Wisconsin
Milwaukee, WI cybersecurity events & groups
Milwaukee's regular security meetings happen mostly in the suburbs: dc414 meets on first Fridays in West Allis, BurbSec Milwaukee on third Thursdays in Greendale, and MilSec (roughly monthly on Thursday evenings) and ISSA Milwaukee (second Tuesday afternoons) at the New Berlin Ale House. Downtown, the Midwest Cyber Security Alliance runs free early-evening briefings a few times a year. The biggest week is Hacker Spring Break, when CypherCon (March 24 and 25, 2027) at the Baird Center is followed by BSidesMKE on March 26.
Start here
- dc414 (DEF CON Group Milwaukee): Free, open hacker meetup every first Friday evening, with food and drinks at the bar.
- Milwaukee Information Security Group (MilSec): Free infosec networking night with a short talk; no dues and drinks are often provided.
- BSidesMKE (BSides Milwaukee): Community-run conference with tickets from $50, held the day after CypherCon.
Six months at a glance
Datebook
November 2026
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter Meeting: Securing Industrial Protocols
Tue, Nov 10, 2026 · Early arrival 3:00 p.m.; talk 3:30 to 5:00 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin · Metro area
An OT field guide for IT and security teams: why Modbus, DNP3 and EtherNet/IP lack authentication, and how segmentation and passive monitoring protect them, presented by an infrastructure security engineer at Amtrak. No OT background required. The venue comes from the chapter's recurring meeting rule; the talk slide does not print it.
ConfirmedChapter meetingFree
ASIS Annual Law Enforcement Appreciation Luncheon
Thu, Nov 12, 2026 · 11:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.
Bucyrus Club, 1919 12th Ave, South Milwaukee · Metro area
Adjacent: the physical security chapter's yearly luncheon honoring southeastern Wisconsin law enforcement. Tickets are $50 for members and non-members; sponsorships are $50 and $100.
ConfirmedMeetupPaid
ASIS NextGen Networking Event
Thu, Nov 19, 2026 · 3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
X-Golf, 1 Brewers Way, Milwaukee
Adjacent: a networking event run by the physical security chapter, not a cybersecurity event. Registration is through the chapter site; the page states no price or eligibility, and the chapter's regular meetings are for members and their guests.
ConfirmedMeetupMembers only
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Nov 19, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
December 2026
ISSA Milwaukee: A Winter Exchange
Tue, Dec 8, 2026 · 5:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Davians (address not given on the chapter's flyer; the Davians event center is in Menomonee Falls) · Metro area
Chapter evening of networking in place of the December meeting: appetizers, a dinner buffet and desserts, with discounted admission for ISSA members. Registration is through the chapter's QR code; no price is stated on the page. The chapter calendar lists the same date as a special event at the New Berlin Ale House (5:00 p.m.), which conflicts with the flyer's venue; the flyer is treated as current.
ConfirmedChapter meetingPaid
ASIS Greater Milwaukee Chapter Holiday Party
Thu, Dec 17, 2026 · 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Wauwatosa, 11200 W Burleigh St, Wauwatosa · Metro area
Adjacent: the physical security chapter's holiday party, not a cybersecurity event. Registration is through the chapter site; the page states no price or eligibility, and the chapter's regular meetings are for members and their guests.
