Kaspersky has announced the opening of the Call for Papers (CFP) for the 2026 edition of its annual Security Analyst Summit (SAS), one of the cybersecurity industry’s most influential events that brings together global experts to explore the evolving threat landscape. Scheduled to take place in Bali on October 20-23, SAS 2026 will once again convene leading researchers, analysts, and industry professionals to share insights on the latest developments in cyberthreat intelligence. The Capture the Flag (CTF) competition will also return with a prize pool of $18,000.
Now in its 18th year, the Security Analyst Summit continues to serve as a platform for advancing knowledge on sophisticated cyberattacks, cutting-edge research, and emerging technologies. In 2025, SAS welcomed over 200 delegates from all over the world, featuring 27 expert speakers and a diverse agenda focused on real-world cybersecurity challenges.
Building on last year’s success, SAS 2026 will spotlight key trends shaping the cybersecurity landscape. Topics of interest for this year’s CFP include:
• Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) and cyberwarfare
• Critical infrastructure and ICS/OT security
• IoT attacks and defenses
• Supply chain vulnerabilities and open-source security
• Ransomware tactics and mitigation strategies
• Zero-day vulnerabilities and exploit techniques
• Dark web intelligence and analytics
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning in cybersecurity
The 2025 summit featured notable sessions and incorporated a distinctive “cars and heist” theme, including a special panel with Jann Mardenborough, a professional racing driver, who highlighted parallels between high-performance environments and cybersecurity risk management. Paul Pajares from INTERPOL discussed Operation Serengeti 2.0, an initiative that dismantled a large-scale cybercrime and fraud network across Africa. Kaspersky presented research linking the HackingTeam successor, Memento Labs, to a new wave of cyberespionage attacks. It was also revealed how Bluenoroff is using highly targeted social engineering and malware techniques to infiltrate financial organizations and crypto platforms for large-scale theft.
Eugene Kaspersky, founder and CEO of Kaspersky, commented, “The Security Analyst Summit is about bringing the right people together to share what they’re seeing and to learn from each other. By exchanging real-world insights and research, we not only improve how we respond to today’s threats, but also get a clearer view of what’s coming next and how to prepare for it. In the shifting landscape of cyberthreats, our Summit is more than just a get-together – it’s a lens into the future of cybersecurity.”
The Call for Papers is open until August 1. Selected participants will have the opportunity to present their work, engage with peers, and contribute to industry-wide discussions.
Alongside the CFP, Kaspersky has also announced the return of its highly anticipated Capture the Flag (CTF) competition. The online qualifiers will take place on June 6, offering teams worldwide a chance to compete for a place in the finals. Last year’s qualifiers attracted over 900 teams from over 80 countries, with only eight advancing to the final round.
The CTF finals will feature a prize pool of $18,000, challenging participants to demonstrate their technical expertise in a high-stakes environment.
“The SAS Capture the Flag competition is more than just a contest – it’s a proving ground for the next generation of cybersecurity talent. It brings together some of the brightest minds in the field, encouraging innovation, collaboration, and real-world problem-solving under pressure,” said Igor Kuznetsov, Director of Kaspersky’s GReAT (Global Research and Analysis Team).
Early bird tickets for SAS 2026 are already available. For more information on submitting a paper, registering for the event, or participating in the CTF competition, please visit the official SAS website.
