Walk through the door. This is Hackoween in action.

A recap of Hackoween 2025. Join us this year for Hackoween 2026.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month Event

Hackoween 2026

Hackoween is STACK Cybersecurity's annual Cybersecurity Awareness Month event, bringing live hacks, a Dark Web tour, and Halloween together for one night. At Hackoween, the learning comes easy.

Internationally renowned hackers will demonstrate how real cyberattacks unfold and how they're stopped. We'll go inside the Dark Web with an undercover Michigan Cyber Command expert, hear directly from the Michigan Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation about Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC), and meet cybersecurity experts who work with these issues every day. New this year, guests can also try to hack a working pay phone in an interactive cybersecurity challenge.

Between demonstrations, enjoy dinner from Rocky's of Northville, an open bar, DJ, Topic Tables, interactive challenges, giveaways, costume contest, and networking with business leaders from Michigan and across the country.

Hackoween falls during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, the nationwide October campaign led by the National Cybersecurity Alliance and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA). STACK Cybersecurity is a long-standing Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion. We built this event to make education stick, pairing real threat demonstrations with a party people want to attend.

"This is the most fun you can have at a Cybersecurity Awareness Month event."

Tracey Birkenhauer, Chief Impact Officer, STACK Cybersecurity

No costume on hand? Stop by the Costume Corner, stocked with costumes, wigs, masks, and other adornments.

Topic Tables open early and run most of the evening, giving attendees time for free, one-on-one consultations on CMMC and compliance, AI, Microsoft tools, and cyber liability insurance. Stop by any table, no appointment needed.

Register for Hackoween See the Topic Tables Silent Auction for HAVEN

Hackoween 2026 combines high-value networking, executive discussion, and Halloween fun.

Connect with business leaders, IT professionals, dignitaries, media professionals, and compliance experts while learning strategies to stay secure.

Date Oct. 30, 2026
Time 5 to 9 p.m.
Location STACK Cybersecurity, 33131 Schoolcraft Road, Livonia, MI
Audience Executives, Dignitaries, Media Partners
Cost Free

Hackoween Topic Tables

Topic Tables open at 5 p.m. and run through 8:30 p.m., giving attendees time throughout the evening for personalized consultations on the questions and issues affecting their businesses. Visit every station, including the Topic Tables and the phone booth, for a chance to win a prize.

CMMC and Compliance

Staffed by the Schoolcraft College APEX Accelerator, Chris Johnson, and Jeanne Schabath-Lewis of the Michigan Office of Defense & Aerospace Innovation. Ask about CMMC requirements and compliance obligations for defense contractors.

Artificial Intelligence

Staffed by Ben Jones of Acium and STACK Cybersecurity. See a live look at STACK's new Managed AI service.

Microsoft

Staffed by Microsoft. Get a free consultation on Copilot and other tools, plus optional follow-up training at your office.

Cyber Insurance

Staffed by Lakeside Insurance and Matt Lee of Pax8. Review your policy's exclusions and sublimits before renewal.

Want a guaranteed time slot?

Topic Tables are open to walk-ins all evening, but you can request a specific time with a specialist in advance. Note your preferred table and time when you register, or email info@stackcyber.com, and STACK will confirm a slot before the event.

Silent Auction for HAVEN

Hackoween's silent auction raises money for HAVEN of Oakland County, a Pontiac-based nonprofit that provides shelter, counseling, advocacy, and forensic services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Expected items include Detroit Lions memorabilia, a Detroit Tigers jersey signed by Hall of Famer Al Kaline, and a Jack Daniel's bottle signed by the members of Three Doors Down, though specific items are subject to change. Bidding is open from 5 to 8:45 p.m., with winners announced during closing remarks.

Custom Celebration Cake

Julia Fidler, founder of Cakes & Candles Project, a nonprofit that partners with HAVEN to provide complimentary celebration cakes for residents in its shelter, is donating a custom celebration cake for this year's auction. The winning bidder chooses the flavor, filling, and design.

Visit Cakes & Candles Project

Dark Web With Michigan Cyber Command

Go inside the Dark Web with an undercover Michigan Cyber Command expert whose work provides a firsthand view of criminal activity most people never encounter.

