Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School 2024

Develop your career in Cyber Security

The Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School (IDCSS) is an annual event organized by Dutch and Indian organizations for students based in the Netherlands or India and young professionals interested in cyber security issues. The central goal of this school is to give students and young professionals the opportunity to grow professionally and academically, through lectures and online action learning, in the sphere of cyber security.

Lecture Programme Challenges

Attend the latest IDCSS

The need for ethical and highly educated young professionals in Cybersecurity is more pressing than ever. HCSS is proud to announce that IDCSS24 will be the seventh online course for young professionals in cyber security, held from 11th of October to 8th of November 2024. IDCSS24 offers a valuable opportunity for participants to gain further expertise in Cybersecurity. This year, new subjects such as Cryptography and AI will also be addressed. Exemplary attendees may be rewarded with Certificates in the taught specialties. Apart from a rich academic experience, participants have the chance to broaden their network and meet new people, including our expert speakers, our partner’s representatives, and fellow students.

Registration for non-Indian citizens Registration for Indian citizens

Programme and speakers

Over the years the Indo-Dutch Cyber Security School has held lectures on topics such as forensics in cybersecurity, data protection, blockchain, artificial intelligence, cyber arms watch and cloud computing. Our expert speakers come from a range of backgrounds in computer science, crisis and security management, law and industry. Previous speakers have included Christopher Painter – fmr. US Cyber Diplomat, and Venkatesh Murthy – Director of Data Security Council of India. In addition to the lectures, students will deepen their knowledge through action learning challenges, undertaken in multi-displinary groups and judged by the IDCSS partners. View the latest programme here.

IDCSS24 Programme

2500

Number of registrations

Participating organisations

Our partners in academia, government and industry

Since its inception the IDCSS has been supported by over twenty partners in industry, research and government. Our partners have included Governments of Karnataka and Telangana in India, The Hague Municipality, Embassy of India in The Netherlands, The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace, TU Delft, Verizon and Symantec. As a result, students can partake in IDCSS for a nominal fee and distinguish themselves in front of their potential employers. This years sponsors include: The Municipality of The Hague, Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands in New Delhi, Embassy of India in The Hague, Government of Telangana, Data Security Council of India (DSCI), The Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. Last year our academic partners included GNITS, JITS and VNR VJIET, our outreach partners included TASK, our promotional partners included IEEE Education Society YP Adhoc Committee and our challenge partners included CCoE and Blue Cloud.

IDCSS24 Testimonials

Previous Next

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

Previous Indo-Dutch Cyber Security Schools

The 2023 edition of IDCSS had over 3300 participants from India and the Netherlands, who awarded the program an 8.7 out of 10 overall. Download the fact sheet of the 2023 edition here.

In 2022 we had more than 2700. Over 4 weeks in 2022 we held 20 specialist cyber security lectures and 5 multi-displinary challenges. In 2022, 95% of students were based in India and 5% based in the Netherlands. In 2021, 51% of participants were undergraduate students, 45% were graduate students and 4% PhD candidates. Since 2015, our cyber security schools have been held with the cooperation Municipality of The Hague and the Indian states of Telangana and Karnataka. Watch the 2020 IDCSS Inaugural Session here.

HCSS website 2022 880x572 pixels - 2022-09-02T104725.329

Strategic Cyber Resilience Game

The Strategic Cyber Resilience Game will also be a part of the IDCSS24. In order to achieve your Certificate of Attendance, your will have to actively participate in the game as well as attend >75% of the lectures. More information on this will be shared when you register.

As part of the IDCSS23, students had the opportunity to play the Cyber Resilience Game as well. The intent of the game was to further educate the students on all different aspects of cyber resilience and challenge them to assess what capabilities are required to make India more cyber resilient. The game was played over a period of five days by more than 200 students. This component of the IDCSS curriculum gives the participants valuable insights about what lessons must be learned to make the Indo-Dutch cooperation and partnership more secure in our uncertain world. Based on the results of this game, a report was drafted on cyber resilience efforts in India., which will be officially published.

Find out more about HCSS serious gaming here.

Hackathons

IDCSS participants have the opportunity to extend their learning further and take part in innovative ‘hackathons’ in the Netherlands and India. IDCSS has partnered with multiple Hackathons including Hackathon for Good, which is based in The Hague. Hackathon for Good is a hybrid event that takes place from the 22nd to the 24th of November 2024, and is open to anyone with a hacker mindset and the passion to work on data and AI for impact. More collaborations between IDCSS and Hackathons will be announced soon!

