KnowBe4 is set to explore the growing challenge of determining what organisations can trust in the age of AI at an exclusive cybersecurity briefing during Leeds Digital Festival 2026.

Taking place on 1 October, CyberSecure Leeds: Who Do You Trust Now? Human Judgement in the Age of AI will examine how the growing role of AI agents in business processes is changing the security landscape and creating new questions around identity, decision making and human oversight.

At the centre of the event will be an unusual real-world experiment from Javvad Malik, lead CISO advisor at KnowBe4, which started with a disputed parking ticket. During the experiment, Malik explored how AI could be used to help create convincing documentation and establish a digital presence that automated systems subsequently treated as legitimate, all within 48 hours.

While the experiment started with a relatively everyday scenario, KnowBe4 believes it highlights a much broader security concern. As organisations integrate AI into workflows, approvals and other business processes, systems may be placed in a position where they are effectively helping to determine what is legitimate and what should be trusted.

This becomes particularly significant as the digital workforce expands beyond human employees to include AI agents capable of accessing information, interacting with applications and influencing decisions.

“AI is rapidly becoming part of how organisations decide what is real, what is legitimate and what should be trusted,” said Malik.

“The problem is that AI can be extremely convincing without necessarily being right. As organisations give these systems greater influence over business processes, we need to think carefully about where human judgement fits and how attackers could exploit that trust. The workforce is now a combination of people and AI agents, and our approach to security has to reflect that reality.”

Phishing Beyond the Inbox

The briefing will also look at how the social engineering landscape is changing as attackers adopt AI-generated content and increasingly target users across multiple communications channels. James Dyer, head of threat intelligence at KnowBe4, will provide an update on current phishing activity, including the growth of phishing-as-a-service and the ways attackers are adapting their techniques to bypass existing security controls.

The session will examine why organisations can no longer treat phishing solely as an email security problem, with social engineering attacks capable of moving across different platforms and exploiting the trust employees place in digital communications.

The event coincides with the beginning of Cybersecurity Awareness Month and forms part of Leeds Digital Festival, which runs from 21 September to 2 October with more than 200 technology events taking place across the region.

The KnowBe4 briefing will run from 8:30am to 11:00am at the company’s Leeds office and is aimed at CISOs, IT leaders, security practitioners and business decision makers.

Attendance is free but limited to 30 places, with advance registration required through the Leeds Digital Festival event programme. Interested delegates can register here: https://web.cvent.com/event/96b273cf-5129-4734-b54c-0dfd0a38aa61/summary

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International Cyber Expo has announced a new line-up of speakers and sessions for its Global Cyber Summit, with discussions set to tackle some of the biggest issues facing cybersecurity leaders.

Sponsored by Huntress, the Global Cyber Summit will bring together senior security professionals, government representatives and industry experts at Olympia London on 29 and 30 September 2026. The latest sessions will explore the changing role of the CISO, the human impact of major cyber incidents, China’s role in cyberspace and the security challenges surrounding artificial intelligence.

The next generation CISO

The first of the newly announced sessions on 29 September will be Debbie Janeczek, CISO at ING, with “The Next-Generation CISO: A Business Enabler.”

Taking place at 10:35, the session will explore how the CISO’s role is moving beyond technical security and towards becoming a strategic business leader.

Janeczek will discuss how cybersecurity can enable trust, resilience and growth rather than simply being viewed as a cost centre. The session will also consider how security teams can adapt at the speed of frontier AI while continuing to protect businesses, data and people.

Putting cybercrime victims first

Later that day at 15:50, a panel featuring Charlie Morrison, Inspector and Head of Cyber Griffin at the City of London Police Cyber PROTECT Team, and Chris Spinks, Head of Operations at Cyjax, will ask: “Cyber Crime: Who are the Victims in a Major Incident?”

The panel will challenge the idea that cyber incidents only affect organisations and IT systems. Instead, it will examine the wider human impact of attacks and why putting victims at the centre of incident response may be an overlooked part of cybersecurity.

China and the future of cyber security

Day two will see Daniel Downing, Information Security Manager at BAE Systems, examining China’s role in cyberspace and its security implications for the West. The session, “China’s Role in Cyberspace and its Security Implications for the West”, starting at 10:35, will explore China’s cyber strategy, state objectives and civil-military fusion, alongside the relationship between government, industry and security organisations.

