Conferences allow you to hear a concentrated number of talks, on a variety of contemporary security topics, over multiple days. They vary in size and cost. Nationally and globally, there are hundreds of security conferences every year. The following might be of particular interest to you (most of these have been attended by WPI students):
- CHES, the annual conference on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems, is organized by the International Association for Cryptologic Research. It focuses on the implementation of cryptographic algorithm. Random number generators, special-purpose cryptanalytical machines, and related topics are often covered. Roughly 400 people attend from countries around the world. The student registration fee is $375. The next CHES will be in Antalya, Turkey on October 11-15, 2026. (https://ches.iacr.org)
- Day of Shecurity is a free conference designed to help women enter the field of cybersecurity. Workshops range from technical information and hands-on training to networking and career advice. The last Day of Shecurity was held in Boston, MA on October 2, 2025. (https://securediversity.org/dos/)
- DEFCON is held in Las Vegas in August. It is one of the oldest and largest hacker conventions, offering speakers, panels, competitions, vendors, and much more. Over 20,000 people attend each year. The next DEFCON will be held on August 6-9, 2026. Student registration is roughly $540. (www.defcon.org)
- Grace Hopper Celebration is an annual conference focused on women in technology. There are session tracks on privacy/security, AI, Data Science, software engineering, Virtual Reality, and more. The student registration fee is about $450. The next GHC will be October 27-30, 2026 in Anaheim, CA. (https://ghc.anitab.org/)
- Hackers on Planet Earth (HOPE) is held every summer in New York City. It’s a creative and diverse hacker event that includes speakers, workshops, competitions, films, lock picking, vendors and more. It’s designed to be a supportive learning environment where you can get hands-on experience with different hardware and software tools. Students can attend for about $225. The last HOPE was held on August 15-17, 2025 in Queens, NY. (https://www.hope.net/)
- New England Security Day (NESD) is held every year or two at a regional university. Recent hosts have included UConn, WPI, UMass Amherst, and Northeastern. The next New England Security Day will be on March 26, 2026 at UMass Amherst. If you’re involved in security research with a faculty member, you may be able to present a talk or poster together at this conference. For more information about NESD, email Professor Craig Shue or Professor Robert Walls.
- New England Hardware Security Day is also held annually in our region with a focus on hardware security. The next NEHSD will be held on April 24, 2026 at Tufts University in Medford, MA. (https://www.nehws.org/)
- Women in Cybersecurity (WiCyS) is held each year in a different U.S. city. Any security student, male or female, can attend as long as they’re a member of WiCyS, which is a national nonprofit organization. The annual student membership fee is $20. This conference covers current security issues in industry as well as career advice and connections to job opportunities. The next WiCyS conference will be on March 11-14, 2026 in National Harbor, MD. Student members apply directly to WiCyS for a conference slot and a scholarship that covers meals and lodging. The deadline to apply will be in November 2026. (www.wicys.org)