Boston Security September Meetup

Important Notices

Back in May 2026 we started using Meetup's QR code check-in process to make sure only registered users are allowed at our events. We will also start tracking registered user no-shows, and after 3 incidents you will be removed from the group. Being on the wait-list is not an eligibility to attend the event, it only gives you the ability to move to registered list if someone cancels their registration more than 48hrs prior to the event.
Repeat cancellations with less than 48 hrs of notice may count towards your no-show count if it happens repeatedly.

During registration please provide a full name that matches the one on your ID. If the registered name doesn't match your ID, meetup organizers or the building security reserve the right to decline entry.

All meetup venues we currently use require us to provide a list of names (First & Last) to their door security so they can check people in at the time of the event. We are also required to bring "a picture ID" that matches the name we provide at the time of registration. Please be mindful of this requirement and provide the necessary information to ensure a smooth check in process at the door. Thank you for your cooperation - the management! There will be no entry without a confirmed RSVP. No pets or tele-presence bots allowed.

What: Two talks as usual

>>> Bring your favorite stickers and tell us where you got it. Bring extras and swap it with fellow security enthusiasts at the sticker swap table! <<<

Talk 1 - Ransomware Defense and Recovery by Joseph Davis

Description - A practical, defender-focused look at how modern human-operated ransomware campaigns actually unfold: from initial access and privilege escalation to lateral movement, data theft, and encryption. Drawing on 30+ years in the field, this session walks through the anatomy of a real intrusion and turns it into a concrete defender playbook: the controls that break the attack chain, the detections that matter most, and the backup and recovery practices that let an organization refuse to pay and still recover quickly. Attendees leave with a prioritized checklist they can apply to their own environments.

Speaker Bio - Joseph Davis, Chief Security Advisor at Microsoft, with 30+ years in cybersecurity and risk leadership.

Talk 2 - A Zero Trust Architecture for Agentic AI: Practical Guidance by Jason Garbis

Description - Agentic AI has outpaced our security playbook, with end users and developers deploying agents at a speed that often leaves security behind. And the risks are real: agents have already leaked sensitive data, taken destructive actions, and cost enterprises real money, with worse to come.

Fortunately, Zero Trust gives us a way forward. The same principles that secure users and workloads can also apply to AI agents. We introduce an Agentic AI maturity model, showing how Zero Trust principles apply via agent identity, authorization, and action control, and introduce a reference architecture built on open source identity and policy components.

Speaker Bio - Jason Garbis is an author and industry leader focused on helping enterprises define and execute effective Zero Trust strategies.

When: Sept 17 2026, Doors open 6 30 PM

Where: FHL Bank Boston
800 Boylston St. 6th Floor, Boston, MA