c0c0n
c0c0n is a non-profit, Kochi-based annual cybersecurity conference and training platform — India's longest-running (19 years) — serving practitioners, government, enterprises, researchers, and students via an 8-day event with 200+ speakers, 10+ specialized villages, CTF competitions, and tiered training passes, funded by ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and exhibition fees.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2007
- HeadquartersKochi, India
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What c0c0n does
c0c0n is a non-profit cybersecurity conference and training platform, organized since 2007 (originally as "Cyber Safe," rebranded circa 2009) and positioned as India's longest-running hacking and cyber security briefing. Its core offering is an annual multi-phase event comprising pre-conference training (Oct 06–08), a two-day main conference (Oct 09–10), and post-conference training (Oct 11–13), hosted at Grand Hyatt, Bolgatty Island, Kochi, Kerala. The platform serves cybersecurity practitioners, government and law enforcement, enterprise CISOs, academic researchers, students, and security startups through 200+ speakers, 6+ parallel tracks, 10+ specialized "villages" (Red Team, Bug Bounty, IoT, AI, Telecom, Lock Picking, Phishing, Adversary, RC Engineering), and competitive CTF programs (DOME CTF, Winja CTF, LEA CTF).
The platform is co-organized by Kerala Police (the DGP serves as Chairman), the Information Security Research Association (ISRA), and POLCYB (Society for the Policing of Cyberspace, Canada), with operational support from a small team of 8 employees. Technical infrastructure centers on CTF platforms (CTFd-based), a CFP submission system, and specialized challenge environments developed with partners including Beagle Security, Security Innovation, and Winja. The 2026 edition themes the conference around AI/ML-driven cybersecurity.
c0c0n monetizes through a tiered ticket structure — Student ₹4,999, Individual ₹9,999, Corporate ₹14,999, Pre-Conference Training ₹44,999, and Combo packages up to ₹54,999 — supplemented by corporate sponsorship revenue from major cybersecurity vendors (CrowdStrike, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, Meta, Elastic) and Indian banks (Federal Bank, SBI, ICICI, Canara), and exhibition fees across a 25,000+ sq.ft. vendor area. Volume discounts apply for 6+ ticket buyers. Distribution is predominantly direct via c0c0n.org, with prior use of Townscript and Eventbrite for select events. The organization's scale (6,000+ expected attendees for 2026) and 19-year continuous operation anchor a community-ecosystem business model rather than a venture-scalable one.
c0c0n firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- c0c0n
- Legal name
- c0c0n
- Website
- https://c0c0n.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2007
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- c0c0n is a non-profit, Kochi-based annual cybersecurity conference and training platform — India's longest-running (19 years) — serving practitioners, government, enterprises, researchers, and students via an 8-day event with 200+ speakers, 10+ specialized villages, CTF competitions, and tiered training passes, funded by ticket sales, corporate sponsorships, and exhibition fees.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
c0c0n industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Events and Training
- NAICS
- Computer Training (61142), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity (General) (EDAOAIAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Cybersecurity (EDAAAPAC), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing) (EDABAFAF), Penetration Testing, Red Team & Ethical Hacking (EDAOAIAH), General Cybersecurity Awareness (All Employees) (EDABAGAA), Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Safety Training for Security Personnel (BPAKAOAO), IT, Software & Cybersecurity Training (EDAGANAF)
Keywords
Where c0c0n is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Kochi
- HQ country
- India
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
c0c0n business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Personnel
Revenue model
- Conference Tickets: Revenue from selling tickets to conference sessions, training programs, and combo packages for individuals and corporate attendees
- Corporate Sponsorships: Sponsorship revenue from cybersecurity companies including CrowdStrike, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and major Indian banks
- Exhibition Fees: Revenue from exhibition booths at the 25,000+ sq.ft. exhibition area during the conference
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Pre-Conference Training (3 Days) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Conference Individual Pass (2 Days) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Conference Corporate Pass (2 Days) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Student Pass (2 Days) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Individual (Pre + Conference) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Corporate (Pre + Conference) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Post-Conference Training (3 Days) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Individual (Conf + Post) |
| One time/ perpetual license | Pay-as-you-go | Combo Corporate (Conf + Post) |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels5 records
c0c0n product offering
Product offeringCore offering
c0c0n is India's longest-running annual cybersecurity and hacking conference, held since 2007 and now in its 19th edition. The platform delivers an 8-day, multi-phase event comprising 3-day pre-conference hands-on training, a 2-day main conference with talks, panels, villages, and CTF competitions, and 3-day post-conference advanced training. It serves cybersecurity practitioners, government/law enforcement, enterprise IT leaders, researchers, and students through paid registrations, corporate sponsorships, and exhibition sales.
