About us
SecTalks is one of the world’s largest non-profit Cyber Security communities, with chapters spanning multiple continents. We host free monthly events focused on technical security topics and practical security challenges. Our sessions are designed for a broad audience, from those just starting out through to experienced professionals.
#### What happens at SecTalks Gold Coast?
SecTalks Gold Coast is all about knowledge sharing, hands-on learning, and networking. We host an informal meetup where attendees can connect with others in the local community and hear presentations on information security topics.
We welcome discussion and learning across all areas of security, including:
Penetration Testing, Red Teaming, Social Engineering, Phishing, Exploit Development, Security Automation, DevSecOps, SecDevOps, Secure Development, Application Security, Security Architecture, Cloud Security, Security Operations, SIEM, Incident Response, Threat Hunting, Forensics, Network Security, Governance, Risk Management, Compliance, and more.
#### Who is the meetup for?
Anyone with an interest in information security is welcome, from beginners and students through to experienced practitioners.
SecTalks is a community-focused event, not a sales forum. It is not the place to attend with the intention of promoting products or services.
#### How does SecTalks Gold Coast operate?
SecTalks Gold Coast is run by volunteers, including Paula Sillars, Paul McCarty, Michael Skelton (@Codingo), and Ricki Burke (@CyberSecRicki), for the benefit of the local community. Our goal is to create a welcoming environment where people can share ideas, learn from one another, and build connections.
SecTalks Gold Coast operates under a strict Code of Conduct.
Upcoming events
2
SecTalks Gold Coast 3x3 - April 2026 - DPRK Contagious Interview Explained
Cohort Innovation Space, 16 Nexus Way, Southport, QL, AUGold Coast SecTalks for April is now on Wednesday, 15th of April, 2026, at COHORT Innovation Space.
DPRK Contagious Interview Explained
OG speaker Paul McCarty will give us a sneak peek of his new research-based presentation, "DPRK "Contagious Interview" Explained". Contagious Interview is the North Korean DPRK threat campaign that has been ongoing since 2023. This campaign targets software engineers on LinkedIn, Fiverr, Upwork, and other platforms that offer high-paying developer jobs. As part of the job interview, a recruiter asks the developer to download source code from GitHub and identify issues in it, which is a very common occurrence in real job interviews.
Unfortunately, the jobs and the recruiter are fake, but the malware hidden in the source code is very real.Paul McCarty is well known to the SecTalks group as he's one of the founding members. You can find Paul on LinkedIn or GitHub.
Drinks are provided by our sponsor, Solis, and pizza is provided by Cyber Audit Team. As usual, our venue is sponsored by COHORT.
GC SecTalks maintains a strict Code of Conduct.
52 attendeesSecTalks Gold Coast 3x4 - May 2026 - Code, Bugs & Bots with Az
Cohort Innovation Space, 16 Nexus Way, Southport, QL, AUGold Coast SecTalks for May is Tuesday, 5th May, 2026, at COHORT Innovation Space.
Code, Bugs & Bots: AI vs Humans in Code Review
Code review is one of the most critical steps in securing software—but traditional manual reviews can be time-consuming, inconsistent, and prone to human error. In this one-hour technical session, we’ll explore how AI-assisted code review tools can complement manual processes, helping identify vulnerabilities, enforce coding standards, and catch subtle security flaws faster.
The session will cover:- Manual Code Review Best Practices: How to spot security vulnerabilities, common pitfalls, and maintain code quality.
- AI in Code Review: How modern AI tools work—static analysis, pattern recognition, anomaly detection, and predictive vulnerability spotting.
- Integrating AI and Human Review: Where AI shines, where human judgement is critical, and how to avoid overreliance.
- Real-World Examples: Demonstrations of AI identifying vulnerabilities that manual reviews might miss, plus lessons learned.
- Practical Takeaways: Tips for adopting AI-assisted review in DevSecOps workflows, balancing speed, accuracy, and security compliance.
By the end of this session, attendees will understand how open source and AI assisted code review tools can be used as governance and risk enablers, how they complement human oversight, and how they improve security assurance without removing accountability or professional judgement.
Az is an accomplished information security professional specialising in helping businesses implement and audit ISO 27001 and ACSC frameworks using Microsoft 365 tools. As both an auditor and implementor, Az leverages her expertise to ensure organisations achieve robust security compliance and governance. In addition to her professional practice, Az is a passionate educator, having taught at the University of the Sunshine Coast and facilitated courses on Cyber Security Governance, Policy, Ethics, and Law at University of Queensland. Her love for teaching and delivering content is evident in her engaging and insightful instruction. Az's industry engagement includes participating in the prestigious RSA CISO Bootcamp last year and presenting at notable conferences such as the AISA Conference in Melbourne (2023) and Canberra (2024). She was an inaugural chapter lead for Australian Women in Security Network (AWSN) for Sunshine Coast Chapter. Her contributions to these events underscore her commitment to advancing the field of information security.
Drinks are provided by our sponsor, Solis, and pizza is provided by Cyber Audit Team. As usual, our venue is sponsored by COHORT.
GC SecTalks maintains a strict Code of Conduct.
18 attendees
Past events
40
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