Conference Description
Key Takeaways
- RSAC 2026 features a session reuniting former FBI special agent Chris Tarbell with Hector Monsegur, the hacker he arrested in 2011
- Clifford Stoll, author of The Cuckoo’s Egg and pioneer of threat hunting, appears as a special guest speaker
- Sessions draw on real-world experiences from both sides of cybercrime investigations
- The conference takes place March 23 to 26, 2026, at the Moscone Center in San Francisco
About RSAC 2026
RSAC 2026 brings together cybersecurity professionals for four days of sessions, networking and industry discussion. The conference programme includes featured sessions that examine the human stories behind major cyber investigations, offering perspectives from both law enforcement and former adversaries.
Featured Session: The FBI Agent and the Hacker He Took Down
One of the conference highlights pairs Chris Tarbell, Director of Cyber Security and Investigations at Berkeley Research Group, with Hector Monsegur, Director of Research at Alacrinet. In 2011, Tarbell led the FBI investigation that identified Monsegur as “Sabu,” a key figure in the Anonymous and LulzSec hacker collectives. The two now work together as business partners and co-host the podcast Hacker And The Fed.
Tarbell spent 17 years in law enforcement as an FBI special agent. His investigations led to the takedown of the Silk Road marketplace and the infiltration of Anonymous. He tracked and arrested two of the most prominent figures in cyber history.
Monsegur served as the technical lead behind the Anonymous and LulzSec operations. Since changing sides, he has helped prevent over 350 cyber attacks against U.S. government systems, including military and NASA networks.
Special Guest: Clifford Stoll
Clifford Stoll, astronomer at UC Berkeley and author of The Cuckoo’s Egg, appears as a special guest speaker. Stoll’s investigation into a 75-cent accounting discrepancy in the 1980s led him to uncover a German spy ring stealing military secrets for the KGB. His book documenting the case became a bestseller and established the threat hunting narrative as a genre. Stoll has since briefed the CIA, NSA and U.S. Senate on cybersecurity matters.
Who Should Attend
These sessions appeal to security professionals interested in the investigative and human dimensions of cybersecurity. Attendees will hear firsthand accounts from individuals who have operated on both sides of major cyber incidents, providing insight into attacker methodologies and the techniques used to counter them.