Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Sep 25, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
New York
Buffalo, NY cybersecurity events & groups
Buffalo's security community centers on Infosec 716, a monthly meetup that runs mostly online with an in-person option at the Bit Haven hackerspace in the Tri-Main Center, where Bit Haven also holds weekly Friday hangouts. BSides Buffalo is held each June at Canisius University, and University at Buffalo students run the UBNetDef and UBSEC clubs and the Lockdown defense competitions. InfraGard, ISACA and IAPP chapters covering Western New York add professional programs, and the Rochester Security Summit and BSidesROC are about 75 minutes east.
Start here
- Infosec 716: Free monthly meetup open to students and veterans of the field alike, with online and in-person options.
- Bit Haven Hackerspace: Free weekly Friday hangout at Buffalo's cybersecurity hackerspace in the Tri-Main Center.
- BSides Buffalo: The city's community security conference, held each June at Canisius University.
Six months at a glance
September 2026
| S | M | T | W | T | F | S |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | ||
| 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 |
| 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 |
| 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 |
| 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
Datebook
September 2026
October 2026
Python for Hackers (Bit Haven)
Thu, Oct 1, 2026 · 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Bit Haven, Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Part of a class that repeats every two weeks on Thursdays through November 19, 2026; all skill levels, loaner laptops available.
ConfirmedWorkshopFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Oct 2, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BSides Toronto 2026
Sat, Oct 3 to Sun, Oct 4, 2026
Toronto Metropolitan University, Ted Rogers School of Management, 55 Dundas St W, Toronto, ON · Regional
New venue for 2026; activities include a CTF, Hak4Kidz and a TOOOL lockpicking village. Requires crossing the Canadian border.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
SecTor 2026
Tue, Oct 6 to Thu, Oct 8, 2026
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Toronto, ON · Regional
Canada's largest security conference, run by Black Hat (Informa). The Business Pass exhibit hall and Arsenal tool demos run October 7 and 8. Dates and venue come from the organizer's September 3, 2026 press release; the SecTor website blocked automated reading. Requires crossing the Canadian border.
ConfirmedConferencePaidVendor-hosted
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Oct 9, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Infosec 716 October Meetup: hardware hacking for beginners
Wed, Oct 14, 2026 · 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.
Bit Haven, Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo, and online
Hybrid meeting, also streamed on Discord and Twitch.
ConfirmedMeetupFree
Rochester Security Summit 2026
Wed, Oct 14 to Thu, Oct 15, 2026
Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center, Rochester, NY · Regional
Late registration closes: Thu, Oct 15, 2026
20th edition; two-day and one-day tickets are sold. Smart glasses are not allowed on the conference floor.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Oct 16, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Oct 23, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
UB Lockdown (Fall 2026)
Sat, Oct 24, 2026 · 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
University at Buffalo, Jacobs Management Center, Room B20, and online
Defense-only red versus blue competition for college teams at a beginner to intermediate level.
ConfirmedCTFStudents only
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Oct 30, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
November 2026
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Nov 6, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Nov 13, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
UB Lockdown for High School (Fall 2026)
Sat, Nov 14, 2026 · 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
University at Buffalo, and online
Team registration closes: Thu, Nov 5, 2026
For high school teams of up to five; limited to 12 teams.
ConfirmedCTFStudents only
Infosec 716 November Pre-Holiday Meetup
Wed, Nov 18, 2026 · 6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Bit Haven, Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
In-person social with a gift exchange and movie night; RSVP requested for food.
ConfirmedMeetupFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Nov 20, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Nov 27, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
December 2026
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Dec 4, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Dec 11, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Dec 18, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Dec 25, 2026 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
January 2027
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Jan 1, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Jan 8, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Jan 15, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Jan 22, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Jan 29, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
February 2027
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Feb 5, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Feb 12, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Feb 19, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Feb 26, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
March 2027
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Mar 5, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Mar 12, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Mar 19, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
BSidesROC 2027
Sat, Mar 20, 2027
RIT Inn & Conference Center, 5257 West Henrietta Road, Henrietta (Rochester area), NY · Regional
Rochester's hacker conference; CFP and tickets not yet open.
