892 Research Papers Put Cybersecurity in Focus at UPES International Conference

Vice Chancellor Dr Sunil Rai highlighted the role of universities in cyber resilience as ICACSDF 2026 accepted 186 papers following reviews by 469 experts worldwide

UPES brought researchers, cybersecurity professionals, industry practitioners and students together for the International Conference on Advancement in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics, ICACSDF 2026, with discussions spanning emerging cyber threats, digital crimes and security research.
Organised by the School of Computer Science, UPES, the conference was sponsored by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Uttar Pradesh Section.
Research participation formed a significant part of the conference. ICACSDF 2026 received 892 research paper submissions, of which 186 were accepted following peer review involving 469 reviewers from around the world.

The conference covered AI and machine learning applications in cybersecurity, cyber threat intelligence, digital forensics, post quantum and quantum cryptography, IoT security, blockchain and distributed systems, software and web security, incident response, and governance, risk and compliance.
The supplied conference information cited CERT In data referenced by the Ministry of Home Affairs in March 2026, stating that India recorded 29.44 lakh cybersecurity incidents in 2025, compared with 20.41 lakh in 2024. This represents an increase of nearly 44 per cent.

Information provided with the conference also cited the World Economic Forum’s Global Cybersecurity Outlook 2026, which reported that 87 per cent of respondents identified vulnerabilities related to AI as the fastest growing cyber risk.
Lt. Gen. Gurmit Singh, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, VSM, Retd, Governor of Uttarakhand and Chief Guest at the conference, said, “I am very happy to be here at the inaugural ceremony of the ‘Advancements in Cyber Security and Digital Forensics Conference’. It gives me immense pleasure to be a part of this important conference. I warmly congratulate the organisers for bringing to the centre of discussion subjects that are directly connected with our country’s development, technological progress and national security.”

Dr Sunil Rai, Vice Chancellor, UPES, said, “As societies and economies become increasingly digital, cyber resilience is fundamental to building trust in our connected future. Universities have an important role in bringing together research, technology and industry expertise to anticipate emerging threats and develop responsible, practical solutions. ICACSDF 2026 created an important platform for researchers, practitioners and students to exchange knowledge, deepen collaboration and advance solutions in areas such as AI-enabled cybersecurity, digital forensics and next-generation security.”
Experts from the University of Auckland, Boise State University, IIT Kharagpur, IIEST Shibpur, Indian Statistical Institute Kolkata and IIT Roorkee participated in the conference.

Keynote speakers included Prof. Steven Galbraith, Prof. Edoardo Serra, Prof. Raja Datta, Prof. Sipra Das Bit, Prof. Goutam Paul and Prof. Sanjeev Kumar.
Industry and invited experts included representatives from Palo Alto Networks, BAMKO, Superior Group of Companies and Aliah University.
Discussions also addressed international research collaboration, threat intelligence exchange, cybersecurity skills, security standards, regulatory issues and industry practices.
Through ICACSDF 2026, UPES brought academic research and industry perspectives onto a common platform as cybersecurity incidents and emerging technologies continue to create new areas of study and professional concern.

ABOUT UPES
UPES was established through the UPES Act, 2003, of the State Legislature of Uttarakhand and is a UGC recognised private university.
According to the supplied institutional information, UPES was ranked 45 among universities in the National Institutional Ranking Framework 2025, with rankings of 18 in Law, 36 in Management and 43 in Engineering.
The supplied information states that UPES is placed in the 501 to 600 band globally in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2026 and fifth in India. It also states that the university ranked 299 globally for Research Quality.
According to information provided by UPES, the QS World University Rankings 2026 ranked it first among private universities in India for academic reputation. The university also states that more than 50 of its faculty members feature among the world’s top two per cent of researchers on the Stanford University list.
UPES offers graduate and postgraduate programmes through seven schools and has more than 20,000 students, over 1,500 faculty and staff members, and an alumni community exceeding 40,000.

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