Product overview
c0c0n is an annual cybersecurity and hacking conference platform that serves as India's longest-running security briefing event. The offering is structured as a multi-format event platform comprising the main annual conference, pre-conference training workshops, post-conference training programs, specialized villages (Red Team, Bug Bounty, IoT Security, AI, Telecom, Lock Picking, Phishing, and RC Engineering), CTF competitions (DOME CTF, Winja CTF, LEA CTF), LEA and CSEA specialized tracks, Kid Glove and WICS initiatives for children and women respectively, Call for Papers submission platform, and a large-scale exhibition area. The platform is hosted by Kerala Police and ISRA, with support from POLCYB and various international partners, providing a comprehensive ecosystem for cybersecurity education, collaboration, and awareness.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- c0c0n Annual Cybersecurity Conference India's longest-running annual cybersecurity and hacking conference held in Kochi, Kerala. Features a 2-day main conference with 200+ speakers, 6+ parallel tracks, 10+ specialized villages, master classes, round tables, live bug bounty events, and a 25,000+ sq.ft. exhibition area. Sold via Individual (₹9,999), Corporate (₹14,999), and Student (₹4,999) passes.
- Pre-Conference Training Program Three-day hands-on technical training program held October 6-8, 2026 before the main conference. Covers Windows Kernel Exploitation, Cloud Security, Offensive OSINT, Android Security, Automotive Security, Telecom Security, Signal Intelligence, Red Team Operations, and Secure Code Auditing. Priced at ₹44,999 per person with volume discounts.
- Post-Conference Training Program Three-day advanced hands-on training program held October 11-13, 2026 after the main conference. Provides continued skill development for cybersecurity professionals, with access to training days, lunch, and refreshments included.
- Exhibition Area and Sponsorships 25,000+ sq.ft. exhibition space at the Grand Hyatt venue showcasing cybersecurity products, services, and innovations from vendors. Sold to enterprise sponsors and exhibitors including CrowdStrike, Check Point, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and Elastic.
- Capture the Flag (CTF) Competitions Competitive cybersecurity challenge events including DOME CTF (live attack-defence with Kerala Police Cyberdome and Beagle Security), Winja CTF (Web, Reverse Engineering, Crypto, Steganography, OSINT using CTFd), and LEA CTF. Tests participants' skills in programming, cryptography, exploitation, reverse engineering, and network attacks.
- Kid Glove Specialized cybersecurity awareness and training program for children, designed to educate young audiences about online safety and digital security. Sold as a standalone event with tickets previously distributed via Eventbrite.
- Women in Cyber Security (WICS) Initiative focused on encouraging and supporting women's participation in cybersecurity through specialized training and networking opportunities. A standalone community-building program under the c0c0n umbrella.
Quantifiable outcome
- 200+ expert speakers at each edition
- +3 more outcomes
Companies that use c0c0n
Customer profileNamed customers10 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles5 records
c0c0n technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
c0c0n partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
14 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.
- Kerala PolicecorePrimary host organization of c0c0n conference. Kerala Police provides government backing, venue coordination through Cyberdome initiative, and legitimacy to the event. The DGP of Kerala Police serves as Chairman of c0c0n.
- Information Security Research Association (ISRA)coreCo-organizer of c0c0n. ISRA is a leading security research organization providing networking platform for professionals from corporate and government organizations. Listed among TOP 50 INFOSEC NETWORKING GROUPS by Digital Guardian (2019).
- The Society for the Policing of Cyberspace (POLCYB)coreCo-organizer of c0c0n. International not-for-profit society (incorporated June 1999) based in British Columbia, Canada, working to enhance international partnerships among public and private professionals to prevent and combat crimes in cyberspace.
- Kerala Police CyberdomecorePPP (Public-Private Partnership) initiative by Kerala Police for cyber governance. Organizes DOME CTF in collaboration with Beagle Security. Provides technical expertise and infrastructure support.
- Bsides BangaloresecondaryIndustry Conference Partner for c0c0n 2026, providing cross-promotion and community sharing between the two security conferences.
- CrowdStrikeminorPrevious sponsor of c0c0n conference, providing financial or in-kind support for the event.
- Check Point Software TechnologiesminorPrevious sponsor of c0c0n conference.
- Palo Alto NetworksminorPrevious sponsor of c0c0n conference.
- ElasticminorPrevious sponsor of c0c0n conference.
- FortinetminorPrevious sponsor of c0c0n conference.
- Beagle SecuritysecondaryCo-organizer of DOME CTF with Kerala Police Cyberdome. Provides cybersecurity expertise for CTF competition organization.
