner and CEO of Vector Ahead LLC, a Cybersecurity and DoD assessment firm and is the Associate Director of Digital Technology and Data Compliance at Collins/RTX. With over two decades of experience in IT and Cybersecurity, Ben has worked across technical, operational, and... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 10:15am - 4:00pm PDT
⬇️ 7. Hope / Village 2 (Gallery Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Village

11:15am PDT

From Immigrant Resilience to Cyber Resilience: A Practical Roadmap for Career Pivoting

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

1. Opening – “From Lima to Cyber” (5 min)Arriving in the U.S. at 17Waiting years to adjust statusNavigating out-of-status challengesThe resilience that shaped the cybersecurity pivot2. Education & Reinvention (6 min)Pivoting into cyber in 2024Bootcamp → peer mentorGraduating top of cohort (4.0 GPA)Turning adversity into fuel3. Certifications With Strategy (5 min)Studying Security+...
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Speakers

Diana Sofia (Sofi) Rodriguez

GRC analyst intern, TalentFish

Diana Sofia “Sofi” Rodriguez is a faith‑driven cybersecurity professional and human‑centered cyber advocate, whose journey from Peruvian immigrant to U.S. citizen and emerging GRC leader has inspired thousands. Guided by prayer, purpose, and Kairos time—God’s appointed... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT
↙️ 4. Paranoia (Hermann Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Career

11:15am PDT

Building an AI-First Center of Excellence: From Legacy Transformation to Enterprise-Wide AI Capability

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Artificial intelligence has reached unprecedented capability levels—foundation models demonstrate sophisticated reasoning, generation, and autonomous action across diverse domains. Yet most organizations struggle to unlock this potential, constrained by fragmented implementations, unclear governance frameworks, and inability to scale beyond isolated experiments. The gap between AI's technical...
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Speakers

Daniel Flaningan

Chief Transformation Officer, Old National

I am a Chief Transformation Officer who designs and delivers enterprise systems that resolve complexity, modernize delivery, and generate durable growth. Drawing from executive experience across banking, private equity, and technology, I leverage AI, digital and data analytics and... Read More →

Meredith Winegar

Transformation Office Director, Old National

Leads the AI Center of Excellence at Old National, passionate about organizational transformation and innovation.

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

11:15am PDT

DevOps for the age of AI

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

AI isn’t the future of software delivery, it’s the present. It’s reshaping how we build, deploy, and scale systems in real time. While DevOps gave us speed and reliability for traditional applications, it wasn’t designed for the messy, data-driven, unpredictable world of machine learning.Enter MLOps: the next evolution of DevOps, purpose-built for the age of AI. This talk demystifies how...
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Speakers

Semira Allen

Manager, MLOps, Grainger

Semira is an Engineering Manager at Grainger. She is a proud Northwestern University Alum and graduated in Computer Science. In her spare time she’s a BIG Sci-fi nerd, tennis player, hobbyist photographer and twin!

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT
↖️ 1. Fear (Alumni Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

DevOps

11:15am PDT

Modernizing Security Operations in a World of AI Threats

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

We are currently at an inflection point. The traditional SOC model—relying on manually correlated alerts and fragmented SIEM, EDR, and SOAR tools is failing. Why? Because the adversary has industrialized the attack chain using Generative AI.Threat actors no longer operate at human speed. They can generate complex phishing campaigns, discover vulnerabilities, and execute sophisticated attacks in...
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Speakers

Paul Hill

Sales Manager, Palo Alto Networks

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT
⏪️ 3. Despair (Ballroom)

Incident Response

11:15am PDT

Stop Drowning in Logs: AI Accelerated Incident Response

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Limited Capacity seats available

DFIR today involves millions of artifacts, hundreds of thousands of logs with a hundred different sources. An analyst would spend more time collecting, normalizing and then searching for data rather than reasoning about what happened. An average incident resulting in large timelines as APTs and ransomware gangs today, equipped with AI to help them on their quest for world encryption.So why not...
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Speakers

Joel John

Forensic Analyst, Charles River Associates

Cybersecurity professional with over 5 years in the industry, currently working in incident response and digital forensics. Initially, I specialized in a red team role as a Security Consultant at Synopsys, where I was heavily involved in Offensive Security and Penetration testing... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 11:15am - 12:00pm PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Incident Response

12:00pm PDT

Lunch - Avaiable in two areas

Friday October 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Friday October 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

General

12:00pm PDT

Lunch - Available in two areas

Friday October 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT

🟢 5. Registration (Main Lobby)

Lunch Service: Feel free to grab lunch and sit in any available area.