It will also consider the implications for the UK and its allies across defence, industry, supply chains and policy.

Threat modelling meets AI security

AI security will also feature prominently, with Nathan Pembe, Senior Application Security Consultant at NVISO, presenting “What Does Threat Modelling Solve for AI Security?” at 13:30 on 30 September.

Pembe will examine how risks surrounding modern AI systems often emerge from the connections between architecture, data, APIs, identities and business workflows rather than AI alone.

The session will explore how threat modelling can help organisations identify realistic attack paths, prioritise security efforts and make better informed technical and regulatory decisions.

More speakers and sessions are expected to be announced ahead of International Cyber Expo 2026.

Alongside the Global Cyber Summit, attendees will be able to meet more than 100 exhibiting brands, network with over 6,000 cybersecurity professionals, meet UK Government representatives and watch live cybersecurity demonstrations.

International Cyber Expo 2026 takes place on 29 and 30 September at Olympia London and is free to attend.

Secure a FREE pass to International Cyber Expo 2026

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Huntress will be heading to International Cyber Expo 2026, where visitors can meet the team on Stand K94 and discover how the company is helping organisations tackle increasingly complex cyber threats with fewer resources.

One of the biggest challenges Huntress is seeing is the growing attack surface. Security teams are expected to protect endpoints, identities, cloud environments and other systems, often while dealing with limited time, resources and expertise.

At the same time, attackers are no longer operating in silos. Attacks increasingly move across different parts of an organisation’s environment, leaving security teams managing multiple tools and an overwhelming number of alerts.

At International Cyber Expo, Huntress will showcase its more unified, managed approach to security. The Huntress platform combines greater visibility across the attack surface with AI technologies and human security analysts to help partners and customers detect and respond to threats.

Tackling the rise of AI-powered attacks

AI-powered cybercrime will also be a major focus for Huntress at the show.

Generative AI is making it easier for attackers to create convincing phishing emails, develop malicious code and scale their operations. Tasks that previously required significant cybersecurity expertise can now be carried out with the help of readily available AI tools.

Huntress believes AI will also play an important role in helping defenders respond. Its approach uses AI to help analysts correlate security signals, summarise investigations and work faster, while retaining human judgement and context when making critical security decisions.

Visitors can also speak with Huntress about practical ways to strengthen their security posture. These include implementing multi-factor authentication, improving security awareness training and reducing vulnerabilities across the external network perimeter.

And when preventive controls fail, Huntress stresses the importance of having a mechanism to detect and respond to attacks quickly, including access to a 24/7 SOC that can support containment and remediation.

Listen to Huntress Senior Sales Engineer Alex Hitchen discuss the biggest cybersecurity challenges facing organisations today and what Huntress will be showcasing at International Cyber Expo 2026:

You can still register for FREE to attend International Cyber Expo HERE.

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It’s that time again! Global cybersecurity PR agency Eskenzi PR has opened nominations for its tenth annual Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards. The awards celebrate the UK’s most extraordinary cybersecurity professionals who work to make the industry not only more secure, but also more diverse, healthier and better informed about current events. Key sponsors include CultureAI, OneAdvanced and The Zensory. The awards are also supported by Computer Weekly, Information Security Buzz and IT Security Guru. 

The awards celebrate the cybersecurity professionals who go above and beyond to make a difference, often behind the scenes. They recognise educators who are fostering the next generation of cyber talent, those who are fighting cybercrime head-on, and mentors who are guiding others in the field. The awards also acknowledge those who are making cybersecurity a more inclusive space (Diversity Champion) and those who prioritise the wellbeing of their peers (Cybersecurity Wellbeing Advocate).

For 2026, three new categories have been introduced:  

• Cyber Scribe: This category celebrates the cybersecurity industry’s best and most insightful cyber blogs and newsletters, including those published on Medium, Substack or LinkedIn.

• Voice of Security: This category celebrates the industry’s best podcasts and vodcasts.   

• Channel Champion: This category celebrates the unsung heroes of the channel, from distributors and resellers to vendors with a strong channel presence.

