Security conferences offer great opportunities to learn about the latest innovations and trends in the industry. They allow practitioners to interact directly with vendors and to network with their peers, putting a human spin on the technology-driven, often impersonal business of cybersecurity.

Top Security Conferences to Check Out in 2018

It’s never too soon to start planning which conferences you’ll attend. Below is a roundup of some of the most interesting security conferences scheduled for 2018.

Cybertech

Cybertech 2018 will be held in Tel Aviv, Israel, at the end of January. Now in its fifth year, the event is positioned as a global meeting place, featuring representatives from organizations of all sizes, from multinational corporations to emerging startups. There will be a special pavilion for startups, as well as a competition in which entrepreneurs will present their ideas to a panel of international judges. Topics under discussion during the conference include the Internet of Things (IoT), big data and fintech. New in 2018 is a sister conference and exhibition, AutoTech, focusing on the future of smart mobility and the automotive industry.

Gartner Identity and Access Management Summit

Taking place on March 5–6 in London, the Gartner Identity and Access Management (IAM) Summit will focus on some of the hottest topics for the coming year, including the role of identity management in securing cloud and mobile apps, the IoT and the importance of privileged access management. For those preparing for the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), there is also a focus on the role of IAM as it applies to the privacy regulation.

Think: A New IBM Conference

IBM is introducing a new conference, Think, which will be held in Las Vegas on March 19–22. Unlike other conferences, Think will feature specialized campuses where attendees can focus solely on one topic, mingle with experts in that field, network with industry peers and, of course, learn about a wide variety of subjects within that sector to prepare for the future. The security and resiliency track will center around the power of artificial intelligence, cloud and collaboration, and includes over 140 informative sessions.

RSA USA

One of the biggest security conferences of the year is the RSA Conference, to be held April 16–20 in San Francisco. The theme for this year’s conference is “Now Matters,” reflecting the pace at which cyberthreats are growing and the need to find solutions in as short a time as possible. The RSA show is one of the best-attended conferences of the year and is accompanied by a large-scale exhibition where hundreds of vendors display their wares.

Gartner Security & Risk Management Summit

Another Gartner event worth visiting is the Security & Risk Management Summit, slated for June 4–7 in National Harbor, Maryland. The theme of the conference, “Manage risk. Build trust. Embrace change.” is aimed at security, risk management and business continuity management professionals. While the agenda has yet to been finalized, the focus will be on dealing with the latest threats and developing new security architectures and governance strategies.

CEBIT

Perhaps even larger than RSA, CEBIT, to be held in Hannover, Germany, on June 11–15, is described as “Europe’s business festival for innovation and digitization.” Last year, the event drew some 200,000 visitors and 3,300 exhibitors from 70 countries. CEBIT is an exposition, conference and networking festival rolled into one event, with food stalls and performers throughout to create a party atmosphere.

Black Hat USA and DEF CON

Black Hat USA will take place on August 4–9 in Las Vegas. Started 19 years ago as a small technical briefing, Black Hat has transformed into a major information security event, offering briefings and training for security practitioners. It is renowned for shedding light on vulnerabilities found in anything from consumer devices to critical infrastructure.

Immediately after Black Hat, the somewhat less formal DEF CON, known as one of the world’s largest hacker conventions, will also take place in Las Vegas.

SICW and GovernmentWare

To coincide with Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW), the 27th annual GovernmentWare conference will take place in September. The theme of this past year’s SICW was “Building a secure and resilient digital future through partnership,” which underscored the importance of cooperation to better secure cyberspace. It emphasized that cybersecurity is not just about technology, but also encompasses legal, business, strategy and policy issues. While 2018’s theme has not been announced, it’s sure to strike a chord with security professionals.

Preparing for Another Year of Emerging Threats

These are just a small selection of the security conferences being held in 2018. All will provide professionals with great opportunities to keep abreast of the latest trends and innovations in the industry.

As evidenced by the unprecedented wave of high-profile security events that befell organizations across all sectors in 2017, the threat landscape is expanding and evolving at breakneck speed. Participation in security conferences such as those listed above can help individual users and enterprises strengthen their security posture and bolster the industrywide effort to thwart cybercrime as we enter what is sure to be another year full of cyber surprises.