Critical Effect DC 2026: Co-creating solutions to help communities bolster resilience in the face of cyber aggression
At U27, our mantra is to “innovate narrowly and scale widely.” As we continue to identify potential communities for piloting our cyber-informed, engineering first approach (nominate yours today!), innovation is front of mind. But, this month, we wanted to share one of the ways we’re looking to get our solutions to every community under threat: policy.
The U.S. government is a key stakeholder when it comes to protecting critical infrastructure, with an unrivaled capacity to deploy resources to support our national security. Yet, if you look at where policymakers have traditionally spent their attention, it is on matters of confidentiality, not integrity and availability. Based on legislation, regulation, and budgets, you’d think Uncle Sam cares far more about your wallet than your life, at least in the cyber domain.
Critical Effect (the conference formerly known as Hack the Capitol) is one attempt to evolve that attitude. For two days in June, we bring the operational technology community to Washington, DC, to educate policymakers about the consequences of cyber intrusions. Across three tracks ranging from the technical to translating binary for the boardroom, we aim to shift the conversation in Washington to better match the risk landscape.
We need your help to do it! The Call for Proposals for Critical Effect is now open. Raise your voice, share your insights, and help your government know that there are solutions that can help communities be more resilient in the face of cyber aggression. And, while you’re in town, connect with some of your fellow protectors. Critical Effect is co-sponsored by the ICS Village, and you can be sure to see heavy representation from other Cyber Resilience Corps members. Co-creation is an accelerant we need to harness to meet the urgency of the moment.
Critical Effect is June 17-18. Spread the word—and we’ll see you there.
Joshua Corman
Executive in Residence for Public Safety & Resilience
Stephanie Ross
Managing Program Director for Public Safety & Resilience
Nicholas Leiserson
Senior Vice President for Policy
Critical Effect DC Conference
*NEW* Save the Date: June 17-18
Mark your calendars! Our two-day Critical Effect Conference is coming back to Washington, DC. With 2027 getting closer, we are prioritizing ideas that lead to real, actionable impact.
Critical Effect DC provides a unique platform for leading voices in ICS and cybersecurity to engage with policymakers, think tanks, and the media, while facilitating hands-on experiences and encouraging informed, actionable discussions. Unlike most cyber-related events, our center of gravity is zeroed in on National Security & Public Safety / Human Life. Presented by ICS Village, in partnership with the Institute for Security and Technology’s UnDisruptable27 project and Akin.
When: Wednesday, June 17 – Thursday, June 18, 2026
Where: Akin, 2001 K Street NW, Washington DC 20006
How to join: Submit a proposal by April 4, 2026. Stay tuned for registration details!
Where We'll Be
February 19 – Josh & Stephanie speaking to Louisiana Infragard Chapter – No Water, No Hospitals, No Kidding
February 23 – Josh & Stephanie joining BSidesICS (Miami) for a speaker track on UnDisruptable27
March 5-6 – Josh running a workshop at Dartmouth Cyber-Resilient Health Care: Towards Innovation and Implementation with one track focused on Utilities and Critical Infrastructure
March 19 – Josh is hosting a special edition of the Boston Security Meetup at the NERD Center in Cambridge, MA from 6-9pm
March 24 – Josh co-speaking on Volt Typhoon at RSA Conference: “Critical Infrastructure: A Fortnight w/o Water: Is Secure by Design Too Late for Lifeline Functions?”
June 17-18 – Critical Effect Conference, Washington, DC – Save the Date!
Where We've Been
On January 21, we held our 2nd Town Hall with U27 Volunteers. This is a candid, collaborative space for volunteers to both wrestle with & advance our efforts.
January 24-25 – U27 volunteers at DistrictCon presented “Shelter from the Typhoon” highlighting emergency use of Meshtastic and SLIM under degraded/denied comms. You too can adopt/add to these projects…
On February 10, Josh testified to the New Hampshire State Legislature on Volt Typhoon’s very real threats to Water and other lifeline critical functions (and subsequent Q&A/witnesses sentiments were instructive as to latent beliefs)
Our Media Diet
Hack the Plant – Listen to “Systems Engineering for Survival: A Physician’s Guide to Emergency Management,” a new episode out today featuring a conversation with host Bryson Bort and Dr. Natalie Sullivan, on the critical intersection of clinical medicine, patient safety, and cybersecurity resilience. Subscribe here.
Cyber Civil Defense sibling DEF CON Franklin published their DEF CON 33 Hackers’ Almanack (with shout-outs to us!)
On February 4, the U.S. Senate held a hearing on Water Identifying and Addressing Cybersecurity Challenges to Protect America’s Water Infrastructure.
Earlier this month, IST hosted the Third Annual Cyber Policy Awards. We’d like to extend special gratitude and congratulations to the Idaho National Laboratory’s Cyber-Informed Engineering Team on winning the Research Impact Award! This methodology is central to our work, providing the foundation U27 uses to protect water in hospital communities of everyday Americans.
Previous editions
Save the Date for Critical Effect 2026
In the second issue of our newsletter, save the date for Critical Effect 2026, listen to the latest episode of Hack the Plan[e]t and other featured podcasts, and find out where to see us .
Happy Holidays from U27
In the inaugural edition of the UnDisruptable27 newsletter, learn how to participate in FrostyVolt’25, where to find us, and what we’ve been reading.
