Thiruvananthapuram | Keralam Police chief Ravada A Chandrasekhar on Tuesday said the 19th edition of c0c0n 2026, one of India's longest running cyber security and hacking conferences, will be held in Kochi from October 6 to 13.
He said that the eight-day conference will bring together cyber security experts, law enforcement agencies, industry leaders, researchers, technology professionals, academicians and students from across India and around the world.
This year the theme of the conference, which will be held at the Grand Hyatt at Bolgatty in Kochi, will be 'Empowering Cyber Resilience: Strategy, DeepTech, and Global Enforcement', Chandrasekhar told reporters here.
He said that this year's conference will focus on the evolving cyber security landscape and the need to build stronger, smarter and more resilient digital ecosystems.
"The eight-day programme is expected to feature more than 200 speakers, over 3,000 participants, delegates from 20 plus countries and over 20 technical training programmes, making c0c0n 2026 one of the major cyber security gatherings in the region," he said.
He further said that the conference will feature dedicated tracks covering critical areas of cyber security, including Artificial Intelligence and Child Sexual Exploitation and Abuse (CSEA).
"Discussions will explore emerging cyber threats, AI-driven security, financial-sector cyber security, industrial and operational technology security, hardware security, cybercrime investigation, digital forensics and other emerging challenges," Chandrasekhar said.
The state police chief said that the event will be conducted in three phases -- the Pre-Conference Technical Trainings will be held from October 6 to 8, followed by the Main Conference on October 9 and 10, and Post-Conference Technical Trainings from October 11 to 13.
In addition to technical sessions and keynote addresses, the programme will include master classes, round tables, networking sessions, Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions, cybersecurity villages and live bug bounty activities, he said.
Besides these, there will also be a dedicated exhibition area of more than 25,000 square feet for technology companies and cybersecurity organisations to showcase their solutions and engage with the wider cyber security community.
The conference will also address some of the most serious challenges affecting children in the digital environment, the SPC said.
He said that CSEA track will bring together law enforcement agencies, researchers, technology experts, policymakers and child-safety professionals to discuss emerging threats and strategies for protecting children online.
In addition to that, c0c0n 2026 will also place a strong emphasis on strengthening the capabilities of law enforcement agencies in view of cybercrimes becoming increasingly sophisticated and transnational, he said.
Chandrasekhar said that specialised programmes, including LEA CTF 2.0, will provide opportunities for law enforcement personnel to develop and test practical skills related to cybercrime investigation, digital forensics and cyber security.
Apart from that, there will be an exclusive postconference training session titled -- 'The Dark Web: Beyond the Anonymity' -- for strengthening the investigative capabilities of Kerala Police in the evolving cyberthreat landscape, he said.
"In the context of the ongoing Kerala Police initiative, Operation Toofan, the training will extend law-enforcement capabilities beyond the conventional internet, providing investigators with practical knowledge to understand, identify and investigate criminal activities operating through anonymised networks, including associated digital traces and cryptocurrency ecosystems," he said.
The SPC said that as part of the initiative, the LEA Call for Papers will encourage police personnel, investigators, cyber security professionals and technology experts to share innovative ideas, investigative methodologies, problem-solving approaches and practical tools that can strengthen cybercrime investigations.