ISC2 opens ACTion Rooms forum

ISC2 said on September 1 that it will introduce ACTion Rooms at its 2026 Security Congress, a new set of interactive sessions meant to move discussion from conference panels into member-led problem solving. The nonprofit cybersecurity association said the sessions will be part of its annual event in Denver from October 24 to 28, with virtual access also available. (isc2.org) ISC2 described the rooms as moderated conversations where attendees and ISC2 leaders can exchange ideas on issues shaping the profession. The move adds to other interactive formats the group has already rolled out for this year’s conference, including AI Incident Rooms. (prnewswire.com) ### What is ISC2 trying to change at this year’s conference? (isc2.org) ISC2 said the ACTion Rooms are part of an effort to shift Security Congress from a presentation-heavy event toward a more participatory format. In its announcement, the group said the sessions are designed to put attendees “at the center of the conversation,” with members sharing experiences, perspectives and ideas directly with ISC2 leadership. The conference agenda already shows that shift. Security Congress 2026 lists Bright Ideas Roundtables, tabletops and gamified exercises, AI Incident Rooms, a town hall and career-focused forums alongside traditional breakout sessions and keynotes. (isc2.org) ### What will happen inside an ACTion Room? The official session-format description says an ACTion Room is a 60-minute breakout built around moderated discussion between ISC2 leaders, members and cybersecurity professionals. ISC2 said the goal is collaborative thinking that can help shape priorities for the field rather than one-way presentations. (isc2.org) One ISC2 event page for an ACTion Room says the format will cover “Portfolio Management: Connecting the Cyber Dots” and “Advancing the ISC2 Cybersecurity Body of Knowledge,” linking member discussion to the organization’s own planning and professional guidance work. (2026isc2securitycongress.eventscribe.net) ### Which topics did ISC2 put on the table? ISC2 said the six ACTion Rooms will cover standards setting, ethics, artificial intelligence, workforce readiness, public policy and national security. The organization said those topics were chosen to address issues “shaping and impacting the cybersecurity profession.” (2026isc2securitycongress.eventscribe.net) The agenda also shows at least one named session, “Rethinking Workforce Metrics in Cybersecurity,” scheduled for October 26. That listing suggests the rooms will focus on concrete policy and practice questions rather than general networking. (events.isc2.org) ### Why does this matter beyond one conference week? ISC2’s own framing ties the sessions to standards, ethics, AI and workforce policy, areas where employer demand is often driven by regulation, governance and institutional risk. The organization said ACTion Rooms will create a more direct path for members to contribute expertise to work ISC2 is leading across those domains. (prnewswire.com) For engineers and security practitioners, that matters because these are the parts of cybersecurity that tend to be tied to durable budgets: compliance programs, secure systems, workforce frameworks and risk governance. That is an inference from the subjects ISC2 chose to elevate, not a claim the group made directly. (events.isc2.org) The named sessions and ISC2’s own language show the emphasis is not only on tools, but on the rules and operating models around them. ### Where does this fit in ISC2’s broader 2026 agenda? ISC2 announced the broader 2026 Security Congress agenda in June and added AI Incident Rooms in July. The organization said the event will be held at the Gaylord Rockies in the Denver area and online, with keynotes, breakout sessions and hands-on formats aimed at cybersecurity professionals across industries. (prnewswire.com) Security Congress 2026 is scheduled for October 24-28, and ISC2’s event pages show ACTion Rooms as part of the live program now open for attendees reviewing session options. (isc2chapters.isc2.org) (isc2.org) (prnewswire.com)