National Cyber Security Centre

CyberFirst Alumni Conference

5th October 2026
Manchester

CyberFirst Alumni Conference - Programme

The full conference programme will be published here shortly. In the meantime, here’s a taster of what’s already planned for the day.

Track A - The Cybercrime Matrix
Cybercrime is no longer just a lone hacker in a basement, it is a sophisticated, multi‑billion-dollar global industry. Whether you are a defender writing code, a policymaker shaping regulations, an investigator tracking digital money or a leader managing risk, this track offers a complete view of the modern threat landscape and how we are fighting back. We have speakers from government, industry and academia who will cover how trends in cybercrime have changed over the years, along with real life case studies of their work protecting from/investigating cyber-criminals.

Sponsored by: 

Foundry Zero

Track B - Cyber resilience
This track will explore how organisations can prepare, withstand, respond to, and recover from cyber threats. It will cover practical strategies, emerging technologies, best practices, strengthening security, and adapting to the ever-evolving threat landscape.

Sponsored by: 

Actica

Lightning Talks - Anything Goes!
This informal track is made up of 10‑minute talks given primarily by alumni. Come along for discussions about post-uni life, fun personal projects, unfiltered hot takes, and all other cybersecurity gossip.

Sponsored by: 

BAE SYSTEMS


Evening Networking Event
To round off the day, all attendees are invited to an informal networking event. It’s a relaxed chance to catch up with fellow alumni, meet speakers, and continue conversations from the conference in a social setting. Expect great atmosphere, games, and plenty of time to connect with the CyberFirst community.

    Track A Cyber Crime
International Suite, 3rd floor
Track B Cyber Resilience
Park Suite, 4th floor
Workshop
Park Avenue, 4th floor
Lightning Talks
Park Lane, 4th floor
08.30 - 09:00 Registration
09:00 - 09.20 Welcome and Introduction
09.30 - 09.40 Break / Swap over
09.40 - 10.30   Inside the Incident: Ransomware, Extortion, and Response War Stories The AI Skills Revolution: Insights from Over 14,000 AI Learners and How to Prepare for an AI Future Workshop Cohort 1  
10.30 - 10.50 TEA & COFFEE  
10.50 - 11.40   There and Hacked Again - A Modern Cybercrime Tale
Moving from Cyber Security to Cyber Resiliency  
11.40 - 12.00 TEA & COFFEE Break / Swap over
12.00 - 12.50   Cybercrime: It's Not All Ransomware, Honest The Anatomy of an Exploit - How you can recreate a computer inside a file format   Reinventing yourself / How reinventing yourself makes you a better professional 12:00-12:15
How to give everyone a bad day: Toppling the Critical Infrastructure House of Cards 12:20-12:30
Who starts the clock when the AI goes wrong? 12:30-12:45
Fifty Shades of Grey-Box: Notes from a real-world engagement leveraging directory traversal for RCE 12:45-13:00
12.50 - 13.50 Lunch        
13.50 - 14.40   A 26-year maths career in ten pictures Practical Approaches to OT Cyber Resilience Workshop Cohort 2 Quantum computers for dummies 1:50-2:05
The Road To Hell Is Paved With Good AIntentions 2:05-2:20
Classic Crime in the Modern World 2:20-2:35
14.40 - 15:00 TEA & COFFEE      
15:00 - 15.50   Securing the future for cities and citizens AI & Cyber Security - NCSC Exploring the technologies, trends and behaviours that are likely to shape the world we will be securing in 2036. 3:00-3:15
Securing the House – Explaining Endpoint Security to a 10-Year-Old 3:15-3:30
Life after DV refusal - A story of resilience and rediscovering my purpose/drive 3:30-3:45
15.50 - 16.00 TEA & COFFEE        
16.00 - 16.40 Keynote Beth
16.40 - 17:00 CLOSING SPEECH - Will H CONGRATS TO WINNING TEAM  
Networking Event
Privacy Policy   |   Cookies Policy   |   Terms & Conditions   |   All content © Event Works Europe 2026