ConfirmedMeetupMembers only
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Dec 17, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
January 2027
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
Tue, Jan 12, 2027 · 3:30 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Jan 21, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
February 2027
ChiBrrCon VII (2027)
Thu, Feb 4, 2027 · 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Central
UIC Dorin Forum, 725 W Roosevelt Rd, Chicago, IL · Regional
Winter security conference in Chicago, about 90 miles south of Milwaukee. The organizers' site has a call for papers link and says the schedule is coming.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
Tue, Feb 9, 2027 · 3:30 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Feb 18, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
March 2027
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
Tue, Mar 9, 2027 · 3:30 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Mar 18, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
CypherCon 10
Wed, Mar 24 to Thu, Mar 25, 2027
Baird Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee
CFP closes: Sat, Jan 9, 2027
Tenth edition. Pre-conference workshops run March 22 and 23, 2027, and BSidesMKE follows on March 26. Student, government and unemployed or underemployed discounts and grant requests are available; tickets are non-refundable.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
BSidesMKE 2027
Fri, Mar 26, 2027
Milwaukee (venue not yet posted)
CypherCon lists BSidesMKE tickets from $50, with student and first-timer pricing. The ticket banner on the BSidesMKE site reads 'Sept 2027', which conflicts with the March 26, 2027 date shown on the same page and on CypherCon's call for speakers.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
Wisconsin Governor's Cybersecurity Summit
Tue, Mar 30 to Wed, Mar 31, 2027 · Starts 8:00 a.m. on March 30
Chula Vista Resort, 1000 Chula Vista Pkwy, Wisconsin Dells · Regional
State cybersecurity summit produced with Government Technology (e.Republic), with vendor sponsors, about 125 miles northwest of Milwaukee. The page says registration is free and open to the public sector only. The 2026 summit was held April 7 and 8, 2026 in Appleton; the host city changes.
ConfirmedSummitFreeVetting requiredVendor-hosted
April 2027
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
Tue, Apr 13, 2027 · 3:30 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, Apr 15, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Midwest OT Cybersecurity Summit (MOCS) 2027
Fri, Apr 30, 2027 · 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Marquette University, Alumni Memorial Union 3rd Floor Ballroom, 1442 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee
Call for speakers closes: Fri, Mar 5, 2027
Community-run one-day summit on operational technology and ICS security, organized by Security For the Folks and hosted by Marquette University's Center for Cybersecurity, which sponsors student registration. The inaugural 2026 edition (April 24, 2026) was a paid Eventbrite registration with free admission for students; the 2027 site posts no attendee ticket price, so access is listed as paid as a judgement call. The call for speakers opened September 1, 2026.
ConfirmedSummitPaid
May 2027
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
Tue, May 11, 2027 · 3:30 p.m.
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BurbSec Milwaukee
Thu, May 20, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
FutureCon Milwaukee Cybersecurity Conference
Thu, May 20, 2027
Milwaukee (venue not yet posted)
Hybrid one-day vendor-sponsored conference for IT and security leaders, run by FutureCon Events. The 2026 Milwaukee edition was held September 24, 2026. Registrations are subject to the organizer's approval; pricing for 2027 is not posted.
ConfirmedConferenceVetting requiredVendor-hosted
June 2027
The Official Cybersecurity Summit: Milwaukee
Wed, Jun 2, 2027 · 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Milwaukee (venue to be announced; 2026 edition at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee)
One-day executive-oriented summit run by CyberRisk Alliance with vendor sponsors. Standard admission is $275; admission is limited to working security and IT practitioners, and every registration is reviewed. ISACA Milwaukee and WiCyS Wisconsin took part in the 2026 edition.
ConfirmedSummitPaidVetting requiredVendor-hosted
THOTCON 0xE
Fri, Jun 11 to Sat, Jun 12, 2027
Chicago, IL (exact venue announced to attendees before the event) · Regional
Call for papers closes: Mon, Feb 1, 2027
Chicago's hacking conference, about 90 miles south of Milwaukee. Tickets go on sale November 5, 2026 and the call for papers opens the same day.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
WISCON 2027 (Wisconsin Information Security Conference)
Thu, Jun 17, 2027
Overture Center for the Arts, 201 State St, Madison · Regional
Call for papers closes: Sun, Feb 14, 2027
One-day conference in Madison, about 80 miles west of Milwaukee, with talks, villages and networking. Tickets go on sale January 1, 2027.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
On the radar
Announced without a date, or expected from past editions. Not confirmed.
GRASSr00tz Cybersecurity Conference 2027
Announced by the organizer; date not yet published.