See examples of illicit marketplaces and criminal forums involving stolen credentials and personal information, cybercrime services, weapons, and other serious criminal activity. The presentation connects what exists on the Dark Web to threats facing businesses and individuals in the real world.

The Michigan Cyber Command expert will also discuss the threats encountered through this work, what investigators watch for, and examples of activity that can be discussed publicly.

Last year's demonstration walked the room through real dark web marketplace listings instead of a slide deck, and it became one of the most talked-about moments of the night. We needed a fainting couch on standby. Attendees told us they didn't sleep that night, they were so rattled by what they saw.

Cybersecurity Awareness Month × Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Protect Your Name: Personal Privacy & Safety

The same personal information that fuels identity theft also helps an abuser locate a victim. Cybersecurity Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month share the same month for a reason, and Christine Kinal opens Hackoween by connecting the two. Rich Miller and Tracey Birkenhauer are making a major donation to HAVEN as part of this year's event, in addition to the silent auction benefiting the organization.

Christine Kinal, President and CEO, HAVEN

Christine Kinal

President & CEO, HAVEN

"I am a secondary survivor of domestic violence. ... I learned early that while I could not control what happened to me, I could control how I used my experience to help others. ... Lasting change happens when each of us steps forward and says, 'If not me, then who?'"

Christine Kinal, President & CEO, HAVEN of Oakland County. Read her full story

In the CDC's most recent national stalking survey, 1 in 5 female stalking victims were monitored with stalkerware, and 1 in 6 were tracked by GPS. HAVEN supports nearly 30,000 people a year in Oakland County.

What you'll learn

How data brokers sell your personal information, and how to get it removed.
How to recognize stalkerware and GPS tracking.
Where cybersecurity risk and personal safety risk overlap.

Live Hack Team

Watch a real-world attack scenario unfold from start to finish, built and demonstrated live by Ben Jones and Matt Lee. Cyber MC Chris Johnson translates the technical activity into plain language, explaining what happened, why it worked, and what businesses can do to reduce their exposure.

Then join the hackers and cybersecurity experts for After the Hack, an audience-driven discussion about the attacks and threats businesses face today.

What you'll see

How an unlocked laptop and a hidden USB device can hand over remote access in seconds.
How attackers can use stolen credentials and other techniques to compromise email and business accounts, including attacks designed to get around some forms of multifactor authentication.
How a convincing fake webpage tricks a browser into running malicious code.

After the Hack: Cyber Panel & Q&A

An open conversation on what you just watched: how attacks like these happen, where defenses fail, what businesses can do to reduce their exposure, and the threats each panelist is seeing right now.

Ben Jones from Acium

Ben Jones

Acium

Matt Lee from Pax8

Matt Lee

Pax8

Chris Johnson from GTIA

Chris Johnson

Global Technology Industry Assn.

Rob Moore from STACK Cybersecurity

Rob Moore

STACK Cybersecurity

New This Year: The Hackoween Phreaking Booth

We probably shouldn't tell you what happens when you pick up the phone. But Hackoween guests will get to try it.

Think you can hack a pay phone?

Hackoween's interactive phone booth turns an old-school piece of technology into a hands-on cybersecurity challenge. Follow the clues, use a classic phone-hacking technique, and see how many hidden secrets you can uncover.

A little hacking history

In the 1960s and '70s, a toy whistle packaged in Cap'n Crunch cereal boxes happened to produce the exact tone AT&T's phone network used to signal an open long-distance line. Phone phreakers used it to explore the system for free, one of the first real hacks in history. Our phone booth brings that same spirit to Hackoween.

No cybersecurity experience is required. Pick up the instructions and see how far you can get.

Agenda Snapshot

5 p.m.

Registration, Open Bar, Dinner, DJ, Networking & Interactive Experiences

5 to 8:30 p.m.

Topic Tables Open

Walk-ins welcome all evening. Pre-registered attendees will have a reserved time with their chosen specialist.

5 to 8:45 p.m.

Silent Auction Benefiting HAVEN

5:45 p.m.

