Archives: Seminar

[1 CPE] AI-Native Networking: From Reactive IT to Autonomous Operations

  Presented by Josh Miller, Sr Sales Engineer • HPE

Traditional networks were designed for human troubleshooting. As environments scale and expectations rise, reactive operations and manual workflows no longer meet the needs of modern enterprises.

AI-Native Networking represents a fundamental architectural shift — where AI is not layered on top of infrastructure, but built into its foundation. By combining real-time telemetry, cloud-native microservices, and continuously trained models, AI-Native platforms move IT from reactive firefighting to autonomous operations.

The result: measurable improvements in user experience, reduced operational overhead, faster root-cause resolution, and infrastructure that continuously optimizes itself.

This session explores what it truly means to be AI-native, how it differs from legacy “AI-enhanced” approaches, and the business outcomes organizations are achieving by embracing this new model.

[1 CPE] 30 Years of Security Assumptions Broke: Rethinking Security Controls in the Age of AI

  Presented by Pete Petersen, Sales Engineer • Silverfort

Frontier AI has quietly retired a three-decade assumption: that defenders have time to react after an attacker moves. Autonomous models now compress full attack chains into minutes, chaining ordinary misconfigurations at machine speed with no hesitation and no fatigue. Detection becomes forensic instead of preventive. Vulnerability management can’t patch fast enough. Periodic access reviews can’t review fast enough.

The answer requires a fundamental shift: from preset admin-time access rules and too-reactive detection to controls placed at the moment it matters most: runtime. Every identity, human, machine, or AI agent, must authenticate to act. That moment is the only control point capable of operating at machine speed, intervening before lateral movement begins.

This session gives security leaders the framework to drive that shift — examining why traditional controls collapse against AI-powered adversaries, what runtime enforcement looks like in practice, and how to elevate identity to a genuine, autonomous enforcement point at the center of a modern security operating model.

[1 CPE] The Future of Ransomware is Here: ESET’s Latest Threat Report

  Presented by Wafi Choudhury, Enterprise Account Manager • ESET

Join us for an in‑depth walkthrough of the most significant insights from ESET’s latest Threat Report. This session will examine the rise of AI‑assisted attacks, including the discovery of PromptLock, an AI‑powered ransomware prototype. We’ll also explore key shifts in malware‑as‑a‑service, NFC‑driven fraud, and PowerShell‑based delivery techniques, and gain a clear understanding of how ransomware operations are evolving and reshaping today’s threat landscape.

[1 CPE] Building Trust for What’s Next: PKI Modernization & Quantum Readiness

  Presented by Jared Mensinger, Sr Solutions Engineer  • DigiCert

Certificate lifetimes are shrinking. Browser requirements are evolving. Machine identities are growing exponentially. At the same time, organizations are beginning to plan for post-quantum cryptography while supporting new AI-driven systems that depend on trusted digital interactions.

These changes are transforming PKI from a traditional security function into the operational trust layer for modern business.

This session provides a practical roadmap for modernizing PKI, improving visibility into machine identities, automating certificate lifecycle management, and building crypto-agility for future cryptographic transitions. Attendees will leave with actionable steps to reduce operational risk today while preparing for post-quantum security and the next generation of digital trust.

[1 CPE] Proving Cyber Resilience: Measuring Outcomes, Not Effort

  Presented by Andy Rezabek, Sales Engineer • Horizon3.ai

Most security programs measure effort — not outcomes. Organizations patch thousands of vulnerabilities, deploy dozens of tools, and run annual tabletop exercises… but when an attacker shows up, none of that matters.

What matters is whether they can prove their defenses actually work.

In this talk, Horizon3.ai shares how leading organizations are using autonomous pentesting to see their environment through the attacker’s eyes — continuously, safely, and at scale. By shifting from assumptions to proof, they’ve learned to:

  • Prioritize what’s exploitable. Focus limited resources on the weaknesses that truly put the business at risk that are known to be abused by threat actors.
  • Quickly fix what matters. Close the loop from find → fix → verify and reduce your exploitable attack surface.
  • Reduce attacker dwell time. Use pentest results to precisely deploy honeyTokens to detect compromise early, and to continuously prove your EDR and SIEM are tuned and working as intended.

Cyber resilience isn’t about being perfect — it’s about getting better over time. And the only perspective that truly matters is the attacker’s.

[1 CPE] Copilot: Free Ride or First Class?

  Presented by Chris Watson, Sr Systems Engineer • High Point Networks

Not all Copilot experiences are created equal—so are you getting a free ride, or flying first class?

