This November, OPSWAT Academy is launching CIDX - the Critical Infrastructure Defense Experience - a landmark cyber security event in Europe, and one of the most anticipated cyber security events on the calendar this year. CIDX Europe 2026 is Edition 1 of a new cyber security awareness event dedicated to the systems modern society runs on: energy, water, transport, healthcare and manufacturing. As a flagship cyber security event in London, it lands as a single day at King's College London on Saturday, 7 November.
Why CIDX, and why now?
Attacks are increasingly moving from IT into operational technology, even as regulation like NIS2 and IEC 62443 raises the bar for operators. At the same time, the talent pipeline hasn't kept up: universities produce plenty of IT-security graduates, but far fewer who have ever touched an industrial environment, and fewer still who are comfortable moving between IT & OT security. CIDX exists to close that gap - turning cyber security awareness into practised, hands-on skill, and connecting students, professionals, educators, government and critical-infrastructure operators around a single mission.
Critical infrastructure protection is the ground OPSWAT has always occupied. CIDX is the field expression of that focus - a cyber security event built specifically for IT & OT security, in a category no competitor has claimed.
Not any other conference. A hands-on cyber security experience.
CIDX Europe 2026 runs as a single day built around:
- Registration & opening - welcome and framing for the day ahead
- A curated OPSWAT cybersecurity film on real-world OT and industrial incidents
- An OT security keynote from OPSWAT-invited experts on ICS, SCADA and NIS2
- Technical sessions - deep dives into industrial firewalls, data diodes and incident response that sharpen practical cybersecurity skills you can use the same week
- An interactive demonstration zone and a cyber career corner
- Awards & closing - certificates, recognition and networking
Every participant leaves with a personalised OPSWAT Academy certificate, real hands-on CTF experience, expert-led OT knowledge, sharper cybersecurity skills, and a network of peers who take critical-infrastructure defense seriously.
Build cybersecurity skills - and walk away with proof
CIDX isn't only about the day itself.
That certificate of completion is proof of cybersecurity skills that goes further than a line on a résumé - and for many attendees, CIDX is also a first step toward a full cyber security certification. OPSWAT Academy's own catalog of cybersecurity certifications gives you a structured path to keep building on what you practise at CIDX, long after the day is over. If you've been weighing up a cybersecurity course to formalize your OT knowledge, CIDX is the perfect place to test what you already know before you commit.
The day :
📅 Saturday, 7 November 2026
📍 King's College London
🎯 Expected to have 350-400+ attendees from universities, industry, government, critical-infrastructure operators and healthcare
It's shaping up to be one of the standout cyber security events in London this year.
A cyber security event in Europe built to grow
CIDX Europe 2026 is the founding edition of what's designed as an evergreen global franchise - the first in a growing series of cyber security events in Europe and beyond. Future regional editions - CIDX MEA (Middle East & Africa) and CIDX APAC - are planned from 2027, each anchored by local universities, industry and government partners, with the ambition of making CIDX to OT-security awareness what the world's biggest security conferences are to enterprise security.
Who it's for:
CIDX Europe 2026 is a cyber security event built for anyone working at the intersection of IT & OT security:
- Students and emerging talent looking for their first hands-on encounter with OT security and a clear route into OPSWAT Academy certifications
- Cybersecurity professionals who want current OT knowledge and practical challenges that stretch real skills
- Educators and universities looking for curriculum relevance and a direct line to industry
- Government and critical-infrastructure operators looking for a neutral forum for collaboration and visibility into the talent pipeline defending their sectors
From CIDX to your next cybersecurity course
CIDX is designed to be a starting point, not an endpoint. OPSWAT Academy offers a full catalog of cybersecurity courses covering OT, ICS and SCADA security - the same disciplines CIDX puts into practice. Many attendees enrol in an OPSWAT Academy cybersecurity course the same week, turning a single day of hands-on cybersecurity skills into a structured cyber security certification path that carries real weight with employers across IT & OT security roles.
Frequently Asked Questions:
OPSWAT Academy is OPSWAT's dedicated training and certification arm, built to close the skills gap in critical infrastructure and IT & OT security. It offers cybersecurity courses, hands-on labs and cybersecurity certifications for students, professionals, educators and government teams working across OT, ICS and SCADA environments. CIDX Europe 2026 is OPSWAT Academy's flagship cyber security event, taking that same mission and turning it into a single, hands-on day.
CIDX - the Critical Infrastructure Defense Experience - is OPSWAT Academy's flagship cyber security event dedicated to defending the systems modern life depends on: energy, water, transport, healthcare and manufacturing. CIDX Europe 2026 is Edition 1, running as a single day at King's College London on Saturday, 7 November.
Anyone with a stake in IT & OT security. That includes students and emerging talent, cybersecurity professionals, educators, government representatives and critical-infrastructure operators. No prior OT experience is required - the day is built to work for complete beginners and seasoned practitioners alike.
Yes. Registration is free and takes less than two minutes online. Seats are limited, so early registration is recommended.
Every attendee leaves with a personalized OPSWAT Academy certificate of completion, real hands-on CTF experience, and a network of peers across industry, academia and government. It's proof of cybersecurity skills you can point to well after the day itself is over.
CIDX isn't built to be watched - it's built to be experienced. Instead of sitting through slides, you'll work through hands-on challenges, hear directly from practitioners rather than vendors, and test real skills against live scenarios.
