Top International Cybersecurity Thought Leaders & Cyber Esport Champions to Converge in USA

USA to Host Global Cybersecurity Competition and Conference

ASHBURN, VA – MAY 30, 2023 - For the first time, the United States will host the 2023 International Cybersecurity Championship and Conference (IC3). This global event will be held July 31-August 4, 2023, in San Diego, California, and will be organized by Katzcy PlayCyber®.

This one-of-a-kind event experience blends esports, athletics, and networking activities by complimenting a cybersecurity conference with an international championship game. With 65+ nations represented, a turnout of 600-700 attendees is expected to watch eight teams from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, Canada, Latin America & the Caribbean, Australia/New Zealand, and the USA go head-to-head over an epic three days of competition. Teams of 15 cyber athletes ages 18-25 years old will compete with a live audience in Capture the Flag (Forensics, Crypto, Web Security, Reverse Engineering, and Binary Exploitation), a Hardware CTF, and an Attack and Defense Competition. The games will also feature cybersecurity experts shout casting important game highlights while also providing explanations to the audience about game preparation, talent scouting, strategy, and tactics.

Exciting Roster of Speakers

In addition to the games, IC3 will offer attendees the opportunity to attend three mornings of sessions featuring some of the world's foremost experts on cybersecurity. Confirmed speakers include Director of NICE Rodney Petersen, CISA Deputy Director Nitin Natarajan, Senior Vice President, Operations & Technology (O&T) at Mastercard Jon Brickey, Ph.D., Director, Microsoft Incident Response Team (formerly DART) Ping Look, Head of Cybersecurity for the United Arab Emirates Government (UAE) H.E. Dr. Mohamed Al-Kuwaiti, and NFL CISO Tomás Maldonado - just to name a few. Our esteemed speakers will share their insights on the power of global collaboration to cultivate a strong, diverse cybersecurity workforce, the importance of aligning cyber games to drive needed job skills, and the role of cyber games and exercises in building resilience into corporate risk strategies.

Exclusive: Live Twitch Streaming

Thanks to our sponsor Mastercard, we are thrilled to announce that the global championship games will be live-streamed on Twitch for the first time! Cybersecurity experts will shoutcast game highlights and conduct interviews with special guests, coaches, and players.

An Experience Like No Other

According to Jessica Gulick, the founder of PlayCyber and the US Cyber Games®, “IC3 stands out among other international cybersecurity conferences due to its unique combination of sessions featuring world-renowned cybersecurity experts, an elite cyber esport competition, and a hands-on expo for event attendees to try cyber games. IC3 not only offers education and entertainment but also proactively addresses critical workforce issues in the industry and around the world.” Gulick emphasized that “IC3 speaks to the ongoing skills shortage and the need for continued cybersecurity skills development – issues that remain pervasive within the global cybersecurity community.”

Attending and More Information

Attendees receive access to all three events held Tuesday, August 1 - Thursday, August 3, 2023. Championship game awards will be presented Friday, August 4. Event tickets may be purchased online.

About PlayCyber

PlayCyber, a division of Katzcy®, is dedicated to building a stronger and more diverse community of cybersecurity professionals. Bringing together and inspiring the very best cybersecurity athletes supports their mission of promoting growth, innovation, and progress in cybersecurity.