Welcome to Hackoween

5:55 p.m.

Why This Matters: Cybersecurity Awareness Month & Domestic Violence Awareness Month

Opening remarks from Christine Kinal, President & CEO of HAVEN of Oakland County.

6:20 p.m.

Live Hack Experience

Built and demonstrated by Hackoween's hackers, with Chris Johnson translating what's happening into cybersecurity lessons you can use.

7:05 p.m.

After the Hack: Cyber Panel & Audience Q&A

7:35 p.m.

Networking, DJ, Topic Tables & Interactive Experiences

8:20 p.m.

Inside the Dark Web With Michigan Cyber Command

8:35 p.m.

Costume Contest, Giveaways & Recognition

8:50 p.m.

Closing Toast

Who's Joining Us

Hackoween draws executives and specialists from Michigan and across the country. Confirmed guests include:

Martha Ptashnik

Livonia City Council; Chair, Math Department, Churchill High School

Jake Charen

Cyber Insurance Specialist, Lakeside Insurance

Jann Deane

Senior Procurement Counselor, Schoolcraft College APEX Accelerator

Shawntee Passmore

Reporter, WDIV-Channel 4 Detroit

John Anthony

Host, "Black and Right," 92.7 FM The Answer

Companies represented this year include:

Partners

Hackoween 2026 is made possible with support from the following sponsors.

Thank You to Our Giveaway Sponsors

ThreatLocker, the Global Technology Industry Association (GTIA), and Rewst are providing giveaway items for attendees. Acium is also giving away a Flipper Zero, a compact multi-tool used for security research and testing. Thank you for helping make Hackoween 2026 memorable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who should attend Hackoween?

Business owners, executives, dignitaries, and decision-makers.

What's the format of the evening?

Hackoween combines a live hacking demonstration, Dark Web presentation, cybersecurity panel, Topic Tables, interactive experiences, dinner, an open bar, DJ, silent auction, and executive networking. Formal programming is kept brief so guests have plenty of time to explore the experiences and talk with the experts.

What's the cost of tickets?

Hackoween is a free event.

Are costumes required?

No, costumes are encouraged but not required. A costume corner on-site offers costumes, wigs, masks, and other adornments for anyone who arrives without one. STACK Cybersecurity awards a prize for the best costume.

Can I reserve a time at a Topic Table?

Yes. Topic Tables are open to walk-ins throughout the evening, but you can request a specific time with a specialist in advance by noting your preference when you register or by emailing info@stackcyber.com.

What does the silent auction support?

Proceeds from the silent auction benefit HAVEN of Oakland County, a Pontiac-based nonprofit that provides shelter, counseling, advocacy, and forensic services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. Bidding is open from 5 to 8:45 p.m., and winners are announced during closing remarks.

Why is Hackoween free?

Hackoween is free to attend thanks to support from our sponsors. As a long-standing Cybersecurity Awareness Month Champion with the National Cybersecurity Alliance, STACK Cybersecurity wants as many business leaders as possible to walk away with cybersecurity knowledge they can use, no cost involved.

Will I be photographed or recorded at Hackoween?

Yes. STACK Cybersecurity photographs and records the event for coverage and marketing, and registering for Hackoween means agreeing to appear in that coverage. The one exception is the Michigan Cyber Command undercover agent, whose face is blurred or obscured in all photos and video.

Who do I contact for press or general inquiries?

Email info@stackcyber.com for press credentials, interview requests, or any other questions about Hackoween.

Can I see what the venue looks like beforehand?

Yes. STACK Cybersecurity's About page includes a full video tour of the Livonia office where Hackoween takes place.

Event Production Team

Hackoween 2026 is being filmed and produced by the following partners.

Video and Photography

Two Penny Productions is filming the full event, along with guest testimonials and additional footage for STACK's marketing use.

Visit Two Penny Productions

DJ and Live Production

Rock Out Entertainment is providing DJ services and live event production for the evening.

Visit Rock Out Entertainment

Balloon Decor

Festive Flamingo is building a massive Dark Web-themed balloon spider along with additional balloon decor throughout the venue.

Visit Festive Flamingo