Next-Gen AI Cybersecurity: From Capture the Flag to Cyber Ranges and Large Language Models (LLMs)
Title:
Next-Gen AI Cybersecurity: From Capture the Flag to Cyber Ranges and Large Language Models (LLMs)
Keynote speaker:
Stylianos Karagiannis, PhD, Postdoctoral Researcher / Member of the Networks, Multimedia and Security Laboratory (NMSLab), Department of Informatics, Ionian University
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Dr. Stylianos Karagiannis holds a Ph.D. in Informatics with a focus on Cybersecurity (2018–2022) and an M.Sc. in Information Systems from the Department of Informatics at Ionian University. Over the past four years, he has served as a Postdoctoral Researcher at Ionian University, while also working as a Researcher at Beyond Vision (2019–2021), a Senior Researcher at PDMFC (2021–2025). He specializes in core cybersecurity domains, including secure Red and Blue Teaming, software architecture, gamification, and the integration of Large Language Models (LLMs) in Cybersecurity. Having actively contributed to numerous national and European research projects, Dr. Karagiannis has authored high-impact peer-reviewed publications, organized major technical hackathons and summer schools, and delivered academic instruction across the broader field of cybersecurity. Presenter & Affiliation: Stylianos Karagiannis, Postdoctoral Researcher / Member of the Networks, Multimedia and Security Laboratory (NMSLab), Department of Informatics, Ionian University. Email: skaragiannis@ionio.gr |
Abstract:
This presentation explores the transformative convergence of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity, focusing on how gamification reshapes modern technical training and workforce readiness. It traces the pedagogical evolution of hands-on security education, progressing from traditional, static Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions to immersive, high-fidelity Cyber Ranges, and ultimately to the integration of generative AI and Large Language Models (LLMs).
The session examines how modern LLM-driven architectures can dynamically generate adaptive attack-defense scenarios, synthesize realistic network traffic, and simulate autonomous threat actors in real time. Attendees will gain insights into how these intelligent simulation environments lower the barrier for complex defensive training, automate evaluation and contextual feedback, and bridge the critical gap between theoretical knowledge and operational incident response in rapidly shifting threat landscapes.
Keywords: Cybersecurity, Gamification, Cyber Ranges, Capture the Flag (CTF), Large Language Models (LLMs), AI in Security, Threat Simulation, Digital Twins.