Fox Valley Technical College, D.J. Bordini Center, Appleton (2026 venue) · Regional
Date TBAConferencePaid
ISACA Milwaukee Spring Symposium
Usually held in May; the 2026 symposium was May 14, 2026. 2027 date not yet announced
Potawatomi Casino Hotel, 1721 W Canal St, Milwaukee (2026 venue)
ExpectedConferencePaid
ISACA Milwaukee Winter Symposium
Held December 4, 2025 at American Family Field; no 2026 date announced
American Family Field, Milwaukee (2025 venue)
ExpectedConferencePaid
Groups & associations
Professional associations
ISACA Milwaukee Chapter
Milwaukee area; symposiums at downtown venues · In the city
Spring and winter symposiums plus occasional sessions with partner groups; no fixed monthly meeting
Audit, risk, governance and cybersecurity chapter covering a 50-mile radius of Milwaukee. The 2026 Spring Symposium was May 14 at the Potawatomi Casino Hotel, and the 2025 Winter Symposium was December 4, 2025 at American Family Field. Symposiums are paid and earn CPE credits.
Paid
ISC2 Wisconsin Chapter
Statewide chapter; meetings online · In the city
Online chapter meetings with a presentation; RSVP through the chapter site; no meeting announced
A newly chartered statewide chapter that grew out of an effort to start a Milwaukee-based chapter. Its placeholder site lists a virtual chapter meeting on Tuesday, July 28, at 2:00 p.m. Central with a talk on zero trust for agentic AI, without printing the year; July 28 falls on a Tuesday in 2026, the chapter's first year. The site still lists that meeting and shows no later one, so there is no evidence it was held. The site's security certificate does not match its host name, so some browsers warn before loading it.
Free
ISSA Milwaukee Chapter
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin; members can also join online · Metro area
Second Tuesday of the month: optional early arrival at 3:00 p.m., featured speaker 3:30 to 5:00 p.m., then a social hour in the bar
Serves southeastern Wisconsin. Regular meetings are free for members and non-members, with complimentary food and drinks at the social hour; the Google Meet option is for chapter members only. The chapter's speaker archive lists talks on July 14, September 8 and October 13, 2026 and none in August, although the chapter calendar drops the September 8 and October 13 occurrences from its series. The chapter also posts peer events (CypherCon, BSidesMKE, ISACA symposiums) on its calendar and runs a summer golf outing with ISACA Milwaukee.
Free
Midwest Cyber Security Alliance (MCSA)
Foley & Lardner office, 40th floor, US Bank Building, 777 E Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee · In the city
Briefings a few times a year, 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.; free with advance registration
Milwaukee-based membership organization for security and privacy professionals. 2026 meetings were February 23, April 30 and September 14 (a panel on reading pentest reports). Meetings are hosted at a law firm's office and often co-presented by sponsoring security vendors, so it is marked vendor hosted. The alliance also funds cybersecurity scholarships at local universities.
FreeVendor-hosted
Hacker and grassroots groups
BurbSec Milwaukee
The Explorium Brewpub Greendale, 5300 S 76th St, Greendale (not the brewpub's Milwaukee location) · Metro area
Third Thursday of the month, 6:00 p.m. (people arrive after work); informal networking, no presentations
The Milwaukee-area branch of the BurbSec network of free monthly infosec meetups that started in Chicagoland. No dues and no talks; attendees are professionals, students and hobbyists. The Meetup page shows the first meeting on October 15, 2026 (4 RSVPs, sponsored by a security vendor) and monthly dates through October 2027; sponsors pay for some nights, so the group is not marked vendor hosted. The group has a Discord server.
Free
dc414 (DEF CON Group Milwaukee)
Burnsies Bar and Grill (lower level), 9646 W Greenfield Ave, West Allis · Metro area
First Friday of the month at 7:00 p.m.; moved a week later when the first Friday is a holiday; ongoing chat on Discord
Milwaukee-area hacker group. The group posts each month's meetup on its site and Meetup page; the October 2026 meetup was Friday, October 2, and the July 2026 meetup moved to July 10 to avoid the holiday. Members also turn out together at CypherCon and BSidesMKE.
