N※N

CornCon Cybersecurity Conference helps students explore technology, AI use

  //science-technology.news-articles.net/content/2 .. ce-helps-students-explore-technology-ai-use.html
  Published in Science and Technology on Sunday, October 12th 2025 at 0:31 GMT by KWQC
          ^{🞛 This publication is a summary or evaluation of another publication 🞛 This publication contains editorial commentary or bias from the source}

CornCon 2025, the annual cybersecurity conference hosted by the College of Engineering at Kewan University, opened on Friday, October 12, with a packed schedule designed to immerse students in the evolving landscape of technology, artificial intelligence, and cyber defense. The event, held in the state‑of‑the‑art TechLab Auditorium, drew more than 700 participants—including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and industry professionals—seeking hands‑on experience and mentorship in a field that is increasingly critical to national security, business continuity, and personal privacy.

A Mission to Bridge Theory and Practice

CornCon’s mission statement, displayed prominently on the conference’s website and on the inaugural keynote poster, frames the event as a “bridge between academic theory and real‑world application.” Over the weekend, students had the opportunity to engage in simulated cyber‑attack scenarios, analyze AI‑driven threat intelligence, and collaborate on interdisciplinary projects that combined software engineering, data science, and policy analysis.

“Security is not a destination, it’s a journey,” said Dr. Mira Patel, director of the university’s Cybersecurity Center and a keynote speaker for the conference. “CornCon is designed to accelerate that journey by exposing students to cutting‑edge tools, industry‑validated frameworks, and the collaborative mindset that leads to innovative solutions.”

Keynote Highlights

The first keynote, delivered by Dr. Patel, focused on “The Human Element in Cybersecurity.” She underscored the importance of user education, social engineering awareness, and behavioral analytics. Dr. Patel cited recent studies indicating that up to 70 % of security breaches are attributable to human error, a statistic that drove home the urgency of integrating human factors into defensive architectures.

The second keynote, presented by renowned AI researcher Professor Alan Ng from the Institute of Artificial Intelligence, explored “AI‑Enabled Threat Detection.” Professor Ng demonstrated how machine‑learning models can process terabytes of network traffic in real time to flag anomalous patterns before they manifest as breaches. He also addressed the ethical considerations surrounding automated decision‑making in security contexts, urging students to embed fairness, accountability, and transparency into their AI designs from the outset.

Hands‑On Workshops and Labs

CornCon’s schedule was heavily weighted toward experiential learning. Students attended a series of workshops covering topics such as:

• Penetration Testing with Kali Linux: A practical session in which participants practiced identifying and exploiting vulnerabilities in a controlled network environment. The workshop emphasized responsible disclosure and remediation best practices.

• Secure DevOps (DevSecOps): This workshop taught participants how to integrate security checkpoints into the continuous integration/continuous deployment (CI/CD) pipeline. Attendees used GitLab and Docker to build secure, containerized applications that automatically run vulnerability scans.

• AI‑Driven Phishing Defense: A lab that employed open‑source AI frameworks to detect and mitigate phishing emails. Participants built classification models using Python’s scikit‑learn library, fine‑tuned neural networks, and deployed the models as part of an email filtering service.

• Cryptography for the Cloud: A deep dive into quantum‑resistant cryptographic algorithms and their deployment in cloud infrastructure. Students experimented with post‑quantum key exchange protocols and evaluated performance trade‑offs on AWS and Azure platforms.

Throughout the day, “hack‑together” zones allowed students to form cross‑disciplinary teams—combining hardware engineers, data scientists, and policy analysts—to tackle a set of real‑world security challenges posed by industry partners.

Student‑Led Projects and Pitch Sessions

A central feature of the conference was the Student Innovation Showcase, where teams presented their own cybersecurity projects. Highlighted projects included:

• “GuardEyes” – An AI‑driven video surveillance system that detects suspicious activity in public spaces while preserving user privacy through differential privacy techniques. The team won the “Best AI Application” award and secured a seed grant to prototype the system in partnership with the local municipality.

• “ZeroTrust API” – A micro‑service framework that implements zero‑trust security principles in API development. The project demonstrated how mutual TLS, role‑based access control, and automated threat modeling can be integrated into a single open‑source library.

• “DataShield” – A lightweight encryption toolkit designed for IoT devices in industrial control systems. The team showcased a hardware‑accelerated implementation that reduces latency by 30 % compared to conventional AES‑256 encryption.

The showcase concluded with a “Pitch Battle,” where selected teams delivered two‑minute pitches to a panel of judges composed of faculty, corporate partners, and venture capitalists. Winning teams received mentorship opportunities, access to lab space, and invitations to join the university’s cybersecurity incubator program.

Industry Partnerships and Networking

CornCon’s partnership network included major players in cybersecurity, such as SentinelOne, Palo Alto Networks, and Darktrace. These companies established exhibition booths, offering product demos, internship opportunities, and speaking slots. A dedicated “Career Hub” area allowed students to meet with recruiters, conduct mock interviews, and receive personalized career advice.

In addition to corporate presence, the conference featured a “Policy & Ethics Forum,” where government representatives from the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Trade Commission presented on emerging regulatory frameworks. The forum encouraged students to engage in policy drafting exercises, simulating the creation of a national cybersecurity standard for critical infrastructure.

Outcomes and Forward Momentum

The success of CornCon 2025 was measured not only by attendance figures but also by tangible outcomes. Over 200 students were recruited for internships during the summer of 2026, and three student teams received grants to advance their prototypes into commercial products. Faculty from the Cybersecurity Center reported that more than 15 new interdisciplinary courses will be launched in the following academic year, integrating AI, ethics, and human‑centered design into core curricula.

“We are thrilled to see the level of enthusiasm and innovation at CornCon,” said Dr. Patel. “This conference is proving to be a catalyst for the next generation of security professionals—equipped not only with technical prowess but also with a holistic understanding of the societal impacts of their work.”

As the field of cybersecurity continues to evolve at a breakneck pace, events like CornCon play a crucial role in shaping a workforce that is agile, ethical, and ready to tackle the complex challenges of tomorrow. The conference’s blend of theoretical insight, practical skill development, and industry collaboration sets a benchmark for future cybersecurity education initiatives worldwide.