In this session, Chris Watson cuts through the hype to show what Microsoft Copilot actually delivers at the basic level—and what changes when you move to premium. Through real-world scenarios and practical demonstrations, you’ll see where Copilot saves time, where it falls short, and where premium features unlock real business value across Teams, Outlook, Excel, and security workflows.

Whether you’re evaluating Copilot or already rolling it out, you’ll leave with a clear understanding of what you’re paying for—and how to make it worth it.

[1 CPE] Modern Breaches: Lessons for Security Leaders

  Presented by Tim Medin • Founder, CEO, Red Siege

Today’s breaches rarely happen because of a single missed patch or one overlooked alert. They happen when attackers combine phishing, social engineering, ransomware tactics, exposed systems, and misaligned priorities to turn small weaknesses into business-level incidents.

In this keynote, Tim Medin provides a focused look at how modern cyberattacks actually unfold and what security leaders need to take from them. The session examines the tactics used in real-world breaches, why teams often spend time on vulnerabilities that are easy to track instead of risks that are most likely to be exploited, and how leadership can better align security efforts with the threats that matter most.

Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of today’s threat landscape, the common gaps attackers rely on, and practical ways to prioritize prevention, mitigation, and response across the organization.

Tim spent more than a dozen years teaching thousands of students as Senior Instructor and course author of SEC560: Enterprise Penetration Testing at The SANS Institute. Through the course of his career, Tim has performed penetration tests on a wide range of organizations and technologies. Tim has gained information security experience in a variety of industries including previous positions in control systems, higher education, financial services, and manufacturing.

Tim is an experienced international speaker, having presented to organizations around the world. Tim earned his MBA through the University of Texas and recently completed an eMBA equivalent through Harvard Business School.

[1 CPE] Hiring IT Talent in Montana: A Panel Discussion on What Works

  Presented by INTERFACE Advisory Council

Finding experienced IT professionals in Montana continues to be a significant challenge. How is your organization addressing this issue? Have you explored hiring remote workers? If so, with what results? Many IT professionals will bounce around from different positions for salary increases that may not be as beneficial as they seem. How can the IT staffer make the right decisions and not create unforeseen career challenges?

Join the INTERFACE Montana Advisory Council for an open discussion on IT staffing challenges for both the manager and employees. This discussion will be led by your peers that can share their experiences in filling IT roles. They can also provide advice to the younger IT worker who wants to advance up the ladder. Additionally, we’ll discuss strategies for identifying and cultivating local tech talent. Join us for an open and practical conversation about real solutions to Montana IT workforce challenges.

Panelists:

  • Jason Emery, Manager, IT Security, Consumer Direct Care Network
  • Peter Martinson, Managing Director, Strategic IT, Montana State University
  • Jessica Ritchie, Risk Management Bureau Chief, State of Montana
  • Michele Snowberger, IT Chief of Staff, State of Montana

[1 CPE] Driving Successful AI Adoption

  Presented by Hunter Helfgott, Data & AI Consultant, & Hayden Busic, Data & AI Product Manager • Cerium Networks

In this session, we’ll cover the critical steps organizations can take to adopt AI successfully this year, including proven strategies, common pitfalls, and practical frameworks to move from experimentation to enterprise-wide implementation. You’ll leave with actionable guidance to align AI initiatives with business goals, build organizational buy-in, and measure ROI in a way that lasts.

AI adoption is about making AI deliver real business outcomes without creating unnecessary risk, rework, or frustration.

What We’ll Cover

  • The state of AI adoption in mid-2026: key trends and challenges teams are facing
  • Lessons learned: what working, what doesn’t, and what to do differently going forward
  • A practical framework for successful AI adoption: from strategy to execution
  • Measuring success: KPIs, governance, and how to prove value over time

Advisory Council Roundtables

Join us during the lunch hour for Advisory Council Roundtables, an interactive opportunity to connect with council members and peers on a variety of timely industry topics. Move freely between tables, share your perspective, and gather practical insights you can take back to your organization. These conversations are informal, high-value, and designed to spark ideas and connection.

Topics & Discussion Leaders:

  • AI Usage in Your Office: What You Need To Do First
    Shane Kolwyck, Technology Manager, Central Plumbing, Heating, Excavation
  • Get More Out of Your IT Spending
    • Ken Marshal, Chief Technology Officer, Missoula County, MT
    • Fred Wiegand – Director, Information Security, Stockman Bank of Montana
  • IT Staffing: Onboarding for Success
    Brett Schneider, Director, Information Technology, St. John’s United
  • Security Awareness: What Methods Work to “Secure the Human”
    Tina O’Donnell, VP, Manager, Operational Risk Glacier Bancorp, Inc.