SANS has outlined its October 15–16 DFIR Summit 2026, with free live online access to selected talks. The October 7 announcement highlights digital forensics, incident response, ransomware and threat hunting, giving cybersecurity learners a way to hear from practitioners without paying for summit admission online.
The in-person event takes place in Arlington, Virginia. Its full programme and the free online experience differ, so readers should check the delivery format of each session before planning their attendance.
What You Can Attend Online
The official event page lists selected talks, interactive Slack discussion and early access to approved recordings and presentation decks among the online benefits. It does not promise a recording of every session.
Some content remains exclusive to the venue. SANS specifically says the special Day 1 case-study keynotes and featured discussion will not be broadcast or shared publicly. Workshops also carry individual delivery labels; free online registration should not be treated as access to every hands-on activity.
What the Programme Covers
The announcement describes sessions on cloud and identity compromise, ransomware detection, OAuth theft and large language model agents. It also introduces discussion of AI’s role in forensic work and incident response, including where investigators must retain responsibility for conclusions.
For people working toward certifications, SANS lists 12 Summit continuing professional education credits in its announcement. Online attendees should confirm the applicable attendance and credit requirements with SANS, especially when joining only selected sessions.
Who This Is For
The technical programme may interest practitioners and learners developing investigation and defensive security skills. Relevant career paths include:
- Incident Responder: investigating compromises and coordinating containment and recovery.
- SOC Analyst: reviewing alerts, investigating suspicious activity and supporting response.
These are editorial examples of relevant roles, rather than registration requirements.
How to Register
Visit the official summit page and choose the free Live Online option under Summit Registration Only. Registration requires a SANS login. Check the agenda’s EDT session times against your local time zone.
Summit-only in-person admission is listed at US$525 before applicable local taxes. The SANS courses running October 17–22 have separate registration and pricing; they are not included in the free online summit offer.
