News

Positive Hack Camp 2026: two weeks of intensive hands-on training for early-career cybersecurity researchers from 20 countries

Positive Hack Camp 2026 has launched in Moscow. The global educational initiative, run by Positive Technologies and Positive Education and supported by Russia's Ministry of Digital Development, is designed for early‑career cybersecurity professionals. From July 25 to August 9, participants will take part in 30 hands‑on training sessions led by top cybersecurity experts, featuring walkthroughs of real‑world attack scenarios. Positive Hack Camp's mission is to develop the next generation of cybersecurity talent, helping organizations and countries worldwide strengthen cyber resilience and advance digital sovereignty.

More than 800 applications were submitted for Positive Hack Camp 2026. With a limited number of seats available, the organizers tightened the selection process this year to identify the strongest candidates. During interviews, applicants were expected to demonstrate solid IT fundamentals, strong motivation to build a career in cybersecurity, and the required level of English proficiency. As a result, over 80 early‑career specialists from 20 countries traveled to Russia, including participants from China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and other countries across Southeast Asia, the Middle East, Africa, and Latin America.

For early-career professionals, Positive Hack Camp can serve as a career catalyst. In 2025, for instance, three participants from Algeria secured roles at Deeptech Innovation Hub, a business accelerator affiliated with CERIST, the national research center.

"Last year, three winners of our Cybersecurity Youth Challenge hackathon in Algeria completed an intensive, hands‑on program at Positive Hack Camp, training with leading experts. All three ranked in the top five out of more than 90 participants. When they returned to Algeria, we brought them on board, recognizing the exceptional value of the experience they gained in Moscow. Today, they are contributing to national cybersecurity initiatives and helping develop skilled talent that can strengthen Algeria's cyber resilience. This year, two young women are among the three participants selected to attend Positive Hack Camp, an outcome we are particularly proud of."

Imane Benkhelifa
Imane BenkhelifaChair of Deeptech Innovation Hub

In 2026, Positive Hack Camp will be led by Positive Technologies experts specializing in operating system security research and software vulnerability discovery, reverse engineers from Positive Labs, and CyberED instructors. Alongside mentors from Russia, the program will also feature two ethical hackers from Lebanon, Hussein Daher and Mohammad Daher, who have collectively reported more than 2,000 vulnerabilities and security weaknesses through leading global bug bounty platforms. Over the two‑week program, early‑career specialists will build skills in threat modeling for IT infrastructure and assessing defensive controls, using network traffic analysis tools, and applying privilege escalation techniques across web applications, operating systems, and networks. The camp will also include a cultural program, with participants visiting Moscow's key landmarks and learning more about Russia's history and culture.

"Now in its third year, Positive Hack Camp has become a major event for the global community of cybersecurity professionals. International partners are increasingly interested not only in Russian cyberdefense products, but also in the deep expertise developed in Russia. The team at Positive Technologies is ready to share its unique know‑how and practical experience with peers around the world. That is the mission of the camp: to strengthen the professional community. The intensive, practice‑driven program gives participants the opportunity to work through real‑world attack scenarios, learn advanced security assessment methodologies, and put that knowledge into practice to improve the cyber resilience of critical infrastructure in their home countries."

Dmitry Serebryannikov
Dmitry SerebryannikovManaging Director and Chief Hacking Officer at Positive Technologies

This year, representatives of several diplomatic missions in Moscow attended the Positive Hack Camp opening ceremony, including Algerian Ambassador Toufik Jouama, Iranian Ambassador Kazem Jalali, Indian Deputy Ambassador Nikhilesh Giri, Indonesian Education Attache Khoirul Rosyadi, Nguyen Doan Hai, Counselor and Head of the Economic Department at the Embassy of Vietnam, and Nguyen Quoc Hung, Director of the Traditions and Friendship Foundation for Promoting Russian‑Vietnamese Cooperation.

Positive Hack Camp is an annual international program focused on practical cybersecurity. The inaugural event in 2024 brought nearly 70 young professionals from 20 countries to Moscow. The project saw strong growth in 2025, with applications more than doubling year over year. More than 90 high‑potential specialists from 25 countries across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East attended last year's Positive Hack Camp.