The Cyber
War Forum
at
Black Hat USA

The information

Wednesday, August 5, 2026

Four Seasons, Las Vegas, NV

South Pacific B, Islander B, Islander G

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Overview

In today’s world, code moves markets, powers cities, and commands weapons systems. It underpins every function of modern life and is also a primary target in war.

Preparing for cyber conflict is therefore not a technical exercise but a strategic imperative central to national resilience, economic stability, and global security.

The Black Hat Cyber War Forum convenes an invitation-only gathering of the world’s leading cybersecurity experts, government officials, military leaders, and policy authorities to confront the strategic realities of cyber conflict and the resilience of the systems that sustain society.

Held under closed-door conditions to enable candid dialogue, the Forum focuses on the practical challenges of cyber war readiness: recognizing early indicators of escalation, sustaining essential services during active disruption, and restoring national and economic systems in the aftermath.

The goal is to move beyond discussion toward readiness. By bringing together those responsible for defending governments, critical infrastructure, and global commerce, the Forum aligns the capabilities, coordination, and decision frameworks required when cyber conflict becomes real.

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Passes

The Cyber War Forum is invitation only. To express your interest in attending please contact the team on summits@blackhat.com

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Why Attend

1. Gain practical cyber war readiness guidance applicable immediately
2. Direct engagement with policymakers and national leaders
3. Build shared frameworks and a platform for collaboration that reduce fragmentation across sectors and siloed responses.

Key attendees

• Senior cyber leaders from government and the military
• Critical infrastructure owners and operators
• Chief Information Security Officers and enterprise security executives
• Threat intelligence and incident response leaders
• Leading security researchers and technical experts
• Cyber policy, legal, and regulatory authorities
• Technology innovators and cybersecurity industry leaders

Why This Forum and Why Now?

This Forum is urgent and timely because cyber conflict is no longer a theoretical concept, it is currently unfolding in real time through state-linked operations around the world.

These developments signal a fundamental shift: cyber operations are now a routine instrument of geopolitical competition and modern warfare. Across sectors, organizations responsible for sustaining governments, economies, and essential services face the same urgent questions:

1. How do we detect early indicators of cyber conflict escalation?
2. What coordination mechanisms exist between government and industry during conflict?
3. What legal, operational, and technical authorities apply during cyber war?
4. How do nations sustain essential services during disruption and recover afterward?

The Cyber War Forum exists to close that gap by bringing together the leaders responsible for defending critical systems to develop the frameworks, coordination, and practical guidance required when cyber conflict becomes real.

Core Deliverable: The Cyber War Readiness Playbook

The Forum will begin to develop a Cyber War Readiness Playbook, shaped by the people who will rely upon it.

In year one, this will take the form of structured outputs and a clear record of discussions and recommendations, rather than a fully published playbook.

These outputs will inform the development of a more formal, externally published playbook in subsequent years as the Forum scales.

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Forum Chairs

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Get Involved

Elevate your brand to ensure it’s at the heart of the cyber warfare revolution. The Cyber War Forum at Black Hat USA 2026 offers cutting-edge exposure to a highly engaged, decision-making audience.

Limited premium sponsorship packages are available. Contact our team today to secure your place at this groundbreaking event.

Discover the opportunities