If the threats are real, the conversations should be too.

CIACON, the CIA Conference, is a hacker and cybersecurity conference in India, named after the CIA Triad — Confidentiality, Integrity and Availability — and not affiliated with any government intelligence agency. It is among the first conferences in the country to host a world-class, gamified Capture The Flag experience alongside a dedicated IoT Village, offering a hands-on and immersive learning environment.

CIACON 2026 runs on 23 and 24 September 2026 at PHD House, Siri Institutional Area, Hauz Khas, New Delhi. 23 September is the pre-conference training day; 24 September is the conference day, with keynotes, talks and panels on a single track alongside the villages and the exhibition. The Capture The Flag runs separately on 19 September 2026 at Cybercube, Gurugram.

To become a speaker at CIACON, interested participants must submit a paper or abstract through the Call for Papers (CFP) before the deadline. Submissions undergo peer review by the technical committee. Accepted speakers are invited to present at the conference, while keynote or invited talks are offered directly by the organizing committee.

Yes. Day one is an 8-hour Agentic AI & MCP Security workshop on 23 September, run at a 70:30 hands-on to theory ratio and carrying 8 CPE credits. On the conference day the Hardware Hacking Village runs alongside the track from 09:00 to 18:00, covering Wi-Fi, Bluetooth Low Energy and sub-GHz RF. Red Team / Blue Team, Cloud and AI villages are announced for the edition.

CIACON offers sponsorship opportunities for industry partners, technology vendors, academic institutions, and research labs. Sponsors receive branding, exhibition space, and recognition in conference materials. Interested organizations can contact the organizing or technical committee through the official website to request a sponsorship prospectus.

CIACON is designed for academics and researchers looking to publish and present research, industry professionals and practitioners interested in advanced techniques and best-in-class practices, and policy makers or innovators who want to understand emerging trends and the broader impact of cybersecurity.

23 speakers are confirmed for CIACON 2026, with keynotes from Rakshit Tandon and Amit Dubey. The lineup includes Gunjan Chhillar of CrowdStrike, Manish Aggarwal of HT Media, Harish Goel of Publicis Groupe, Prakash Kumar Ranjan of Sammaan Capital Limited, Aman Bandvi of Bharat Responsible AI Forum, and draws from 18 organisations across security research, enterprise defence, government and policy. The full lineup is on the CIACON 2026 page, and the session-by-session breakdown is on the agenda.

CIACON delivers a world-class platform for the Indian cybersecurity community, on par with leading global conferences. It focuses on a fun, engaging, and non-conventional approach with a strong emphasis on hands-on, industry-driven learning that equips young talent with real-world skills and global security insights.

CIACON 2026 has 5 passes: Visitor (free), Explorer at ₹999, Student at ₹1,999, Individual at ₹2,999, Corporate at ₹4,999. Every pass includes the exhibition area and the cyber villages. Swags, Premium Goodies Box, Premium Networking Arena and Hacker's Party are Corporate Pass only. Group bookings get 15% off on 3 – 5 tickets and 25% off on 6 – 10 tickets. The full comparison is on the CIACON 2026 page.

• 1. All speaker submissions will undergo a formal review process and are subject to final approval by the CIA Conference Committee.
• 2. Session formats available at the conference include Keynote Sessions, Panel Discussions, Fireside Chats, Technical Presentations and Workshops designed to address strategic insights, emerging threats, industry best practices, and real-world cybersecurity implementations.
• 3. Keynote and Fireside Chat sessions are typically reserved for senior executives, industry leaders, and policymakers addressing strategic, high-impact topics relevant to the global cybersecurity landscape.
• 4. Technical presentations and workshops are intended for subject matter experts sharing practical knowledge, research insights, threat intelligence, implementation experiences, and hands-on learning relevant to the cybersecurity community.
• 5. Speakers whose submissions are selected will be formally notified via email upon completion of the review process.
• 6. Sales-oriented, product-specific, or promotional presentations are not permitted as part of the conference program. Organizations interested in promotional visibility may explore dedicated sponsorship opportunities.
• 7. Submitted speaker profiles, session titles, abstracts, and related information may be used by the organizing committee for conference marketing and promotional activities.
• 8. All submitted materials, communication, and presentation content must be in English. Speakers are requested not to include special characters during the submission process to ensure compatibility with the conference management system.
• 9. Co-presenters are not permitted unless explicitly approved by the Conference Committee.
• 10. Travel, accommodation, and local logistics are the responsibility of the speaker and are not covered by the conference organizers.
• 11. Confirmed speakers will receive complimentary access to attend the full conference program.
• 12. The CIA Conference Committee reserves the right to make final decisions regarding speaker selection, session allocation, and overall participation in the conference program.