It’s almost here! And I hope you’ve taken the change to register. The 6th annual SANS Security Awareness Summit is this August 7th and 8th in gorgeously sunny San Diego, CA. Various training courses also fall both prior to and after the event. As chairman of the SANS Security Awareness Summit, I truly hope you’ll join us. Whether you’ve already registered, or if you’re still deciding, I’ve compiled a list of the things I’m most looking forward to coming at you for this exciting event, packed with some helpful hints.
OSINT WORKSHOP
If you are attending the OSINT Workshop on the second day of the event, I’d advise you bring a laptop or tablet with you. During the workshop, students will be conducting extensive online queries about themselves. While this can be executed on a smartphone, a tablet or laptop will most likely be easier.
THIRD OPTIONAL DAY
For the first time ever, we are offering an optional third half-day for the summit. Spend the morning learning from several experts about the world of learning theory and instructional design. This hands-on workshop takes a deep dive as you develop learning objectives, leverage frameworks such as Blooms Taxonomy, ARCS and ADDIE, and engage in interactive team labs to help develop your own learning plans. Learn the science behind adult learning and apply those lessons learned to your own awareness program.
End the day with the opportunity to interact and learn from your peers through a series of Birds of a Feather session.
If you would like to attend, you will need to register prior to the event.
VIDEO WARS
Hands-down, this is one of our most popular events. Video wars gives attendees like you the opportunity to submit and demonstrate their homemade security awareness videos. You and your peers are then given the opportunity to vote on the best ones.
If you are interested in entering a video, we would love to hear from you! You are limited to a single video and can show no more than 3 minutes, so be sure to show us the best you have. To submit a video, contact me by Monday, July 22nd. No video submissions will be accepted after that date.
SHOW-N-TELL
I’ve been getting lots of questions about this event lately. Think: Show-n-tell back in kindergarten! You get to do it all over again, but instead of showing your favorite teddy bear or pet hermit crab, you get to share ideas and materials you have created for your security awareness program.
This can be anything physical you have created or used, such as newsletters, brochures, posters, sticky notes, or any other type of engaging goodies; the more creative the better. We will provide tables for everyone to display their items and setup the night before the event. No need to register for this ahead of time, just show up with your materials.
Not only is sharing your work one of the best ways to meet others and build your network, but we will also award prizes for best materials.
PRE-EVENT SOCIAL
Start your networking and learning early by attending our summit social the night before the summit on Tuesday, August 6th from 5:30 – 7:30 PM. This event will be hosted at the hotel with drinks and goodies provided by us. We will also be hosting an interactive treasure hunt with a cool prize awarded to the winner. It is sure to be a fun ride, so I hope to see you there!
NETWORKING
This event is designed to maximize your networking opportunities and interaction with others. Bring business cards. Lots of business cards. My recommendation is to bring at least 200 of them. (Yes, I’m serious.)
Also, this is an extremely friendly and interactive group, so be prepared to introduce yourself to as many people as possible. We will have name tags, which will identify both your industry and size of your organization, allowing you to quickly network with others who face the same challenges as you, and may already have the solutions you are looking for.
DRESS REQUIREMENTS
We have very specific dress code for the summit - you must wear clothes. Preferably clean clothes. Seriously, this is all about networking and having fun, so wear clothes that are comfortable.
We also have various activities planned, so be sure to pack comfortable shoes. Remember, this will be San Diego in August, so check the weather before heading out.
Finally, if you have any questions (or even better suggestions) please contact me anytime.