- Security InnovationminorCTF partner for DOME CTF challenges and platform support.
- WinjaminorNullcon initiative providing CTF platform and challenges for c0c0n.
- Red Team VillagesecondaryCommunity-driven platform for adversarial attack simulation and red teaming, organizing workshops and CTF challenges at c0c0n.
Scale indicators8 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights5 records
c0c0n competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Hack In The Box (HITB): HITB is an international cybersecurity event series featuring deep technical trainings, CTF competitions, and a community-driven format very similar to c0c0n's villages and CTF structure. Both target security researchers, red teamers, and enterprise security professionals with hands-on technical content.
- Security BSides Delhi: BSides Delhi is a community-driven cybersecurity conference in North India that follows the global BSides model. It is comparable to c0c0n in target audience and event-driven community-first format, and represents a regional direct competitor within India.
- Security BSides Bangalore: Bsides Bangalore is a community-driven cybersecurity conference in India that c0c0n already partners with as an Industry Conference Partner. Both share a horizontal, community-first event model focused on emerging security topics, training, and networking, making them highly comparable in audience and format.
- Nullcon: Nullcon is one of India's most prominent cybersecurity and hacking conferences, run by the null community. It is highly comparable to c0c0n in terms of target audience (security researchers, hackers, enterprise CISOs), CTF competitions, technical training, and event-driven GTM model in the Indian market.
Others
- Beagle Security: Beagle Security is an automated web application penetration testing platform and a co-organizer of c0c0n's DOME CTF. While not a direct competitor, it is an ecosystem partner with overlapping audience (security professionals, red teamers) and shares the cybersecurity training/CTF content space.
Regional players
- OWASP Global AppSec Conference: OWASP's Global AppSec conferences are application security-focused events that share c0c0n's structure of technical trainings, talks, and CTF-style challenges. They overlap in audience (security researchers, developers, AppSec professionals) but focus on application security rather than c0c0n's broader cybersecurity and hacking scope.
Broad incumbents
- Black Hat: Black Hat is a globally recognized cybersecurity event series featuring technical trainings, briefings, and an expo floor. It is comparable to c0c0n's multi-phase training-plus-conference format and enterprise cybersecurity audience, though Black Hat operates at much larger scale and has a broader international footprint.
- DEF CON: DEF CON is the world's largest and most established hacking and cybersecurity conference, attracting tens of thousands of attendees globally. It is comparable to c0c0n in core audience (hackers, researchers, government) and format (CTFs, villages, training), but operates at significantly greater scale and international reach.
- RSA Conference: RSA Conference is one of the largest global cybersecurity conferences, featuring keynotes, trainings, and an expo floor sponsored by major security vendors. Comparable to c0c0n in terms of enterprise CISO and security vendor audience, multi-format structure, and major sponsor ecosystem, though at vastly greater scale and global reach.
Emerging players
- Virus Bulletin Conference: Virus Bulletin is a long-running cybersecurity conference focused on malware research, threat intelligence, and defensive techniques. It overlaps with c0c0n's research and CTF components and attracts a similarly technical international audience, though with a narrower thematic focus.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
c0c0n social profiles
Digital presencec0c0n financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
c0c0n leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles4 records
c0c0n funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
c0c0n M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about c0c0n
What does c0c0n do?
c0c0n is India's longest-running annual cybersecurity and hacking conference, held since 2007 and now in its 19th edition. The platform delivers an 8-day, multi-phase event comprising 3-day pre-conference hands-on training, a 2-day main conference with talks, panels, villages, and CTF competitions, and 3-day post-conference advanced training. It serves cybersecurity practitioners, government/law enforcement, enterprise IT leaders, researchers, and students through paid registrations, corporate sponsorships, and exhibition sales.
Is c0c0n a public or private company?
c0c0n is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was c0c0n founded?
c0c0n was founded in 2007. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is c0c0n based?
c0c0n is headquartered in Kochi, India, in the Asia region.
How does c0c0n make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Conference Tickets are the primary driver. The others are corporate Sponsorships and exhibition Fees.
Who are c0c0n's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Hack In The Box (HITB), Security BSides Delhi, Security BSides Bangalore and Nullcon. Beagle Security is listed as an others. OWASP Global AppSec Conference is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are Black Hat, DEF CON and RSA Conference. Virus Bulletin Conference is listed as an emerging player.
Does c0c0n have an API?
No public API is recorded for c0c0n.
What industry is c0c0n in?
c0c0n's product category is Cybersecurity Events and Training. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAOAIAB, Cybersecurity (General), with a secondary code of EDAAAPAC, Cybersecurity. Its NAICS code is 61142.