Free
Milwaukee Information Security Group (MilSec)
New Berlin Ale House, 16000 W Cleveland Ave, New Berlin · Metro area
About monthly on a Thursday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m., with a talk around 6:10 p.m. followed by networking; each meeting is posted on Meetup about a week ahead
Community infosec networking meetup; hackers and defenders welcome, no dues and no talk required to attend. The group's description says it usually meets on the second Thursday, but its 2026 meetings fell on other Thursdays (February 26, March 19, April 30, May 21, June 25, July 30, September 24 and October 29), so no fixed rule is listed. The October 29 meeting had a talk on the state of the information technology community in Wisconsin by the CypherCon organizer. Drinks are often provided by a sponsor. No November 2026 meeting is posted on Meetup.
Free
Inclusion and career communities
WiCyS Wisconsin Affiliate
Statewide; recent meetups at the Official Cybersecurity Summit in downtown Milwaukee · In the city
Occasional meetups, often alongside Milwaukee conferences; no meeting announced
Women in CyberSecurity state affiliate. Its listed gatherings in 2025 (June 12) and 2026 (June 2) were at the Official Cybersecurity Summit at the Hyatt Regency Milwaukee; the summit itself requires a ticket. The affiliate also sends a newsletter.
Free
Public-private and government
InfraGard Wisconsin Members Alliance
Statewide; meetings rotate between Madison, Milwaukee and online · In the city
Member meetings a few times a year; no further meeting announced
FBI public-private partnership chapter; membership requires FBI vetting. The member meetings page lists an October 1, 2026 meeting (2:00 to 5:00 p.m. at Madison College's Truax campus, on the FBI's domestic terrorism program and the Wisconsin DOJ Cyber Crimes Unit) and a February 25, 2026 online meeting. A past meeting was held at Foley & Lardner in downtown Milwaukee, co-hosted with the Midwest Cyber Security Alliance.
Members onlyVetting required
Education and student groups
Marquette University Center for Cyber Security Awareness and Cyber Defense
Marquette University campus, Milwaukee · In the city
Campus events during the academic year; the Cyber Eagles student competition team meets regularly online (Microsoft Teams)
Marquette is an NSA Center of Academic Excellence. The center co-hosted the inaugural Midwest OT Cybersecurity Summit on campus on April 24, 2026 (free for students). Its student team, the Cyber Eagles, won the red team competition at the 2022 NCAE Executive Leadership Forum; the older undergraduate Cyber Security Club is inactive and could be reinstated if students are interested.
Quiet: last activity Apr 2026Students only
Conference series
BSidesMKE (BSides Milwaukee)
Milwaukee · In the city
Annual one-day community conference on the day after CypherCon
Locally organized, volunteer-run BSides with talks, a CTF and villages. It began in 2024; the third edition was Friday, April 3, 2026. The group is on LinkedIn, Instagram, Discord and Mastodon.
Quiet: last activity Apr 2026Paid
CypherCon
Baird Center, 400 W Wisconsin Ave, Milwaukee · In the city
Annual two-day hacker and technology conference in late March or early April
Wisconsin's largest technology and cybersecurity conference, held since 2018. CypherCon 9 ran April 1 and 2, 2026 at the Baird Center. Pre-conference workshops, CypherCon and BSidesMKE together make up Hacker Spring Break (also called InfoSec Spring Break).
Quiet: last activity Apr 2026Paid
Technical user groups
Security For the Folks
Online (Discord); annual summit at Marquette University · In the city
Ongoing online community with a member blog and mentoring program; in person at its annual summit
Midwest community for operational technology (OT) and industrial control system security, open to practitioners, students and the curious. It runs the Midwest OT Cybersecurity Summit (MOCS) in Milwaukee, pairs newcomers with OT mentors, and keeps a calendar of other Midwest conferences and CTFs.
Quiet: last activity Apr 2026Free
Adjacent communities
ASIS Greater Milwaukee Chapter
Milwaukee area (venues vary) · In the city
Roughly monthly one-hour meetings at 4:00 p.m. on varying weekdays, plus luncheons and special events
Adjacent: a physical security, safety and risk management chapter rather than a cybersecurity group. About 200 members; non-members attend as a member's guest. 2026 meetings included September 22, August 18 and June 16; the chapter also held a tri-chapter event in Libertyville, Illinois on October 29, 2026.