Meet the lecturers

Michel Rademaker
Michel Rademaker is one of the co-founders of HCSS and the Deputy Director. His fields of expertise include security strategy, policy, concepts and doctrines, technology assessments, geopolitical and economic security implications of climate change, raw materials and energy supply and serious gaming techniques.

At IDCSS, he will host the ‘Cyber Resilience Game’, an online serious-game that allows students to practically engage with hypothetical cyber incidents. The game will be explained in 3 Phases and end with a results session.

Michel Rademaker

Deputy Director HCSS
Thomas Attema
Thomas is a senior researcher in the Applied Cryptography and Quantum Applications department of TNO and the Cryptology group of CWI. In 2023, he obtained his PhD at Leiden University. He focusses on the development of new cryptographic techniques capable of withstanding quantum attacks and allowing data to be analyzed in a privacy preserving manner.

At IDCSS, Thomas will provide a lecture on The Quantum Threat of Cryptography. Quantum computers form a significant threat to many of the cryptographic primitives that are currently in use. To mitigate this threat a timely migration to new cryptographic primitives, capable of withstanding quantum attacks, is essential.

Thomas Attema

Senior Researcher at TNO
Johan de Wit
Johan de Wit works for Siemens Smart Infrastructure Technical Officer Enterprise Security and is involved in global Siemens portfolio development. He owns a masters degree in Security Science and recently successfully defended his PhD at Delft Technical University where he explored the characteristics of security risk assessments. He is a member of various expert communities and advisory boards like: the Dutch National Cyber Security Center, ASIS, Information Security Forum, Overseas Security Advisory Board (OSAC). He is a regular speaker at conferences and universities and publishes papers and articles.

At IDCSS, he will give a lecture on Cybersecurity of Operational Technology (OT).

Johan de Wit

Technical Officer Enterprise Security at Siemens Smart Infrastructure
Hans Henseler
Hans is senior digital forensics scientist at the Netherlands Forensic Institute and a part-time professor Digital Forensics & E-Discovery at the University of Applied Sciences Leiden. He is chairman of the Board of Directors of DFRWS until recently he was a member of the board of the Netherlands Register of Court Experts (NRGD). From 2010-2014 he was partner and senior E-Discovery consultant at Fox IT. Besides E-Discovery projects he also led the development of Tracks Inspector. Tracks Inspector separated from Fox-IT after a management buy-out in 2014 where Hans was CEO and co-founder until the acquisition by Magnet Forensics in 2018 where he was Director of Digital Evidence Review until March 2020.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on Digital Forensics.

Hans Henseler

Senior Scientist Digital Forensics at Netherlands Forensic Institute
Laura DeNardis
Dr. Laura E. DeNardis is Professor and Endowed Chair of Technology, Ethics and Society at Georgetown University, where she also Directs the Center for Digital Ethics. With a background in information engineering and a doctorate in Science and Technology Studies, she has published seven books and many articles on the societal implications of digital technologies. Dr. DeNardis is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and an affiliated Fellow (and previously Executive Director) at the Information Society Project at Yale Law School.

At IDCSS, she will provide a lecture on the Governance of the Internet.

Laura DeNardis

Professor and Endowed Chair of Technology, Ethics and Society – Georgetown University
Nori Katagiri
Nori Katagiri holds a Ph.D. in political science from the University of Pennsylvania. He is Associate Editor of Global Studies Journal and the author of two books, including How Liberal Democracies Defend Their Cyber Networks from Hackers (Palgrave, 2024) as well as many academic articles in the Journal of Cybersecurity, Journal of Cyber Policy, and Australian Journal of International Affairs, among others. Between 2022 and 2023, he was Senior Fellow of the Irregular Warfare Initiative at the Modern War Institute, US Military Academy at West Point.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on The strategic nexus between cyber operations and Artificial Intelligence. Dr. Katagiri will explain why it is more difficult for hackers to deploy Artificial Intelligence in their cyber operations than we think.