Friday October 9, 2026 12:00pm - 1:00pm PDT
🟢 5. Registration (Main Lobby) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

General

12:15pm PDT

CISOs/Senior Mgrs only -- CISO Roundtable: Architecting the Future of the CISO Role

Friday October 9, 2026 12:15pm - 1:00pm PDT

⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-010 Downstairs)

Limited Capacity full

This session is for CISOs (or the equivalent senior-most security manager), or direct reports to same.Séan Donovan brings back a favorite session from earlier ChiBrrCons!In an era of shrinking tenures and expanding liabilities, the modern CISO needs more than technical acumen—they need a survival guide and a strategic roadmap.Join Séan Donovan (CEO, RED SKY Consulting), strategic...
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Speakers

Séan Donovan

CEO, RED SKY Consulting

With over 30 yrs of experience as a CEO and advisor, I have the knowledge and understanding of dynamics that can significantly enhance organizational and individual objectives within which we focus.
**About RED SKY-
> We have 8 Fortune 10, over 50% of the Fortune 100, and over 25... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 12:15pm - 1:00pm PDT
⬇️⤵️↩️ (Classroom HH-010 Downstairs)

Career

Audience CISO

1:15pm PDT

From the Barrio to the Blue Team: Using AI to Elevate your Career

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

Cybersecurity is evolving fast and so are the opportunities to enter and grow within the field. But for many, especially those from underrepresented or nontraditional backgrounds, breaking in can feel overwhelming. At the same time, artificial intelligence is transforming the way defenders detect threats, hunt adversaries and build careers. In this session, Rosaileen Iandolo, VP of...
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Speakers

Rosaileen Iandolo

Vice President of Cybersecurity, Golub Capital

Rosaileen Iandolo is a CISSP-certified cybersecurity leader with over 15 years of experience spanning the financial sector and government, including 7 years with the FBI. As Vice President of Cybersecurity at Golub Capital, she leads security operations, threat intelligence and detection... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT
↙️ 4. Paranoia (Hermann Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Career

1:15pm PDT

Winning the War for Talent 2026: Crushing The Skills Gap, AI Disruption, Leveling Up Your Position and the Cybersecurity Executives Path to the C-Suite

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Limited Capacity seats available

Slide 1: Introduction & Speaker BioFounder and CEO of RED SKY Consulting: A 19-year-old provider of cybersecurity & IT staffing, executive placement, workforce management, advisory, and professional services—primarily to Fortune 100 & 500 clients.Industry Veteran: Over 30+ years in the technology workforce management industry.Strategic Advisor: Specializing in career pathing, compensation...
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Speakers

Séan Donovan

CEO, RED SKY Consulting

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Career

1:15pm PDT

Gen AI Ain't Your Buddy - Neither Is Your Lawnmower

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

When we think about "AI" we are usually talking about Generative AI these days. And now that we can "talk" to Gen AI in plain language we're treating it like a "buddy. But Gen AI isn't your buddy, and that's ok, because neither is your lawnmower, drill, or car for that matter. They're all tools - necessary, but just tools. This session will look at some of the pitfalls of Gen AI that we may not be...
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Speakers

Bill Bernard

Owner, Between Two Firewalls

Some call him an industry veteran. Some call him a crusty curmudgeon. Bill has been in Cybersecurity from before we called it that, and his career has covered the spectrum from IT to IS practitioner and architect, through to VAR and vendor technical seller, to presales team builder... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

1:15pm PDT

Securing Vibe Coding - What You Need to Know

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

This presentation is designed to get attendees vibe coding securely. It will show them how vibe coding works, demonstrate how vibe coding can create issues, like added surface area and orphaned code and then discuss and demonstrate how to fix them.Here is a brief outline of the presentation:Introduction – what is vibe codingDiscussion of prompts and intentDemonstration of vibe coding and...
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Speakers

Jeremy Straub

Associate Professor, Center for Cybersecurity, University of West Florida

Dr. Jeremy Straub is an associate professor at the University of West Florida Center for Cybersecurity. He holds two B.S. Degrees (business and IT), two M.S. Degrees (MBA and MS in Computer Systems and Software Design), a Ph.D. in Scientific Computing and Graduate Certificates in... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT
↖️ 1. Fear (Alumni Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

1:15pm PDT

Bridging the Gap: Unifying AI Risk Management with NIST CSF 2.0

FILLING

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity filling up

We've all seen the explosion of AI, but the security risks often feel abstract and overwhelming. My talk, 'Bridging the Gap: Unifying AI Risk Management with NIST CSF 2.0,' is about cutting through the noise. (and it can be really loud!) I'll show you how to stop managing AI risk with a patchwork of solutions and start using a cohesive, practical approach. I'll take two powerful...
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Speakers

Jeanine Baisi

Product Security Consultant, Motorola Solutions Inc.