ConfirmedConferencePaid
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Fri, Mar 26, 2027 · 6:00 p.m.
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo
Per published schedule; confirm with organizer.
MeetingFree
On the radar
Announced without a date, or expected from past editions. Not confirmed.
BSides Buffalo 2027
Usually held on a Saturday in early June at Canisius University; 2027 dates not yet announced
Canisius University, Science Hall, Buffalo
ExpectedConferencePaid
Groups & associations
Professional associations
IAPP KnowledgeNet Western New York
Buffalo (host venues vary) · In the city
Occasional meetings; none scheduled on the chapter page
Privacy and cybersecurity law chapter. The November 20, 2025 meeting was a cybersecurity compliance panel co-hosted with Phillips Lytle at One Canalside, 125 Main Street. Chapter membership requires IAPP membership.
Quiet: last activity Nov 2025Members only
iapp.org/community/iapp-chapters/western-new-yo… [S14] [S15]
ISACA Western New York Chapter
Western New York (Buffalo and Rochester areas) · Metro area
Irregular; no chapter events scheduled on the chapter calendar
Chapter territory covers 50 miles around Buffalo and Rochester. The latest event on its calendar is the IT GRC seminar held with IIA Western New York on May 8, 2025 at Samuel's Grande Manor in Williamsville.
Quiet: last activity May 2025Paid
Hacker and grassroots groups
Bit Haven Hackerspace
Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351, Buffalo · In the city
Friday Night Hangout every Friday, 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.; a Python for Hackers class meets every two weeks on Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. through November 19, 2026
Hackerspace open to all skill levels; paid membership is available through Patreon, but the Friday hangouts listed on Meetup are free.
Free
Infosec 716
Online, with an in-person option at Bit Haven, Tri-Main Center, 2495 Main St, Suite 351 · In the city
Monthly on a Wednesday at 6:00 p.m.; most meetings are hybrid (Bit Haven plus a Discord and Twitch stream)
Monthly meetings in 2026 fell on the second or third Wednesday; check each Meetup listing for the date and format.
Free
Public-private and government
InfraGard Buffalo Members Alliance
Buffalo and Rochester (venues vary) · In the city
Several meetings a year for vetted members, plus a year-end meeting and FBI briefing each December
Serves InfraGard members in the Buffalo and Rochester regions and works with the FBI Buffalo field office. The June 30, 2026 meeting with the NY Power Authority was in the Lewiston and Niagara Falls area.
Vetting required
Education and student groups
UB Network Defense (UBNetDef)
University at Buffalo · In the city
Security classes each semester and the Lockdown defense competition each fall and spring
University at Buffalo is an NSA/DHS Center of Academic Excellence. UBNetDef is UB's security class and club and sends teams to competitions. The latest dated activity on its own site is a Systems Security lecture on May 2, 2024, but its Lockdown site lists competitions on October 24 and November 14, 2026. The owner confirmed the club is active (September 25, 2026).
Students only
UB Student Excellence in Cybersecurity (UBSEC)
University at Buffalo North Campus · In the city
Talks, workshops and CTF nights during the semester; dates posted on UBLinked
Student club; the fall 2026 interest meeting was held September 24, 2026. Spring 2026 events included a CTF, a Wi-Fi hacking workshop and a visit to Bit Haven.
Students only
Conference series
BSides Buffalo
Canisius University, Science Hall, 1901 Main St · In the city
Annual one-day conference in early June
The fifth edition was held June 6, 2026 with talks, a CTF, soldering and lockpicking.
