Call for Presenters

We are currently looking for cybersecurity professionals and faculty members who are interested in giving a presentation at CyberForge 2026. The conference will have 3 tracks, each covering a range of topics related to cybersecurity. Below are the details on the tracks, potential topics, and how to submit a presentation.

Track 1: Offensive Cybersecurity

The Offensive Cybersecurity Track at CyberForge is designed to equip students with the foundational skills, real-world techniques, and career insights needed to break into the world of ethical hacking, red teaming, and penetration testing. This track focuses on practical offensive capabilities while emphasizing professional development and industry readiness. Whether you're aiming to join a red team, pursue a role in penetration testing, or contribute to ethical offensive research, this track will help build the core competencies and confidence needed to launch your career.

Sample Topics:

• Introduction to Red Teaming and Career Pathways in Offensive Security

• Building a Home Lab for Ethical Hacking and Capture-the-Flag (CTF) Practice

• Core Skills for Bug Bounty Hunting and Vulnerability Disclosure

• Hands-On Web Application Attacks: SQLi, XSS, and Authentication Bypasses

• Learning Network Penetration Testing with Open-Source Tools

• Exploitation Fundamentals: Buffer Overflows and Reverse Engineering Basics

• Writing and Customizing Offensive Security Scripts with Python and Bash

• Getting Started with Command and Control (C2) Frameworks

• How to Report and Present Penetration Testing Findings Professionally

Track 2: Defensive Cybersecurity

The Defensive Cybersecurity Track at CyberForge is built for students aspiring to protect, detect, and respond to cyber threats in real-world environments. This track introduces key blue team concepts, tools, and workflows used by defenders in security operations centers (SOCs), incident response teams, and threat intelligence roles. With a focus on hands-on skills, career preparation, and real-world relevance, this track helps students understand how to think like a defender and build the expertise needed to thrive in cybersecurity defense roles.

Sample Topics:

• Understanding the Blue Team: Roles, Tools, and Career Paths

• Introduction to SIEMs (e.g., Splunk, ELK) and Log Analysis for Threat Detection

• How to Build and Monitor a Home SOC Lab

• Malware Analysis 101: Static and Dynamic Techniques for Defenders

• Incident Response Lifecycle: From Detection to Containment and Recovery

• Threat Hunting Strategies and Real-World Use Cases

• Writing Detection Rules and YARA Signatures

• Defending Cloud Environments (AWS, Azure, and Google Workspace Security)

• Network Forensics and Packet Analysis with Wireshark and Zeek

Track 3: Cyber Workshops

The Cybersecurity Certifications Path track at CyberForge is designed to demystify the certification landscape for students entering the cybersecurity field. This focused track walks attendees through the value, content, and career impact of foundational certifications that are often stepping stones into the industry. Whether you're new to cybersecurity or planning your next credential, this track provides clarity on what each certification covers and how it aligns with real-world roles.

Topics Covered:

• Certifications Overview:

  • An introduction to the role of certifications in cybersecurity careers, including how to choose the right ones for your goals, when to pursue them, and how they complement academic learning and hands-on experience.

• CompTIA Security+ Overview:

  • A breakdown of the Security+ certification, including core topics (threats, vulnerabilities, cryptography, and more), exam structure, study strategies, and how this certification helps you land entry-level cybersecurity roles.

• CompTIA Network+ Overview:

  • A look at the Network+ certification, focusing on essential networking knowledge that underpins all cybersecurity work. This session will highlight key exam domains, study resources, and the value of network fundamentals in defensive and offensive roles.

• CISSP Overview:

  • An introduction to the Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP) credential, including its domains, prerequisites, and strategic value for long-term career advancement in leadership, architecture, and policy-focused roles.

Submission Deadline: December 31, 2025 @11:59pm

Notifications will be made by February 1, 2026 @11:59pm

The Microsoft CMT service was used for managing the peer-reviewing process for this conference. This service was provided for free by Microsoft and they bore all expenses, including costs for Azure cloud services as well as for software development and support.