Jeanine Baisi brings over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity standards, frameworks, and cross-technology practices. A veteran of Motorola Solutions (MSI) for the past decade, Jeanine has navigated pivotal roles ranging from Security Field Services to her current position as a... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 1:15pm - 2:00pm PDT
⏪️ 3. Despair (Ballroom)

Risk

2:15pm PDT

AI in the Wild: Real-World Risk, Real-Time Response

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

AI is no longer a future threat—it’s a present reality. From deepfakes and data poisoning to shadow IT and vendor vulnerabilities, AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape in ways that demand urgent attention. In this session, Lori Kevin, VP of Security & Compliance at IMO Health, shares real-world breach scenarios, their business and enterprise impact, and governance frameworks...
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Speakers

Lori Kevin

VP Security & Compliance, IMO Health

Lori Kevin is a seasoned cybersecurity executive with over two decades of experience leading enterprise security, risk management, and compliance programs across highly regulated industries. As Vice President of Security & Compliance, Lori drives strategic initiatives that safeguard... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

2:15pm PDT

From Cyber Metrics to Cyber Economics: Proving the Value of Security and leveraging AI as Your Second Brain

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

Security leaders have long struggled to balance speed with rigor: CISOs must make rapid calls on investments, incident response, and program direction, then justify those decisions to executives, boards, and regulators. Artificial Intelligence promises not just faster answers but defensible ones. In this presentation, drawing on experience as a penetration tester, auditor, regulator, and program...
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Speakers

Sebastiaan Gybels

SVP Cybersecurity, Northern Trust

Sebastiaan Gybels is an accomplished technology leader with over 20 years of experience in Cybersecurity and IT. In his current role with Northern Trust, he is leading the automation of cyber governance and identifying key initiatives to align with the risk appetite of the organization. As the Ch... Read More →

Josh McChristian

Senior Lead Cyber GRC, Northern Trust

I’m a cybersecurity and risk management leader with 20+ years of experience helping organizations navigate complexity, build trust, and make confident, value-aligned decisions. My expertise spans cyber risk, governance, regulatory compliance, enterprise architecture, and stakeholder... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT
↖️ 1. Fear (Alumni Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

2:15pm PDT

InfoSecs and the City

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Limited Capacity seats available

BurbSec Meetup: Exploring the Midwest’s Social InfoSec SceneA current showrunner of BurbSec meetups will delve into the vibrant social InfoSec community developing across the Midwest. Drawing from real-world experiences and notable success stories, they’ll offer insights into the most productive “CitySec” frameworks in the region. You’ll gain an insider’s look at how these grassroots...
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Speakers

Johnny Xmas

Head of Offensive Security, Sneed's Feed and Seed (Formerly Chuck's)

Johnny Xmas, a prominent figure in the Information Security community since 2002, is a board member of both Chicago's famous BurbSec communit, as well as its BSides312 conference. He's most notably recognized for his pivotal role in exposing the American TSA Master Key leaks (2014-2018... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

common

2:15pm PDT

Probably Secure: What We Misunderstand About AI And Determinism Is Making Us Less Secure

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

When I say "probabilistic" outcomes, your mind likely jumps to coins or dice. However, probability also lies at the heart of the most significant development in computer science in recent memory: Artificial Intelligence. From classifying pictures of dogs to the probabilistic transformers of Generative AI, it is all based on the concept of "maybe."GenAI is just another tech....right? Can we safely...
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Speakers

Dwayne McDaniel

Principal Developer Advocate, GItGuardian

Dwayne McDaniel is a Principal Developer Advocate who has been on a mission to "help people figure stuff out" for over a decade. At GitGuardian, he specializes in secrets security and non-human identity governance across cloud and DevOps environments. A frequent speaker at events... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT
⏪️ 3. Despair (Ballroom)

common

2:15pm PDT

Rebooting SecOps: The Intentional SOC & Combined Arms Strategy

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

The modern SOC is at a breaking point, trapped in a cycle of reactive firefighting and analyst burnout. Join Matt Michalek—a 27-year U.S. Army combat veteran and cybersecurity leader—for a session on transforming security operations using the military "Combined Arms" doctrine.Discover how to move beyond a fragmented "stack of tools" to a state of seamless integration where humans and AI act as...
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Speakers

Matt Michalek

Previously - Director, Cybersecurity Operations, Currently in between gigs.

