RSAC™ 2026 Conference is in full swing! Today, we enjoyed 11 keynotes and 86 track sessions led by speakers who shared inspirational stories and insights with thousands of our attendees. If you were unable to attend all the sessions you wanted to, remember that many are available on the session pages on our website within four hours for All Access Pass holders. Some highlights from today’s agenda:

Once again, a crowd gathered at the RSAC™ Launch Pad, to see finalists Incalmo, Konvu, and Obverra give their best Shark Tank® pitches to Barmak Meftah from Ballistic Ventures, Saam Motamedi from Greylock Partners, and Enrique Salem from Bain Capital Ventures. It was a tough group of judges, but all three contenders made strong pitches.

As always, the annual Cryptographers’ Panel drew a packed audience, with leading experts taking the stage to tackle some of the most pressing questions in cybersecurity today. From the growing influence of AI on security, to the looming realities of quantum computing, and emerging research, the discussion offered a forward-looking perspective on how the field is rapidly evolving.

Empathetic Leadership brought a different perspective to the keynote stage, as former New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern shared powerful lessons from leading through times of crisis. Her remarks highlighted the importance of empathy, trust, and values-driven leadership in uniting teams and driving meaningful action in the moments that matter most.

In Multi-Dimensional Defense in an Era of Escalating Cyber Risk, we explored the growing complexity of today’s threat landscape. The CEO of the UK National Cyber Security Centre emphasized the need for modern defense strategies that reflect the interconnected nature of cyber risk and address the real-world consequences impacting societies and global supply chains.

A rare and highly anticipated discussion unfolded in Inside Offensive Cyber: Lessons from Four NSA Directors, where former NSA Directors, commanders of US Cyber Command, and four-star military officials examined the future of offensive cyber. The panel offered candid insights into the ethical and policy considerations surrounding “hack-back” calls and the potential risks of escalation as these debates gain traction in the private sector.

Closing out the day, The Five Most Dangerous New Attack Techniques: Crucial Tips for Defenders delivered one of the Conference’s most anticipated annual briefings. The SANS Institute provided a detailed look at emerging attack techniques and shared practical, actionable guidance to help organizations stay ahead of the most impactful threats.

Wednesday: Look Ahead

We encourage you to check out the full schedule, but here are a few talks and events happening tomorrow that you won’t want to miss:

• Mean Time to Adapt – 8:30 – 9:20 AM at YBCA Blue Shield of California Theater. In this fireside chat, Pat Opet, Global Chief Information Security Officer, JPMorgan Chase, builds on his call for security-first collaboration, exploring how organizations can strengthen supply chains and rethink defense strategies in response to increasingly complex AI-driven threats.
• Cyber Threats & National Strategies: A Global Perspective – 9:40 – 10:30 AM at YBCA Blue Shield of California Theater. Senior cyber leaders from allied nations come together to share frontline perspectives on today’s evolving threat landscape, highlighting how international collaboration and coordinated policy responses are shaping a more secure global cyber ecosystem.
• Adam Savage on Maker’s Mindset: Life Is What You Make It – 11:25 – 11:55 AM at Moscone West Street Level. Join MythBusters's Adam Savage as he brings a maker’s mindset to cybersecurity, sharing practical insights on breaking down complex challenges, fostering collaboration, and using iteration to drive progress without letting perfection get in the way.
• From Infiltration to Disruption: Taking on the Russian Cyber Mob – 1:15 – 2:05 PM at YBCA Blue Shield of California Theater. Investigative reporter Brian Krebs and security industry insider Lawrence Baldwin share a gripping, firsthand account of infiltrating and disrupting the JabberZeus cybercrime group, tracing its evolution and impact from its early days to the present.
• Integrous System Design – 2:25 – 3:15 PM at YBCA Blue Shield of California Theater. Bruce Schneier explores why integrity is becoming the defining challenge of modern cybersecurity, unpacking the complex questions shaping systems from AI agents to critical infrastructure in the next era of security.
• Fireside Chat with Acclaimed Author Michael Lewis – 4:15 – 4:55 PM at Moscone West Street Level. Join Michael Lewis, bestselling author of Money Ball and The Big Short, in conversation with Emmy Award-winning journalist Rebecca Jarvis. They will discuss how the power of storytelling can reveal hidden insights, shape perspectives, and drive better decision-making in business and leadership.

And, of course, be sure to stop by the Expo Pub Crawl (4:30 – 6:00 PM) for more networking with participating sponsors. Visit the booths and learn all about their latest offerings while you sample beer, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages.

Lastly, we’d like extend a huge congratulations to the RSAC™ 2026 Conference Award for Excellence in the Field of Mathematics winners: Prof. Yehuda Lindell, the Head of Cryptography at Coinbase and Professor in the Department of Computer Science at Bar-Ilan University, and Prof. Nigel Smart, Professor at COSIC at KU Leuven and Chief Academic Officer at Zama. Both were recognized for advancing and deploying practical multi-party computation and threshold cryptography, with Prof. Lindell also contributing to the foundations of cryptographic protocols and Prof. Smart to the underlying mathematics of cryptography. Congrats!

Tomorrow, during the Mean Time to Adapt keynote, we’ll also be presenting the first annual RSAC Frontier Award. The RSAC Frontier Award recognizes visionary individuals, teams, and early-stage ventures developing disruptive technologies with the potential to reshape security, privacy, and digital trust worldwide.

Reminder: the Expo hours on Wednesday will be 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM. Here’s to another exciting day at RSAC 2026 Conference!