2026 NYS Cybersecurity Conference Training Sessions, Day 3

Deploying Security Strategies for the Modern Network

To participate in this Fast Track Workshop, you will need to bring your laptop and power cord.

Tom Robinson, Fortinet

Shawn Fuss, Fortinet

Today’s networks are highly complex, with evolving threats and increasing pressure on IT and security teams to protect their organizations. Firewalls have become multifunctional security devices, but managing multiple point products without integration creates visibility and management challenges. Organizations also need fast, scalable security to protect against internet-borne threats, web-based attacks, and growing network demands.

In this workshop, participants will learn how Fortinet’s unified security approach streamlines protection across various use cases. FortiGate integrates NGFW features with specialized processors and FortiGuard Labs intelligence for high-performance security. The Fortinet Security Fabric offers centralized visibility, automated threat response, and seamless protection for cloud applications, IoT and web traffic.

Participants who attend this workshop will learn how to:

• Configure basic FortiGate settings for routing, firewall policies and security profiles.
• Set up a Fortinet Security Fabric with centralized logging, visibility and automation.
• Leverage FortiGuard AI-powered security services for real-time threat detection, web filtering, application control and malware prevention.
• Segment and secure the network with ISFW, ZTNA and ADVPN for optimized remote access and WAN usage.

The AI Security Challenge

Jeffrey Baez, Splunk

• AI systems are being deployed at an unprecedented scale.
• Traditional security tools weren’t designed for AI-specific threats.
• New attack vectors emerge as AI capabilities expand.
• Security teams need practical skills, not just theory.

What Makes These Labs Different:

• Real Tools: Work with production-grade Cisco AI Defense technologies.
• Hands-On: Scan actual malicious examples, not theoretical concepts.
• Practical: Skills you can apply immediately in your security workflows.
• Comprehensive: Cover the full AI security stack from prompts to protocols.

Cyber Range and Blue Team Workshop

World Wide Technology

Participate in a mini capture the flag event and blue team learning to enhance your skills for Network Analysis and Threat Hunting. 

This Capture the Flag (CTF) event called "Initiation" is designed to introduce you to the WWT Cyber Range platform. You will be introduced to the features and functionality of WWT Cyber Range CTFs and provided with tips for success throughout the event. All challenges within this CTF are beginner-level, and the game will guide you through completion.

Players will work through hands-on challenges covering foundational cybersecurity techniques including network reconnaissance, file analysis, and cryptanalysis. No prior CTF experience is required — this event is built to meet participants where they are.

Tools utilized in the game include:

🔷Kali Linux (primary player environment)

🔷FTP (file server access)

🔷Linux command line utilities (file analysis, gzip decompression)

🔷Base64 decoding

🔷ROT13 / Caesar Cipher decryption

How to Ensure You Are Never Replaced by AI: “Data is Profoundly Dumb! Knowledge Resides in You!”

Dr. Yogi Malhotra

Founded on Human-Centered Meaning Aware AI Augmentation, we will focus on executing ‘human’ Quantum Mind capabilities. Such Quantum Mind intelligence, learning, knowing and understanding capabilities surpass AI-Generative AI (GenAI)-Large Language Models (LLM) capabilities for surviving and thriving in environments characterized by dynamic and adversarial uncertainty.

Anchored in the cognitive-affective-active neuroscience distinguishing human sense-making from AI data-processing, personal constructivist psychology of how humans actively construct meaning in contrast to statistical pattern-processing, andragogy of volitional self-determined learning in contrast to AI’s non-volition, and Roger Penrose’s observation that ‘consciousness is not a computation,’ we will apply Quantum Mind’s capabilities.

Such most human capabilities of creativity, imagination, intuition and insight underpin the creation and advancement of human civilization observed by none other than Einstein who noted that “imagination is more important than knowledge.” The instructor pioneering Quantum Minds and Quantum Conscious Engineering will introduce the human learners to the simple tools, technologies and methodologies that we continue to launch at the annual New York State Cybersecurity Conference and SUNY Albany's Annual Symposium on Information Assurance (ASIA) presentations at the New York State Capitol, Albany, New York. 

Such tools are transforming the future evolution of our digital living, learning and working while empowering human learners and doers. Our latest quantum agentic generative AI toolkit for human resources development, including AI-augmented learning and training, counter the human users’ fear of displacement by AI and include tools, methods and methodologies empowering the human sense-makers and doers while ensuring that they don’t become tools of their tools. 

Breaking the Kill Chain with AI-Driven Breach Protection

To participate in this Fast Track Workshop, you will need to bring your laptop and power cord.

Tom Robinson, Fortinet

Shawn Fuss, Fortinet

To protect your enterprise against sophisticated threats, it is important to establish a comprehensive and cohesive security infrastructure that is broad enough to cover all attack vectors, powerful enough to run the latest security technologies, and automated to keep pace with fast-moving attacks.

Participants who attend this workshop will learn how to:

• Apply solutions in different stages of the kill chain
• Detect advanced and zero-day threats.
• Disrupt threat actors.
• Bolster security operations.