Entries are now open, which includes filling in a short form detailing why the person deserves the award. Nominations will remain open until 5pm on the 16th of September 2026, before closing for review by an esteemed (soon-to-be-announced) panel of judges. 

Nominees, nominators, and their guests are then invited to a celebratory evening in London in October, to coincide with Cybersecurity Awareness Month. Thanks to its sponsors, the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards are free to enter and to attend.

Sam Soares, CRO at CultureAI, said:  “CultureAI is proud to support the tenth Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards, celebrating the cybersecurity professionals who protect their organisations without fanfare, even as the threat, technology and governance landscapes shift. As AI adoption outpaces governance, these teams are absorbing an entirely new category of risk alongside everything they already carry. Recognising that work is long overdue, and we’re pleased to play a part in it.” 

“As we celebrate the 10th year of the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Awards, I’m incredibly proud of what these awards have come to represent. Over the past decade, we’ve had the privilege of recognising hundreds of remarkable people whose dedication, kindness and expertise have helped make our industry stronger, safer and more inclusive,” said Yvonne Eskenzi, Co-Founder and Director at Eskenzi PR. “I encourage everyone across the cybersecurity community to take a moment to nominate a colleague, mentor, teammate or friend who deserves to be recognised. Their contribution matters, and together we can make sure their achievements are celebrated as part of this very special milestone year.” 

  Categories this year include:

• Cyber Correspondent (for cyber journalists, broadcasters and writers)
• Godparent of Security
• Data Guardian
• CISO Supremo
• Security Avengers – Best Team
• Best Educator
• Best Ethical Hacker/Pentester
• Rising Star
• Security Mentor
• Best Security Awareness Campaign
• Diversity Champion
• Cybersecurity Wellbeing Advocate
• Cyber Scribe (for blogs/newsletters)
• Voice of Security (for podcasts/vodcasts) 
• Channel Champion

You can make nominations or find out more information here.

To see previous winners, click here.

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Registration is now open for International Cyber Expo 2026, one of the UK’s flagship two-day cybersecurity events which set to return to Olympia London on 29–30 September 2026, bringing together thousands of security professionals, technology providers and policymakers to explore the latest developments shaping the cyber landscape.

With cyber threats at a peak and the convergence of physical and digital security becomes increasingly important, International Cyber Expo has established itself as a key meeting place for the global cybersecurity community. The event provides a platform for organisations to discover emerging technologies, share best practice and discuss the strategies needed to strengthen cyber resilience.

This year’s edition is expected to welcome a diverse audience of CISOs, CTOs, IT directors, government representatives, security architects and risk professionals, alongside leading cybersecurity vendors showcasing the latest innovations in threat detection, incident response, identity management, cloud security, AI-driven defence and critical infrastructure protection.

Visitors will have the opportunity to explore a comprehensive exhibition featuring established technology providers and innovative startups, while benefiting from an extensive conference programme designed to address the challenges facing today’s security leaders. From ransomware and supply chain attacks to artificial intelligence, operational resilience and regulatory compliance, the agenda will focus on the issues currently defining the cybersecurity industry.

One of the event’s major attractions continues to be its thought leadership programme, where industry experts, policymakers and practitioners will share practical insights through keynote presentations, panel discussions and technical sessions. The Global Cyber Summit is designed to provide attendees with actionable advice that can be applied within their own organisations, whether they are responsible for enterprise security strategies or protecting critical national infrastructure.

Networking also remains a central part of the International Cyber Expo experience. With thousands of cybersecurity professionals expected to attend, the event offers opportunities to build new partnerships, connect with peers and engage directly with solution providers in an environment dedicated to knowledge sharing and collaboration.

The continued convergence of cyber and physical security is also expected to feature prominently throughout the event. As organisations increasingly manage interconnected digital and operational environments, collaboration between cybersecurity teams, physical security specialists and government stakeholders has become more important than ever. International Cyber Expo provides a forum for these conversations alongside its co-located event, International Security Expo, while highlighting technologies that support a more integrated approach to organisational resilience.

With registration now officially open, attendees are encouraged to secure their place early and begin planning their visit ahead of what promises to be one of Europe’s most significant cybersecurity events of the year.

To register for FREE, click here. 

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