Registration and Morning Refreshments in the Exhibit Area

Opening Remarks

Daniel Urquhart, Secretary of Information Technology, Chief Information Officer, State of Alabama

Cybersecurity State of the State

This session provides a comprehensive update on Alabama’s current cybersecurity posture, top risks, and key initiatives, including progress and lessons learned from recent incidents. Attendees will gain an Alabama-specific view of evolving threats, available resources, and priority actions shaping the state’s response. Emphasizing a whole-of-state approach, the session highlights why cybersecurity extends beyond any single agency and features real-world examples that illustrate today’s risk landscape and the path forward to strengthen Alabama’s digital resilience.

Chad Smith, Chief Information Security Officer, Office of Information Technology, State of Alabama

Keynote – Cyberchat Q&A: Insights for Elevating Cyber Resilience in Your Organization

Once adversaries in the cybersphere, Hector Monsegur and Chris Tarbell have joined forces to help organizations confront today’s most pressing cyber threats. Drawing on their extraordinary experiences - one as a former black-hat hacker, the other as an FBI special agent - their conversation offers a rare, dual-lens view of the modern threat landscape. In a dynamic, audience-driven discussion, Monsegur and Tarbell break down the most significant risks facing organizations today, how real-world attacks unfold, and where defenses most often fail. Together, they share practical insights and actionable frameworks that leaders can apply to strengthen security, reduce risk, and protect operations from disruptions that can cripple organizations and erode trust.

Chris Tarbell, Director, Cyber Security and Investigations, Berkley Research Group and Former FBI Special Agent

Hector Monsegur, Cyber Security Expert and Co-founder, SafeHill

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Sessions

Incident Response Planning – Ready, Set, Respond! (The VIRTEx Tabletop Experience)

Security is a team sport and communication is usually the first thing to break. Watch and learn as experts from EMA, ALEA, and OIT navigate a high-stakes, simulated cyber-attack in real-time. This interactive tabletop exercise offers a "behind the curtain" look at how state and local agencies coordinate, giving you a blueprint for how to coach your own team through a crisis.

Session Leader: Frank Yarnell, Director, Information Security, Office of Information Technology, State of Alabama

Adam Rose, Chief Information Security Officer, Law Enforcement Agency (ALEA), State of Alabama

Governance That Works: Turning Frameworks into Action

Get the "inside baseball" on cybersecurity legislation from the McCrary Institute, followed by an expert panel discussion on how organizations can effectively adopt and implement frameworks to manage risk, ensure compliance, and strengthen security posture. Walk away with practical insights on aligning with evolving standards and turning governance into actionable, enterprise-wide impact.

Nick Sellers, Associate Director and COO, McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security, Auburn University

Emerging Tech and Security: The Speed of Change

Innovation moves fast, but attackers often move faster. As technologies like OpenClaw reshape the landscape, our traditional security playbooks are becoming obsolete overnight. This session explores how to maintain a resilient security posture when the "underlying tech" is shifting beneath your feet, providing strategies for agile defense in an era of rapid-fire releases.

Lunch

General Session – Cyber Reinforcements: Tools, Funding, and Strategies for Success

Strengthen your organization’s cybersecurity posture in this practical, success-driven session! Hear from Auburn University’s McCrary Institute and a municipality that leveraged available resources and SLCGP funding to significantly improve their cyber posture. Attendees will also receive an update on current Security Operations Center (SOC) capabilities and future roadmap, along with clear guidance on what funding and support are available to local governments.

James Fuller, Chief Information Officer, City of Calera

Craig Whittinghill, Deputy Director for Applied Research and Services, McCrary Institute for Cyber and Critical Infrastructure Security, Auburn University

Concurrent Lab Experience I – Live Threat Hunting

Step into a simulated attack environment and experience a real-world cyber incident as it unfolds. In this hands-on workshop, participants will use a hosted threat environment to identify, investigate, and respond to live threats – gaining practical skills they can apply immediately within their own organizations. Open to all experience levels, attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops to fully participate in the exercises.

Please note: Capacity is limited. The lab will be offered in three separate one-hour sessions while the General Session continues in the Main Ballroom. Sign-up sheets will be available onsite the day of the event.

General Session – Identity is the New Perimeter

Forget the firewall – your credentials are the front line. Join lead architects from featured partners as they deconstruct how a single compromised "toehold" allows attackers to move laterally across your entire cloud ecosystem. Learn why identity is the primary target of modern breaches and how to build a defense that assumes the perimeter has already been infiltrated.

Networking Break in the Exhibit Area

Concurrent Lab Experience II – Live Threat Hunting

Step into a simulated attack environment and experience a real-world cyber incident as it unfolds. In this hands-on workshop, participants will use a hosted threat environment to identify, investigate, and respond to live threats – gaining practical skills they can apply immediately within their own organizations. Open to all experience levels, attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops to fully participate in the exercises.

Please note: Capacity is limited. The lab will be offered in three separate one-hour sessions while the General Session continues in the Main Ballroom. Sign-up sheets will be available onsite the day of the event.

General Session – From the Frontlines: A CISA Update for Alabama

Get the latest updates from CISA on its evolving role, priorities, and support for state and local partners. Learn what lies ahead and how Alabama organizations can better leverage federal resources to strengthen cybersecurity readiness and resilience.

General Session – Securing AI in Production Environments

As agencies deploy AI platforms into production environments, security and governance must keep pace. This session explores real-world examples of how to secure enterprise AI deployments, including access controls, data protection, monitoring, and risk management strategies that support innovation without compromising security.

Concurrent Lab Experience III – Live Threat Hunting

Step into a simulated attack environment and experience a real-world cyber incident as it unfolds. In this hands-on workshop, participants will use a hosted threat environment to identify, investigate, and respond to live threats – gaining practical skills they can apply immediately within their own organizations. Open to all experience levels, attendees are encouraged to bring their laptops to fully participate in the exercises.

Please note: Capacity is limited. The lab will be offered in three separate one-hour sessions while the General Session continues in the Main Ballroom. Sign-up sheets will be available onsite the day of the event.

Closing Session – The Expanding Threat Landscape

From ransomware and IoT vulnerabilities to third-party risk and the dark web, public-sector threat vectors are rapidly evolving in complexity and scale. This session examines current threat streams and trends targeting government services, businesses, and individual victims in Alabama. Participants will leave with a clearer understanding of adversary behavior and defensive gaps — and practical reinforcement for the importance of implementing layered defense strategies to reduce individual and organizational risk.

Supervisory Special Agent, Mobile Division, Cyber Squad, Federal Bureau of Investigation

Networking Reception in the Exhibit Area

Network with your colleagues and discuss technology solutions with the event exhibitors.

End of Conference

Conference times, agenda, and speakers are subject to change.