KEYNOTE: Keep Calm. Hack On.
Every few years, offensive security faces its next existential crisis.
“Trustworthy Computing will make systems inherently secure.”
“EDRs killed red teaming.”
“Cloud-based security changed everything.”
“AI will replace hackers.”
The headlines change. The panic doesn’t.
Yet something is different with AI. The offensive capabilities demonstrated by recent models have been a real slap in the face for both executives and hackers. But after a few months, it’s still unclear how they’ll shape the ecosystem and whether they’ll put an end to the endless arms race between attackers and defenders.
This keynote explores the latest shifts in offensive security, separates genuine breakthroughs from hype, discusses what has truly changed and what hasn’t, and shows that the most effective offensive teams still rely on the same fundamentals: curiosity, technical depth, disciplined methodology, and a relentless desire to understand how systems actually work.
So before rewriting everything you know, take a breath, keep calm and hack on.
Renaud Feil is a co-founder and the CEO of Synacktiv, a French offensive cybersecurity company specializing in advanced security assessments, vulnerability research and incident response.
Before founding Synacktiv, he had the opportunity to work for more than two years in Melbourne, Australia. After exploring “all” of the country, Canberra somehow remained the one Australian city he had never visited… until being invited to deliver a keynote at BSides.
He is delighted to finally complete the map while sharing his passion for offensive security with the community.