Paid
Directory checklist
5 of 19 national directories list a local chapter
| Directory | Result |
|---|---|
| 2600 Meetings | Nearest: Rochester 2600 |
| CISA Regional Offices | Nearest: CISA Region 2; no public Buffalo events posted |
| Cloud Security Alliance | No chapter found |
| Cyversity (formerly ICMCP) Chapters | No chapter found |
| DEF CON Groups | Nearest: DC585 (Rochester) |
| HTCIA | No chapter found |
| IAPP KnowledgeNet | Local chapter: IAPP KnowledgeNet Western New York |
| InfraGard Members Alliances | Local chapter: InfraGard Buffalo Members Alliance |
| ISACA | Local chapter: ISACA Western New York Chapter |
| ISC2 | Nearest: ISC2 Central New York Chapter (Syracuse) |
| ISSA | Nearest: ISSA Rochester Chapter |
| NSA National Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (NCAE-C) | Local chapter: UB Network Defense (UBNetDef) |
| OWASP | Nearest: OWASP Toronto |
| SANS Institute | No chapter found |
| SecureWorld | No chapter found |
| Security BSides | Local chapter: BSides Buffalo |
| TOOOL (The Open Organisation Of Lockpickers) | Nearest: TOOOL Rochester |
| WiCyS (Women in CyberSecurity) Professional Affiliates | No chapter found |
| Women's Society of Cyberjutsu (WSC) Chapters | No chapter found |
Field notes
- Infosec 716 meets online most months with an in-person option at Bit Haven; the November 18, 2026 meeting is in person only. Check each Meetup listing for the format.
- Bit Haven is in suite 351 of the Tri-Main Center at 2495 Main Street.
- InfraGard meetings are for FBI-vetted members, and registration details go to members by email. Its year-end meeting is held each December in the Rochester area.
- A Buffalo Niagara ISSA chapter website (bnissa.org) exists but could not be reached in September 2026; the nearest confirmed ISSA chapter is ISSA Rochester.
- BSides Toronto and SecTor are in Canada; bring a passport or other border-crossing document.
- UBNetDef's Lockdown site lists fall 2026 competitions, but the club's own site shows no dated activity after May 2, 2024, so it is listed as possibly dormant. Check lockdown.ubnetdef.org before planning around it.
Sources
Numbered references for the listings on this page.
- S1https://www.meetup.com/bit-haven-hackerspace/
- S2https://bithavenbuffalo.com/
- S3https://www.meetup.com/bit-haven-hackerspace/events/316519796/
- S4https://www.bsidesto.ca/
- S5https://finance.yahoo.com/technology/ai/articles/sector-2026-announces-content-lineup-120000963.html
- S6https://www.blackhat.com/sector/
- S7https://www.meetup.com/infosec-716/events/316582394/
- S8https://www.rochestersecurity.org/
- S9https://lockdown.ubnetdef.org/about/
- S10https://lockdown.ubnetdef.org/highschool/
- S11https://www.meetup.com/infosec-716/events/315741578/
- S12https://bsidesroc.com/
- S13https://www.bsidesbuffalo.org/
- S14https://iapp.org/community/iapp-chapters/western-new-york
- S15https://phillipslytle.com/news-events/stay-ahead-of-cyber-threats-strengthening-defenses-and-compliance-in-new-york/
- S16https://engage.isaca.org/westernnewyorkchapter/home
- S17https://engage.isaca.org/westernnewyorkchapter/events/eventdescription?CalendarEventKey=2c2325ca-f544-4157-9d5f-01966392e78d&CommunityKey=d150a48e-d70f-414d-b67c-c298669229cf&Home=%2Fwesternnewyorkchapter%2Fevents%2Fcalendar
- S18https://www.meetup.com/infosec-716/
- S19https://www.meetup.com/infosec-716/events/315741574/
- S20https://infragardwny.net/
- S21https://ubnetdef.org/
- S22https://ubnetdef.org/lectures/
- S23https://buffalo.campuslabs.com/engage/organization/ubsec
- S24https://www.bsidesbuffalo.org/blog/