Tashkent, Uzbekistan (UzDaily.uz) — The international Cybersecurity Summit — Central Eurasia (CSS 2026) was held in Tashkent on 5–7 October, bringing together more than 600 delegates from over 30 countries.
Participants discussed the protection of critical infrastructure, the security of digital systems and businesses, and emerging threats associated with technological development.
The summit was organised by Uzbekistan’s Cybersecurity Center in cooperation with British company Dialogue Events.
The event provided a platform for exchanging international experience, discussing modern solutions and developing professional ties among members of the cybersecurity community.
Discussions covered the evolving nature of global cyber threats, the protection of information systems and personal data, and the safe use of digitalisation opportunities.
Participants highlighted the importance of international cooperation, noting that cyberattacks can affect organisations and countries beyond the territory where they originate.
Benedict Boreited, Deputy Director of the Peace, Stability and Security Department at French organisation Expertise France, presented the organisation’s experience with cybersecurity projects implemented in Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries.
She said this was the organisation’s second participation in the summit and noted that holding an event of this scale in Uzbekistan reflected growing attention to discussing modern solutions in the field.
She emphasised that cooperation between Europe and Central Asia makes it possible to combine the knowledge and experience of different countries while adapting effective solutions to local conditions. In her view, the global nature of cyber threats requires coordinated approaches and close cooperation.
Elman Muradov, a representative of Azerbaijan’s National Cybersecurity Agency under the Ministry of Digital Development and Transport, also highlighted the forum’s importance as a platform for exchanging views and professional experience among specialists from Central Asia and other regions.
One of the summit’s key events was the Cyberkent 4.0 competition, held on 5–6 October. It aimed to test participants’ practical skills, identify talented specialists and increase young people’s interest in cybersecurity. The competition attracted more than 2,500 participants and guests.
The programme covered seven areas: Red Team, Blue Team, open challenges, the CyberQuiz competition, Bug Bounty, Cybermergan and the Cybermuloqot seminar and training session.
In the Red Team competitions, participants carried out tasks involving system security testing and vulnerability identification.
For this purpose, the organisers prepared a Cyberkent model recreating an environment based on 24 real addresses. This format made it possible to simulate scenarios resembling practical conditions for assessing information system security.
Blue Team participants, in turn, practised defending virtual infrastructure, detecting cyberattacks, preventing incidents and mitigating their consequences. These tasks required technical expertise, rapid analysis and coordinated teamwork.
The international format of the competition allowed participants to exchange experience with colleagues from other countries.
Belarusian representative Alyaksei Tsymbalau noted that the cross-border nature of cyber threats makes professional contacts and joint efforts particularly important. He said two Belarusian teams took part in this year’s competition, giving them an opportunity to test their skills and gain new experience.
Kuyoshbek Mirzakamolov, head of information security at Enersok and the company’s chief information security officer (CISO), who attended the summit for the second time, stressed the importance of bringing specialists together to find solutions to emerging threats, including those associated with the development of artificial intelligence.
He also highlighted the practical value of Red Team and Blue Team scenarios for testing security measures and preparing for potential attacks.
Other Cyberkent 4.0 activities covered various aspects of digital security. The CTF Master open challenge tested participants’ technical knowledge and problem-solving skills, while The AI Underworld focused on analysing threats and attack scenarios involving artificial intelligence. In Attack Surface AI, participants identified potential vulnerabilities in AI-based systems and assessed their security.
The Bug Bounty category focused on vulnerability discovery. CyberQuiz allowed participants to test their cybersecurity knowledge and interact with industry representatives.
More than 200 prizes, including commemorative gifts, were provided for CyberQuiz participants. Cybermergan featured gaming challenges testing accuracy and reaction speed.
The Cybermuloqot seminar and training session was designed to facilitate experience-sharing between young participants and industry professionals.
CSS 2026 and Cyberkent 4.0 combined discussions of international approaches to cybersecurity with practical skills testing.
The events aimed to develop the professional community, strengthen cooperation and prepare specialists to address modern digital threats.