Matt Michalek is a Cybersecurity Senior Leader and Evangelist with over 10 years of senior leadership experience and 25+ years in technology, holding CISM, CISSP, and multiple GIAC certifications. He is a visionary and technically hands-on cyber leader with a proven track record... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 2:15pm - 3:00pm PDT
↙️ 4. Paranoia (Hermann Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

3:15pm PDT

WiCyS Panel - Community-Driven Success: How One Nonprofit Transforms Cyber Careers

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

Michael Phillips moderates a wide-ranging discussion panel of distinguished guests from our WiCyS partners. Join our panelists as they share how WiCyS (Women in Cybersecurity) as a nonprofit organization has transformed their cybersecurity careers. Discover programming for all career levels, the benefits of membership, and the strategies behind building an award-winning cyber community....
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Speakers

Kevan Bard

Director of Product Security, Morningstar

Stella Camacho

President, Wicys Chicago Affiliate

Cheton Jackson

Director of Volunteers, Wicys Chicago Affiliate

Michael Phillips

Uljana Sejko

Director of Marketing, WiCyS Chicago Affiliate

Translation is Uljana's superpower: not just between languages, but between technical complexity, cultural contexts, and business objectives. As a patent-holding Solutions Engineer at Cisco and Director of Marketing for WiCyS Chicago, she turns the technical into business value and... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Career

3:15pm PDT

Decoding Dyslexia: Thriving In Cybersecurity With A Different Brain

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

Cybersecurity is a field that thrives on diverse thinking, pattern recognition, and creative problem-solving — all strengths that often come naturally to those with dyslexia. But for many, dyslexia is still seen as a barrier instead of an asset. In this talk, we’ll challenge that perception.I’ll share a personal journey of working in cybersecurity while navigating dyslexia, offering...
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Speakers

Caleb Grossnickle

Cybersecurity Analyst 2, StoneX

I’m a Cybersecurity Analyst at StoneX, where I help protect the organization’s systems and data by investigating threats, responding to incidents, and improving overall security operations. I’ve been working in cybersecurity for several years, starting my journey with the State... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT
↙️ 4. Paranoia (Hermann Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

common

3:15pm PDT

Fighting Fires Without Burning Out: How AI Can Take the Heat

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT

➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

Limited Capacity seats available

Burnout is reaching critical levels across cybersecurity. Alert fatigue, nonstop interruptions, mounting documentation debt, and constant urgency are pushing practitioners to the edge. AI promises relief, but only when applied to the specific cognitive and operational burdens that cause burnout in the first place.In this session, we’ll break down what burnout actually is (psychologically and...
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Speakers

Brayden Santo

Senior Security Engineer, Sprout Social

Brayden Santo is a Senior Security Engineer specializing in threat analysis, detection engineering, and security operations. He focuses on building scalable, risk-informed security programs that bridge strategic vision with practical execution. Brayden is known for translating complex... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT
➡️ 8. Empathy (Expo)

common

3:15pm PDT

The Risky Business, of AI Illiteracy

FILLING

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity filling up

Introduction: Myself and how my experience building vulnerability management programs altered my views on risks.Seeing the Forest: I discuss the common focuses of security programs, and how headlines can influence reactions and prioritizations. Then introduce some of the largest breaches of the past few years and highlight how AI actually played into those breaches. Building...
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Speakers

Sean Juroviesky

Senior Security Engineer, SoundCloud

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT
⏪️ 3. Despair (Ballroom)

Risk

3:15pm PDT

The Importance of Being in Third Place

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity full

In cyber, we are pretty good at spotting external threats. We are much worse at spotting the quiet stuff that eats away at us from the inside. Remote work, constant pressure, ticket queues that never end, and relationships that mostly exist in email and Slack have created a strange reality. Many of us are “connected” all day and still feel alone.This session digs into the idea of the third...
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Speakers

Robert Wagner

CISO, ISSA Chicago

Robert Wagner is an Advisory CISO and highly respected security practitioner, advisor and strategist with over 20 years of experience.
His security experience ranges from defending everything from Fortune 500 companies to government agencies, major universities, and financial institutions. He is a co-founder of the not-for-profit organization Hak4Kidz, serves on the boards of the Chicago ISSA chapter and the Chicag
... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 3:15pm - 4:00pm PDT
↖️ 1. Fear (Alumni Lounge) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Wellness

4:15pm PDT

MBTI Meets Cybersecurity: AI Can Not Solve the Human Problem

Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm PDT

Limited Capacity seats available

We are all different based on the environment that we grew up in, the time we grew up (generational influence), and our individual psychological preferences. One tool that has been time-tested, and debated, is the Myers-Briggs Personality Typing tool (MBTI). For years the cybersecurity community has wondered what the implications of a person’s MBTI is on how they behave with respect to...
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Speakers

Todd Fitzgerald

Former F500 CISO, Author CISO Compass, CISO SPOTLIGHT, LLC

Todd Fitzgerald promotes CISO/CPO leadership by advising CISOs, board participation, podcasts, and international speaking engagements. Todd founded the successful CISO STORIES leadership podcast and hosted the first 190 episodes. Todd authored 5 books, including #1 New Release (2024... Read More →

Friday October 9, 2026 4:15pm - 5:00pm PDT
⏺️ 6. Harmony (Auditorium) Hermann Hall Conference Center, 3241 S Federal St, Chicago, IL 60616, USA

Keynote

5:00pm PDT

Closing Ceremony

Friday October 9, 2026 5:00pm - 5:10pm PDT