Sp4rkCon 2025 Agenda

April 12, 2025 | 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. | 6 hrs. Attendees can use their registration Confirmation Number or QR code to check-in. A valid government issued ID will be required at check-in. A light breakfast, coffee and refreshments will be served during check-in. Expo booths are open for exploring.

9:00 a.m. | 10 min | Jerry Geisler, EVP and CISO will kick off Sp4rkCon 2025!

9:10 a.m. | 45 min | Join Robert Herjavec—globally renowned cybersecurity expert, Founder of Cyderes, and Emmy Award-winning producer of Shark Tank—as he sits down with Jerry Geisler, Executive Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer at Walmart to take you on a journey through his remarkable 20+ year career in cybersecurity.

10:00 a.m. | 45 min | Introduction and virtual tour of Walmart’s new Global Security Operations Center (GSOC). Session will cover details on how the GSOC supports Walmart's mission to be the safest place to work and shop. Speakers will also discuss the intersection with InfoSec, specifically the partnerships with the Security Operations Center (SOC) and Network Operations Centers (NOCs).

10:50 a.m. | 45 min | In today's digital age, SMS has become a prime target for cybercriminals using social engineering tactics to deceive users and businesses alike. This lecture explores the evolving landscape of SMS mobile fraud, highlighting common schemes and horror stories, attack vectors, and preventive measures.

11:40 a.m. | 45 min | As the threat landscape is massively expanding against OT systems, we want to shed some light on inherent risks and the ways in which OT and IT can work together and keep the arguments centered around important topics like music and food.

12:25 p.m. | 45 min | Step away from your seat to grab some delicious eats and check out the Sp4rkCon expo booths.

1:15 p.m. | 45 min | As AI becomes more powerful, the real competitive advantage isn't in the technology—it's in the human mind. In this engaging keynote, Cassie Kozyrkov challenges leaders to rethink their role in a world where AI delivers perfect answers in seconds.

2:05 p.m. | 45 min | In today's fast-paced digital landscape, cybersecurity professionals are constantly challenged to balance the need for rapid delivery with the imperative to manage risk effectively. This session will explore the trade-offs involved in making these critical decisions and provide insights into how to prioritize what is best for customers and patients.

2:55 p.m. | 45 min | The presentation will cover the social engineering North Korean actors use to successfully gain employment at United States companies to generate revenue for the regime and, when possible, deploy malicious software to exfiltrate data for attempted ransom or proliferation to state-actors.

3:45 p.m. | 45 min | Globally, the implementation of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is revolutionizing the ways that consumers, corporations, and governments harness big data. This revolution will undoubtedly continue improving and impacting the lives of millions of people across the globe by streamlining complex systems, analyzing large data, and automating repetitive tasks.

4:35 p.m. | 10 min | Myra Herrington will deliver the Sp4rkCon 2025's closing remarks.

5:30 p.m. | 2.5 hrs | After Sp4rkCon 2025 wraps up at the David Glass Technology Center, head on over to Bike Rack Brewing Co. - 8th St. Brewery & Taproom - Market District to unwind with a night of music, food, and fun. Bring your Sp4rkCon event badge to gain access to some yummy bites on us!

45 min | This session will explore the essential components of runtime security and real-time monitoring in application security, focusing on Container Security and Secret Scanning. Hardcoding secrets in code are a significant security risk as it can expose sensitive data such as passwords, API keys or encryption keys, putting a company's intellectual property at risk.