Bethesda, MD., May 2, 2017 – SANS Institute, the global leader in information security training, today announced Fred Kaplan, the author of Dark Territory: The Secret History of Cyber War, will deliver the keynote address at the 10th annual SANS Digital Forensic and Incident Response (DFIR) Summit and Training 2017 taking place June 22 – 29 in Austin, TX.

“Dark Territory is one of the best books on the evolution of cyber operations in the military from 1998 through 2012,” says Rob Lee, Summit co-chair, Fellow and DFIR Curriculum Lead at SANS. “Fred has captured in his book what only few people realize: we have been engaged in cyber conflicts for nearly 20 years. Having Fred speak at the DFIR Summit is an amazing opportunity to hear first-hand the backstory that has largely gone untold for many years.”

Kaplan is the national security columnist for Slate and the author of five books including The Insurgents: David Petraeus and the Plot to Change the American Way of War which was a Pulitzer Prize Finalist and a New York Times Best-Seller. His keynote address will provide historical, political, and strategic context to the problems of cyber security and cyber conflict, exploring the origins of hacking, the spread of cyberspace as a domain of combat, and why this is a never-ending war, but how it might be better managed.

The DFIR Summit is a two-day event that brings together the top DFIR practitioners in the industry. These experts will address today’s most challenging DFIR issues and share the tips and tricks they have learned along the way that made them Innovators in the DFIR Community. Immediately following the Summit, SANS will offer nine hands-on information security courses which teach specific analysis techniques and capabilities to help detect and respond to some of the most sophisticated threats. Attendees will also have the opportunity to test their skills and go head-to-head against their peers during the SANS DFIR NetWars Tournament competition.

“The SANS DFIR Summit is my go-to event each year. The summit provides talks on new research performed by industry leading experts, which as an attendee turns into actionable information that can be immediately applied to case work. The DFIR Summit also provides a fantastic opportunity to network with peers in this industry, which can be just as important as the talks themselves. Whether you’re a beginner in the field, or a seasoned professional, the DFIR Summit is the you-can’t-miss-this event each year,” said Jerod Alexander, Director of Incident Response Team at Stroz Friedberg.

For more information on the SANS DFIR Summit and Training 2017, or to register, please visit www.sans.org/digital-forensics-summit-2017. For full Agenda details please visit: www.sans.org/event/digital-forensics-summit-2017/summit-overview