SEC595: Applied Data Science and AI/Machine Learning for Cybersecurity Professionals

Join us for an engaging pre-keynote reception as we set the stage for Cybersecurity Insights—An Interactive Fireside Chat with the U.S. Department of State’s Gharun Lacy. Before the conversation begins, connect with peers, meet fellow cybersecurity professionals, and discuss the pressing issues shaping today’s threat landscape. Then, stay for an insightful keynote exploring how the Department of State’s Bureau of Diplomatic Security is navigating global cyber challenges and leveraging emerging technologies to strengthen national resilience.
As a known hub for the direction of geopolitics, sanctions, and trade, the Department of State is an attractive target for advanced nation-state threat actors motivated more by a desire for information than by greed, and as public-facing representatives of the U.S. overseas, diplomat staff and buildings don’t have the benefit of anonymity.
Deputy Assistant Secretary Gharun Lacy will share Diplomatic Security's cybersecurity strategies for navigating the evolving cyber threat landscape and leveraging emerging technologies as a uniquely positioned law enforcement entity in the U.S. government's most global agency.
Kick off your SANS Cyber Defense Initiative 2025 experience at the Welcome Reception. Be a part of this kickoff event and join the industry’s most powerful gathering of cybersecurity professionals. Share stories, make connections, and learn how to make the most out of your training this week in Washington D.C. Beverages (adult and otherwise) and appetizers will be served. Hope to see you there!
Join us for a special "Community Night" at SANS Cyber Defense Initiative 2025. This gathering is open to all cybersecurity professionals and designed to foster connections across the entire spectrum of our community—from newcomers to seasoned experts. Whether you are a new student, a long-time alum, or a cybersecurity professional passionate about the latest advancements, this evening offers an exceptional opportunity to network, share insights, and discuss the evolving challenges and solutions in cybersecurity. Join SANS staff, faculty, and peers in the field for an inspiring night filled with bites, beverages, and connections.
Plus, stay for a SANS @Night talk or featured workshop to follow.
I've been a heavy user of AI since the beginning, but the way that I use AI has recently shifted. In this fast-paced, fun talk, we'll cover the top ways that I've improved my efficiency and productivity by changing the way I interact with AI in 2025 and into 2026.
This hands-on workshop provides both practical experience and free hardware. Participants will receive a microcontroller and learn how to program it for USB Human Interface Device (HID) attacks. These attacks bypass standard security controls by impersonating trusted peripherals such as keyboards or mice. We’ll explore how inexpensive microcontrollers—available for as little as $4—have dramatically lowered the barrier to entry for such attacks. By the end of the session, you’ll know how to configure the provided device to function as a malicious keyboard or as a simple “mouse jiggler.”
Requirements: Attendees must bring a laptop (with a USB-A port or a USB-C to USB-A adapter).
In this talk we will take a look at the most recent attack techniques, targets, and trends. This includes understanding what kind of malware and illicit access items are available on the dark web for sale and how it can be the first sign of a breach, social engineering attacks, and the latest on 0-day and n-day vulnerability research.
Registration: All students who register for a 4–6 day course will be eligible to play NetWars for free. Registration for this event will be through your SANS Account Dashboard the week of the event.
About Core NetWars: The most comprehensive of the NetWars ranges, this ultimate multi-disciplinary cyber range powers up the most diverse cyber skills. This range is ideal for advancing your cybersecurity prowess in today's dynamic threat landscape. The winning team and the top five solo players from every Core NetWars tournament throughout the year are offered a chance to compete in the annual SANS Core NetWars Tournament of Champions.
Organizations keep deploying AI "agents" without understanding what autonomy level they're getting or what governance it warrants. Chinese state-sponsored hackers used Claude Code to automate a cyberattack campaign across 30 organizations. Replit's AI coding agent deleted a production database, then tried to cover up its mistake. These aren't anomalies. They're predictable governance failures.
Registration: All students who register for a 4–6 day course will be eligible to play NetWars for free. Registration for this event will be through your SANS Account Dashboard the week of the event.
About Core NetWars: The most comprehensive of the NetWars ranges, this ultimate multi-disciplinary cyber range powers up the most diverse cyber skills. This range is ideal for advancing your cybersecurity prowess in today's dynamic threat landscape. The winning team and the top five solo players from every Core NetWars tournament throughout the year are offered a chance to compete in the annual SANS Core NetWars Tournament of Champions.
"When cybercriminals hold your data hostage, do you pay the ransom or call their bluff? In 2024, only 25% of organizations paid ransoms—an all-time low—yet those who did pay still only achieved 46% full data recovery. In this talk, we'll dissect the high-stakes world of ransomware negotiations, where million-dollar decisions happen under extreme pressure. Drawing from real-world negotiation transcripts and the groundbreaking Coinbase case—where a $20M ransom demand was flipped into a $20M bounty for attacker arrests—we'll expose how RaaS platforms have professionalized extortion with customer service portals and triple extortion tactics.