VIScon Workshop: How to deal with a Cyber Crisis

This event is only available for VIScon Symposium or Hackathon participants, as well as Helpers! Please sign up for one of these events first!

A cyberattack is not just a technical problem, especially when critical infrastructure such as a power grid is involved.

In this interactive workshop, you will step into the role of a crisis advisor facing a fictional cyberattack inspired by the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. Teams make tough decisions under uncertainty while dealing with an escalating situation.

No cybersecurity background needed - just curiosity, a team spirit and the readiness to think under pressure!

Abstract: When a cyberattack hits critical infrastructure, the problem quickly becomes bigger than “just fixing the hack.” Who keeps hospitals running? What should the government say publicly? Should responders negotiate, retaliate, shut systems down, or keep them online and risk further damage?

In this interactive workshop, you will step into the role of a crisis advisor and work through a fictional cyber crisis inspired by the Cyber 9/12 Strategy Challenge. Together with your team, you will analyze information from various sources, weigh technical and political trade-offs under time pressure and present your recommendations to senior government officials.

You can apply as an individual, but feel free to come with friends! No cybersecurity background is required. Whether you study computer science, engineering, policy, law, economics, or something completely different, your perspective can matter in a cyber crisis.

Join us to get a taste of Cyber 9/12, test your crisis-thinking skills, and see how complex and exciting cybersecurity becomes when the real world is on the line.

Additional slots might become available later on. Please use the waiting list!

The VSETH General Privacy Policy applies to this event.

Details and Prerequisites

Workshops may require items VIScon cannot provide (e.g., a Laptop) which you have to bring with you or to set up something (e.g., install software) that would otherwise take up a significant chunk of the workshop. You may also need knowledge in certain fields (e.g., how to program in a specific language). All of this information can be found in the following paragraphs, so you can decide whether you want/can participate in this workshop, or not.

What you have to bring to the workshop:

• a smartphone

What you have to do before the workshop:

Nothing.

Knowledge requirements(/recommendations) for this workshop:

Nothing.

FAQ

Why can't I sign up for this workshop?

If you signed up for the main event after the early access deadline (8:00pm, 17th of September), you can sign up from the 20st of September. But don't worry, we will send you a reminder when the sign up opens. Early access is our way to thank early supporters!