Nori Katagiri

Professor of Political Science and Coordinator of International Studies, Saint Louis University
Olaf Kolkman
Olaf Kolkman is an executive-level advisor to, and spokesperson of, the Internet Society, where he strategises, analyses, formulates, reviews and advises on technical, and policy issues. For over 2 and a half decades, Olaf has been actively engaged in the intersection of Internet technology, society and policy matters, in particular those related to security and trustworthiness of the Internet. He serves on several advisory boards is member of the SIDN supervisory board and is treasurer of the Global Forum on Expertise in Cyberspace Foundation. He was also a commissioner on the Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace. He describes himself as an Internet generalist and evangineer, somebody with deep knowledge on some of the Internet’s technical aspects who particularly enjoys bridging the technology-society-policy gaps.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on The Internet Way of Networking.

Olaf Kolkman

Principal – Internet Technology, Policy and Advocacy at Internet Society
Rapolas Lakavičius
Rapolas Lakavičius is a Policy Officer - Cybersecurity and Digital Privacy Policy at the Directorate-General for Communications Networks, Content & Technology (DG CONNECT) of the European Commission. His work responsibilities are mainly focused towards blockchain standardisation. Previously, Rapolas worked with European Research Framework (H2020, FP7) projects and Broadband internet policies. Prior to joining the European Commission, Rapolas worked with credit risk analysis at SEB Bank in Vilnius and as consultant preparing economic and finance feasibility studies for the EU funding. Rapolas holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from Vilnius University.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on EU legislation.

Rapolas Lakavičius

Policy Officer – Cybersecurity and Digital Privacy Policy at the European Commission
Sanjeev Relia
Col. Sanjeev Relia (Retired) is a seasoned cybersecurity expert and former Indian Army officer with over 32 years of experience in telecommunications, cyber operations, and national security. He has held key roles in the Indian Army, including commanding elite signal units and serving with the National Security Guard. After retiring, he transitioned to the private sector, where he currently serves as the Chief Strategy Officer at Athenian Tech. He is also a consultant for the Centre for Humanitarian Dialogue in Geneva and an accomplished author on cybersecurity topics, including the book Cyber Warfare: Its Implications on National Security.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Cyber Security. This session will delve into the dual-edged nature of AI in the cybersecurity landscape, highlighting both its potential to defend against threats and its exploitation by cybercriminals.

Sanjeev Relia

Chief Strategy Officer at Athenian Tech Limited
Puneet Bhasin
Puneet Bhasin is a leading expert in Cyber Law in India and has been awarded the Best Cyber Lawyer in the country. She advises Rajya Sabha Committees on Internet laws and has received 13 National Awards for her contributions. Puneet has played a key role in drafting amendments to the IT Act, formulating India’s Data Protection Law, and providing recommendations on cryptocurrency and cybercrimes against women.She is a published author, frequently featured on major news channels, and her book on social media crimes is a bestseller. As the founder of Cyberjure Academy, she has trained over 400 professionals and mentored thousands globally.

At IDCSS, she will provide a lecture on Introduction to Data Privacy.

Puneet Bhasin

Advocate, Cyber Law Expert, Founder, Cyberjure Legal consulting
Suneel Akkineni
Suneel Akkineni is the Director of Cybersecurity at AT&T. He is an accomplished technology risk management professional and global delivery leader with extensive experience in the areas of IT audit, technology control design, control assessments, risk advisory, building top-notch global delivery teams from scratch, and deploying innovative delivery models.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on the Governance, Risk and Compliance.

Suneel Akkineni

Director-Cybersecurity at AT&T
Abilash Soundararajan
Abilash Soundararajan is the Founder & CEO of PrivaSapien. He is a privacy industry veteran with 40+ patents in the areas of Responsible AI, Privacy Enhancing Technologies, Cybersecurity, Blockchain and Wi-Fi. He is an IIM-B alum with 19+ years of experience. From April 2020, he and his team have been building Privacy Enhancing and Responsible AI technology-based guardrails to create a safe and sustainable future for humanity in the data and the AI era. He is currently enabling businesses across the globe in unlocking data and AI models in compliance with global Privacy & Responsible AI requirements.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on Privacy Engineering & PETs.

Abilash Soundararajan

Founder & CEO of PrivaSapien
Shiv Kataria
As a Senior Key Expert in R&D at Siemens, Shiv Kataria leads innovative OT security initiatives, focusing on strategic planning, risk governance, and IEC62443 implementation to protect critical infrastructure. With a strong background in security policy, incident response, and cross-functional collaboration, Shiv is committed to enhancing organizational resilience in a rapidly changing threat landscape. Through the Next47 Accelerator Program, Shiv drives cybersecurity innovation and mentors the next generation of professionals. Mr. Kataria is dedicated to aligning cybersecurity strategies with business goals, ensuring a secure digital future for organizations.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on OT & IIoT.

