Day Zero is an invite-only threat research summit focused on original, technical cybersecurity research. It brings together a highly vetted group of practitioners working in threat intelligence, reverse engineering, and adversary analysis to share new findings and tradecraft.
Day Zero: The 2026 Threat Research Summit
Aug. 30 – Sep. 1, 2026 | Las Vegas, Nevada
Join world-class threat researchers, reverse engineers, and intelligence experts for an exclusive forum showcasing original research and the latest global adversary tradecraft.
Call for papers now open.
Make your mark on threat intelligence
Day Zero isn’t for just anyone. It’s a closed-door research summit for highly vetted experts working at the forefront of cybersecurity.
Bring new findings to the field
Submit original, technical work that reflects how modern adversaries operate. No fluff. No recycled talks. No surface-level insights. At Day Zero, we go deep.
Network with the best of the best
Present your research to 150 elite, hand-selected practitioners. We curate our audience through a rigorous approval process to ensure every attendee is a recognized leader in threat intelligence, reverse engineering, and adversary analysis.
Get travel support
For accepted presentations, CrowdStrike will cover three nights in a hotel and event ticket cost, which includes all food and beverage as part of the event (value over $2,000). If your work makes waves, we want you there.
How to get accepted
Submit original research that shows novel findings on how modern adversaries operate. Your work should hold up under detailed scrutiny. Strong submissions clearly show investigative tradecraft: the pivots, decisions, and dead ends that led to the result. Submissions that connect adversary insight to detection, disruption, or denial are especially encouraged.
What to expect at the summit
Sessions are designed to be focused and substantive. The program includes a dedicated focus on detecting and denying adversaries, with afternoon sessions centered on how research translates into practical defensive impact. The audience is highly vetted and deeply technical. You control the sharing and dissemination of sensitive, no-classified information to enable more open discussion and deeper sharing than traditional conferences.
Important Dates
- Call for Papers closes: March 31, 2026
- Presenters Informed: April 10, 2026
- Agenda published : April 22, 2026
- Conference: Aug. 30 – Sep. 1, 2026
Day Zero Agenda at a Glance
- Sunday, Aug. 30
- Monday, Aug. 31
- Tuesday, Sep. 1
FAQs
Day Zero will take place August 30 – September 1, 2026 in Las Vegas.
Tickets are $895.
When registration opens in late April, you will be able to submit an application to attend. Once vetted and approved as an attendee, you will be invited to purchase a ticket and register. Tickets are non-transferable. If you would like to stay informed on all event updates, click “Stay Informed” at the top of this page to provide your information.
Day Zero is intentionally limited to approximately 150 highly vetted attendees to maintain a trusted environment for deeper technical discussion and sharing. This format allows speakers to present more sensitive research and enables more meaningful peer interaction.
Researchers can submit their work through the Call for Papers (CFP). Submissions should include original, unpublished research that meets the technical and quality expectations outlined in the CFP.
Sessions are either 30 or 45 minutes, depending on the depth and scope of the topic.
Day Zero focuses on original, technical research related to:
Threat intelligence
Adversary operations and campaigns
Malware analysis and reverse engineering
Intrusion tradecraft and threat hunting
Talks will not be streamed. Recording is at the discretion of the presenter, allowing them to share sensitive research in a controlled environment.
The conference will feature a single track in the morning, followed by two parallel tracks in the afternoon focused on “Denying” and “Disrupting” adversaries.
