Now in its fourth year, the Australian Cyber Summit will feature leading voices from Australia and the United States to examine the evolving cyber threat landscape, emerging technologies and the Commonwealth’s approach to strengthening national cyber resilience.
The day will open with Ash Bell, Assistant Secretary for Cyber Policy and Programs at the Department of Home Affairs, who will outline how government and industry are shaping Horizon 2 of Australia’s Cyber Security Strategy as digital reliance accelerates toward 2028.
Closing the summit, former FBI cyber-crime investigator Scott Augenbaum will examine why human behaviour remains the weakest link in cyber security, and how AI-powered deception is reshaping modern attacks.
Speakers across the program include Mark Anderson, National Security Officer and Chief Security Officer at Microsoft Australia and New Zealand; Professor Olaf Maennel from the Defence Science and Technology Group and the University of Adelaide; Associate Professor Mamello Thinyane from Adelaide University; Laura O’Neill from Fujitsu Asia Pacific; and Dr Sharif Abuadbba from CSIRO’s Data61.
The summit will deliver practical insights and strategies for organisations of all sizes, with perspectives spanning government, enterprise and critical infrastructure.
The Australian Cyber Summit will be held on Thursday, 30 April 2026 at The Star, Sydney.
Tickets can be purchased here. To learn more about the event, visit the submit website.
What’s on the agenda
The Australian Cyber Summit 2026 will deliver a full-day program focused on regulation, geopolitics, leadership and emerging technologies shaping Australia’s cyber future.
The summit features a high-profile panel will examine thing intersection of cyber crime, state conflict and geopolitics, exploring how escalating global tensions are reshaping Australia’s national cyber posture.
Moderated by Cyber Daily senior journalist David Hollingworth, the session will feature Mark Anderson (Microsoft ANZ), Professor Olaf Maennel (DSTG and University of Adelaide), and Associate Professor Mamello Thinyane (Adelaide University).
Attention will then turn to regulation, with Fujitsu Asia Pacific’s Laura O’Neill unpacking what’s next for Australia’s cyber policy framework, including upcoming changes to critical infrastructure protections and privacy obligations.
Late morning discussions will focus on cyber leadership, with senior CISOs sharing how cyber security is influencing board-level risk, strategy and organisational resilience.
After lunch, the summit will shift to the technologies redefining the threat landscape, with CSIRO Data61’s Dr Sharif Abuadbba examining the real-world implications of AI, quantum computing and autonomous systems for cyber defence.
Who should attend
The Australian Cyber Summit 2026 is designed for cyber professionals, CISOs, risk leaders, policymakers and business executives seeking a deeper understanding of Australia’s evolving cyber security environment.
Government representatives, critical infrastructure operators and private sector leaders will gain practical insights into regulation, leadership and emerging threats impacting organisations of all sizes.
The summit will be held on Thursday, 30 April 2026, at The Star, Sydney.
Tickets and further information are available via the Australian Cyber Summit website.
Click here to buy tickets.
For more information, including the agenda, click here.
Liam Garman
Liam Garman is the managing editor of professional services, real estate and security at Momentum Media. He began his career as a speech writer at New South Wales Parliament before working for world leading campaigns and research agencies in Sydney and Auckland. Throughout his career, Liam has managed and executed international media campaigns spanning politics, business, industrial relations and infrastructure. He’s since shifted his attention to writing on politics and business, and holds a Bachelor of Commerce from the University of Sydney and a Masters from UNSW Canberra with a thesis on postmodernism and media ecology.