Shiv Kataria

Senior Key Expert R&D, SIEMENS
Srinivas Naik
Srinivas Naik is a seasoned Cyber Security specialist with over 17 years of expertise in information technology and cybersecurity. With a proven track record of handling 150+ projects, Srinivas is highly skilled in threat hunting, Red Teaming, Offensive Security, and Kill Chain Cyber Defense. He excels in penetration testing and risk assessment for industries such as finance, healthcare, manufacturing, FinTech, aerospace and more. Srinivas is a leader in IT infrastructure and cybersecurity, known for driving transformation strategies, managing security architecture, and delivering cutting-edge solutions across various sectors. He is also a recognized public speaker, highly regarded for his insights on cybersecurity awareness and industry trends.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on Vulnerability Assessment and Penetration Testing.

Srinivas Naik

Senior cyber security researcher
Vishal Saraswat
Dr. Vishal Saraswat is a renowned cryptology expert and security consultant at Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions in Bangalore, India. With a research career that began at the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research in 2000, he has held faculty positions at prestigious institutions, including the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITH and IITJmu), the University of Hyderabad, and the University of Minnesota. His research focuses on anonymity in communication protocols, searchable encryption, lightweight cryptography for IoT devices, post-quantum cryptography, and hardware security. He has published extensively in international journals and co-authored the book “Introduction to Cryptography,” aimed at making the subject more accessible to undergraduate students. Dr. Saraswat is an executive committee member of the Cryptology Research Council of India (CRSI) and has served on the editorial boards of various journals and conferences. In addition to his teaching, he has organized executive training programs on information security and cybersecurity for diverse organizations, including defense agencies and policymakers. He actively supervises graduate students in cryptography and contributes to popular media to raise awareness about cybersecurity.

At IDCSS, Vishal will provide a lecture together with Priyamvadha Vembar on Automotive Security.

Vishal Saraswat

Senior Security Architect and Crypto Expert at Bosch Global Software Technologies Private Limited
Priyamvadha Vembar
With over 25 years of experience across leadership, engineering, and cybersecurity, Priyamvadha currently leads the cybersecurity practice at Bosch Engineering and Business Solutions in Bangalore, India, driving innovative solutions for the Automotive, IT, and IoT sectors. The team provides end-to-end consulting, engineering, and security services, building cutting-edge products and promoting cybersecurity education through an internal academy. A key contributor to industry standards such as ISO 21434 and SAE J3061, Priyamvadha has played a pivotal role in shaping Bosch’s cybersecurity strategies. Passionate about technology, she excels at challenging systems, fostering diversity, and bridging disciplines to create future-forward solutions.

At IDCSS, she will provide a lecture together with Vishal Saraswat on Automotive Security.

Priyamvadha Vembar

Head Cybersecurity Practice at Bosch Global Software Technologies Private Limited
Kashyap Ivaturi
Kashyap Ivaturi, Vice President of Engineering at CyberArk, has over 15 years of experience leading teams in enterprise software development, identity security and cloud solutions. He has held leadership roles at Idaptive and Centrify, where he spearheaded the development of next-gen access management platform, and at ServiceNow, focusing on IT Operations Management and the overall Platform Experience. With expertise in scaling global operations, Kashyap is passionate about building innovative, secure, and high-performing engineering teams.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on Identity and Access Management.

Kashyap Ivaturi

VP Engineering at CyberArk
Vartul Goyal
CyberUltron Consulting Private Limited‘s co-founder, Vartul Goyal (77%), is a distinguished security researcher with UK Global Talent Visa – Tier 1 Visa with over 15 years of industry experience, having worked in prominent locations such as the USA, Germany, and India. His expertise extends into the blockchain space, where he has been recognized for winning numerous hackathons in both San Jose and India. Vartul’s contributions to the cybersecurity community are substantial, as he actively participates in bug bounty programs and has been honored in the Hall of Fame by industry giants like Microsoft (four times), Intel, Upwork, Jet Airways, and Samsung. In addition to his practical achievements, Vartul is also a prolific author, having penned three influential books: Bounty Security Hacks, API Security Hacking, and Cyber Security for CISO/CIO/CTO.

At IDCSS, Thomas will provide a lecture on API Security.

