The cyber capital of Kerala is preparing to host one of Asia’s most influential cybersecurity conferences as c0c0n 2025 returns from 07–11 October 2025 at the Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty, Kochi. The event will bring together over 3,000 delegates representing government agencies, law enforcement, industry, academia, and cyber communities across the globe.
Organized jointly by the Kerala Police and ISRA, c0c0n has evolved from a regional cybercrime discussion into a premier platform for advanced cybersecurity dialogue and innovation. Its mission — “Connect | Collaborate | Contribute” — reflects a vision of integrating security forces, researchers, and policymakers to counter rapidly evolving digital threats.
The five-day event will begin with three days of hands-on cybersecurity training sessions (7–9 October), followed by the main conference (10–11 October). It will feature policy dialogues, workshops, live hacking demonstrations, and an interactive exhibition space showcasing next-generation digital defense tools.
Powerful Voices and Cutting-Edge Themes
c0c0n 2025 will feature a distinguished lineup of national and international speakers, emphasizing themes such as AI-driven security, national resilience, and cyber risk management.
Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan will inaugurate the conference as Chief Guest, joined by Dr. Ajay Kumar, Chairman of the UPSC, Rear Admiral Sanjay Sachdeva, Director General of the Defence Cyber Agency, and Nathan Hamiel, Senior Director of Research at Kudelski Security, who will deliver the keynote “Defending the Future in an Uncertain World: AI, Risk, and Resilience.”
Other prominent speakers include Rajesh Kumar (CEO, I4C, MHA), Hea-Eun Moon (Director, Red Alert Lab, South Korea), Pravin Kumar (CISO & DPO, NPCI), Johnson K. Jose (CTO, Federal Bank), and Suresh Sharma (Group CISO, Motilal Oswal). The sessions will explore diverse sectors from ICS and telecom security to GRC, fintech, AI/ML, and law enforcement collaboration.
Training Labs, Villages, and Live Cyber Exercises
Before the main event, c0c0n 2025 will conduct 14 advanced workshops offering immersive, lab-based training in cutting-edge domains such as Windows Kernel Exploitation, Multi-Cloud Security, SIGINT/ELINT/Electronic Warfare, Telecom Network Protection, and Red Team Operations. With 400 participants enrolled, these workshops aim to blend theory with practical defense strategy.
Adding to the event’s uniqueness is its signature Village concept — hands-on interactive zones where participants engage in ethical hacking simulations, IoT experiments, and cybersecurity challenges. Villages such as the AI Village, Adversary Village, IoT Security Village, and Lock Picking Village will recreate real-world cyberattack environments to train participants in defense and response tactics.
An Exhibition Pavilion will run parallel to the conference, hosting startups, vendors, and defense technology firms showcasing tools in digital forensics, cloud security, incident response, and AI threat modeling.
Law Enforcement, CSAM Response, and National Collaboration
Reflecting its strong policing roots, c0c0n will dedicate a full Law Enforcement (LEA) Track, emphasizing cybercrime investigation, digital forensics, and cross-border intelligence sharing. Senior officers like Dr. Sandeep Mittal, IPS (Tamil Nadu Cyber Crime Wing) and Yashasvi Yadav, IPS (Maharashtra Cyber) will lead sessions on building cyber policing capacity and tracing digital footprints in complex investigations.
The CSEA (Countering Online Crimes Against Children) Track will highlight strategies to combat child sexual abuse material (CSAM), focusing on victim identification technologies and inter-agency collaboration.
The closing ceremony, chaired by Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on 11 October 2025, will underscore the state’s commitment to cyber safety and innovation, alongside Law Minister P. Rajeev and State Police Chief Ravada Chandrasekhar IPS.
A Decade of Cyber Collaboration
Over the years, c0c0n has transformed into more than a conference — it is a movement uniting security forces, researchers, and innovators in a shared quest for a safer digital ecosystem.
With attractions like drone and humanoid AI exhibitions, VSSC technology showcases, and the revamped KIDGLOVE child protection initiative, c0c0n 2025 reaffirms India’s rising role in the global cybersecurity landscape — one where collaboration is as critical as innovation.