Members only
Directory checklist
8 of 19 national directories list a local chapter
Field notes
- Most regular meetings are outside the city limits: dc414 in West Allis, BurbSec Milwaukee in Greendale, and both MilSec and ISSA Milwaukee at the New Berlin Ale House.
- BurbSec Milwaukee meets at The Explorium Brewpub in Greendale; the brewpub's Milwaukee location is the wrong venue.
- MilSec's Meetup description says it meets on second Thursdays, but its 2026 meetings fell on other Thursdays; check the Meetup page for each date.
- ISSA Milwaukee meets on Tuesday afternoons (talk at 3:30 p.m.), not evenings. Its online option is for chapter members only. The chapter's calendar and its speaker archive disagree about the September 8 and October 13, 2026 meetings; the archive lists both talks.
- The BSidesMKE ticket banner reads 'Sept 2027', but the same page and CypherCon's call for speakers give March 26, 2027.
- The ISC2 Wisconsin chapter site lists its July 28 virtual meeting without a year; it is treated as July 28, 2026 because the chapter was chartered in 2026.
- InfraGard Wisconsin meetings are for FBI-vetted members only, and recent ones were in Madison or online.
- There is no OWASP chapter or current 2600 meeting in Milwaukee; a 2600 meeting at Mayfair Mall appears only on 2600's legacy list from 1999.
Sources
Numbered references for the listings on this page.
- S1https://dc414.org/meetings/
- S2https://dc414.org/2026/09/spooooky-meetup-for-october-2026/
- S3https://www.meetup.com/dc414group/events/
- S4https://forum.defcon.org/node/124
- S5https://www.issa-mke.org/
- S6https://asismil.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=122&ts=1788904889
- S7https://asismil.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=130
- S8https://burbsec.com/milwaukee/
- S9https://www.meetup.com/burbsec-mke/events/
- S10https://www.issa-mke.org/events/a-winter-exchange
- S11https://asismil.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?id=131
- S12https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1I1e8NnlN31q0umgXCbNwBbkMxvwIuWXZEbjHCcD_ZaU/present
- S13https://calendar.google.com/calendar/ical/c_8b1744b72b73c3cfa030fae3b332b643cc1416594aa5f35244d3a6d0dcaee770%40group.calendar.google.com/public/basic.ics
- S14https://chibrrcon.com/
- S15https://cyphercon.com/faq/
- S16https://sessionize.com/CypherCon2027/
- S17https://www.bsidesmke.org/
- S18https://events.govtech.com/Wisconsin-Governors-Cybersecurity-Summit
- S19https://themocs.org/
- S20https://themocs.org/about/
- S21https://futureconevents.com/events/milwaukee-wi-2027/
- S22https://cyberriskalliance.swoogo.com/Milwaukee-2027
- S23https://www.thotcon.org/
- S24https://wiscon.io/
- S25https://www.grassr00tz.com/
- S26https://engage.isaca.org/milwaukeechapter/events/eventdescription?CalendarEventKey=d2ee37f3-77a2-434c-ae5d-019d551161f5&CommunityKey=4ade0c91-5834-498d-a65e-89399ba01c54
- S27https://engage.isaca.org/milwaukeechapter/about/chapterannouncements
- S28https://www.isc2chapterwi.org/
- S29https://www.midwestcyber.org/events
- S30https://www.meetup.com/milsec/events/
- S31https://www.wicys.org/wicys-wisconsin-affiliate/
- S32https://www.wicys.org/event/wicys-wisconsin-affiliate-the-3rd-annual-milwaukee-official-cybersecurity-summit/
- S33https://www.infragard-wi.com/events/member-meetings
- S34https://www.marquette.edu/cyber-security/student-organization.php
- S35https://today.marquette.edu/2026/04/midwest-ot-cybersecurity-summit-april-24/
- S36https://cyphercon.com/announcing-infosec-spring-break-a-full-week-of-events/
- S37https://sessionize.com/cyphercon-9-2026/
- S38https://www.xftf.org/
- S39https://www.xftf.org/up-coming
- S40https://asismil.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php?p_or_f=p
- S41https://asismil.starchapter.com/meetinginfo.php