BBC’s Joe Tidy will unpack the surge of teenage-led cyber crime in his ITWeb Security Summit keynote.
BBC journalist Joe Tidy, known for his hard-hitting coverage of global cyber crime, will deliver a keynote at the ITWeb Security Summit, taking place from 2 to 4 June 2026 in Johannesburg.
Tidy is the BBC’s first dedicated cyber correspondent, covering hacking, ransomware, online crime and surveillance for TV, radio and digital platforms. He has reported on major incidents, including the WannaCry ransomware outbreak and the activities of the world’s most wanted cyber criminal operations.
His keynote: “How teenage hackers hijack the internet”, will focus on the resurgence of youth-led hacking and its implications for organisations, governments and cyber defenders.
“Joe Tidy has reported first-hand on some of the biggest cyber incidents of the past decade,” says Ros Hinchcliffe, programme director of the ITWeb Security Summit. “His investigations give him a unique global view of how threats evolve and how organisations can learn from those real-world stories to build resilience.”
Tidy is also the author of the book: “Ctrl Alt Chaos: Teenage Hackers and the Battle for the Internet”, which investigates how young cyber criminals exploit gaming platforms and online communities to infiltrate businesses, disrupt economies and challenge law enforcement agencies.
Delegates can expect rare insights from inside hacker communities, the tactics used by teenage attackers to exploit vulnerabilities, and how organisations and governments are adapting to a fast-changing cyber landscape.
Security Summit 2026: Redefining security in the AI era
Now in its 21st year, ITWeb Security Summit 2026 will run under the theme: “Redefining security in the face of AI-driven attacks, fragile supply chains and a global skills gap”.
The Cape Town leg will be held at the Century City Conference Centre from 25-26 May, followed by the Johannesburg event at the Sandton Convention Centre from 2-4 June.
For more information or to register, visit https://www.itweb.co.za/event/itweb-security-summit-2026/.
