As cyber criminals accelerate their use of artificial intelligence (AI), industry experts warn no single organisation can tackle the challenge alone.
Cybersecurity experts will discuss emerging threats and how best to respond to them at a Coast conference in May.
The Sunshine Coast Cybersecurity Conference, or Sun Con for short, will be held at the University of the Sunshine Coast (UniSC) Innovation Centre Saturday, May 9 from 10am to 5pm.
For the second year running, it will bring together around 200 participants from industry, government, education and the student community for a full day of learning, collaboration and connection.
This year’s conference will focus on cyber leadership and cyber technology, with keynote presentations from national and international experts, practical discussions on emerging threats, artificial intelligence, threat intelligence and incident response.
This event is supported by the UniSC and Sunshine Coast Council.
Sunshine Coast’s Jana Dekanovska, counter adversary operations practice lead at CrowdStrike, is a keynote speaker who will explore the impact of generative AI on cyber operations and what it means for defenders.
Ms Dekanovska said cybersecurity required a team effort.
“No single organisation or individual has the full picture – especially as adversaries adopt AI at speed,” she said.
“Bringing professionals together on the Sunshine Coast to share knowledge, experiences and lessons learned is critical to strengthening our collective defence.”
The Sunshine Coast is rapidly emerging as a premier Australian cybersecurity hub, driven by world-class digital infrastructure, including international broadband connectivity.
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Study Sunshine Coast, a council initiative, will support 10 local students offering them the opportunity to attend Sun Con 2026 and gain exposure to real‑world cybersecurity challenges, industry leaders and career pathways.
Council’s resilient economy councillor Terry Landsberg said cybersecurity was a critical industry, one that was becoming increasingly vital as threats became more sophisticated.
“Our region is well positioned to play a significant role and events like these help inspire future cyber talent, foster careers, showcase local capability and strengthen collaboration between education providers, industry and government,’’ Cr Landsberg said.