Vartul Goyal

Co-Founder CyberUltron Consulting Private Limited
Kaarthik Sivakumar
Kaarthik Sivakumar is a Principal Engineer in Cisco‘s Security Business Group, working on products to secure compute workloads. Cisco has been in the industry for close to 25 years now, working in the areas of networking and network security. Kaarthik is an ACM (Association for Computing Machinery) India Eminent Speaker, delivering lectures on Security and Trust. Kaarthik has delivered multiple talks on trust and product security, most recently at DSCI’s Best Practices Meet 2023, and has been on multiple panel discussions on security as applied to different areas. In his spare time, Kaarthik volunteers at iSPIRT Foundation, working on Digital Public Infrastructure and Goods (DPI and DPG) for India.

At IDCSS, he will provide a lecture on DevSecPrivOps.

Kaarthik Sivakumar

Principal Engineer in Cisco’s Security Business Group

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: When will the IDCSS24 take place?

A: The IDCSS24 will take place between the 11th of October and the 8th of November 2024. The Inaugural/Opening Ceremony will be held on the 11th of October. Lectures will start on the 16th of October and run every day for the next two weeks. The last lecture will take place on the 25th of October. This will be followed by two weeks of challenges, during which our students will work in groups to complete several target-oriented tasks. The results of the National Cyber Resilience Game and the challenges will be announced on the final week of the IDCSS24, with the closing ceremony to be held on the 8th of November. Find the full programme here.

Q: How much time should I reserve for IDCSS24 courses and assignments?

A: Students are expected to be engaged part-time in the IDCSS24 programme, so as not to be hindered in fulfilling their academic obligations in their respective universities. More specifically, attendants will be required to spend approximately 20 hours on lectures and 10 hours on assignments, spread out over 4 weeks.

Q: When will the final program details be released?

A: The final programme details are expected in due time, including details about courses and lecturers. Details on the assignments will be released halfway through the courses, in which time the selection of participants among the pool of students will be made.

Q: I do not have a background in Cybersecurity. Can I apply to the IDCSS24?

A: Yes, you can! The lectures of the IDCSS24 are designed in such a way that they provide a mixture of content for both students who are new to the field as well as attendees that wish to build upon pre-existing knowledge.

Q: I don’t fulfill all the criteria. Can I apply to the IDCSS24?

A: Yes! Your motivation and acquired knowledge about cybersecurity also matters. Students who fulfill the criteria and are also highly motivated will be given priority.

Q: Is there a participation fee?

A: There is a participation fee of 999 INR in order to cover organisational costs. There is no fee for non-Indian participants.

Q: How are courses going to be conducted?

A: This year’s courses are going to be conducted online. Participants will need a digital device (desktop, laptop or smartphone) that uses enough bandwidth and has a stable connection in order to be able to attend the lectures, which are going to be livestreamed using Microsoft Teams.

Q: Will I receive credits?

A: We are currently in discussion with various Colleges regarding a credit system for the IDCSS. More information will be published on the official IDCSS website. Apart from credits, participating students will receive an official certificate upon completion of the IDCSS24.

Students who manage to successfully complete the online lectures and play the strategic cyber resilience game will receive a Certification of Attendance by the end of the program.

Indian students have the opportunity to do tests during the program, which will provide graded results.

Q: What kind of Certificate will I receive?

A: The IDCSS provides students with two types of certification. For attending the lectures in the first part of the IDCSS program, and succesfully completing the Strategic Cyber Resilience Game, students will receive a Certificate of Attendance. Upon completion of the Challenges, the second part of the IDCSS program, students will receive a Certification of Participation.

Q: What are the requirements for receiving a Certificate?

A: Students who have successfully participated in at least 75% of the IDCSS lectures AND have actively played the Strategic Cyber Resilience Game, were present at two out of three Game sessions and submitted their final deliverable, will receive an official Certificate of Attendance. Upon successful completion of the challenges, students will receive a Certificate of Participation.

Coming soon…SANCS25!

The Hague Centre for Strategic Studies is thrilled to announce that the South Africa-Netherlands Cyber Security School (SANCS), is renewed for another year! SANCS saw its first edition in 2024 and due to its success, has been re-scheduled for March 2025. This innovative online learning event aims to foster collaboration and knowledge exchange between students and young professionals from South Africa and the Netherlands. By creating a platform for cyber security enthusiasts to connect, this school will pave the way for stronger ties and cooperative efforts in tackling the challenges of the digital age.

Michel Rademaker

Deputy Director