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Defending human, autonomous and hybrid intelligence against cognitive attack.

When your mind is the target, CSI is the defence.

The Cognitive Security Institute is a not-for-profit advancing the science and practice of cognitive security: protecting how people and intelligent systems perceive, reason, decide and act.

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As state and criminal adversaries increasingly exploit human behaviour, AI systems and the space between them, cognitive security has become a critical layer of modern defence.

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Our work spans three interconnected areas: human risk, cognitive warfare and neurosecurity.

A new threat surface demands a new discipline.

Cognitive attacks target judgement, attention, trust and decision-making.

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CSI brings together security leaders, researchers, defence professionals, policymakers and technologists to build the frameworks, evidence and practical capability needed to defend against them.

Our Mission

To defend human, autonomous and hybrid intelligence against cognitive attacks - enabling more resilient decisions and a genuine decision advantage.

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Our Vision

To be the centre of science and practice for cognitive security, through rigorous research, continuing education and a global community of action.

Three Interconnected Areas
of Cognitive Security

Our work is focused where cognition is increasingly exposed: within organisations, across societies, and at the frontier between the human brain and emerging technology.

 

These challenges shape CSI’s three core areas of focus:

Human Risk

Strengthening how organisations understand and manage the human factors that shape security. Through SHIELD, CSI connects human risk practitioners across the globe and advances more human-centred approaches to security culture, behaviour and resilience.

Cognitive Warfare

Examining how adversaries seek to influence what people believe, whom they trust and how they act. CSI advances the research, frameworks and defensive capabilities needed to identify and counter influence operations, information manipulation and AI-enabled cognitive threats.

Neurosecurity

Preparing for the security risks created by neurotechnology, brain-computer interfaces and neural data. CSI explores how these technologies could affect cognitive autonomy, privacy and the future relationship between humans and machines.

How We Create Impact

Community

A global network of practitioners, academics and defence professionals working at the intersection of cognition, AI and security. Our communities include SHIELD, focused on human risk, alongside flagship events including CognectCon and the Cognitive Security Conference.

Research

We develop the foundations of cognitive security, including the Cognitive Attack Taxonomy (CAT), AI Cognitive Defence for Organisations, human-autonomy teaming frameworks and research published through the Cognitive Security journal.

Education

Practical learning and resources that help individuals and organisations build cognitive resilience, strengthen threat analysis and design security around people.

We thank our 2026
Conference Sponsors!

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Sanny Liao, co-founder of Fable Security and former Head of Data Science at Abnormal Security
03:48
What is the role of human factors in cybersecurity? Crystal Faucett, PhD CognectCon Tampa
01:08
From Awareness to Accountability: Rethinking the Human Risk Practitioner's Role
58:21
Cybersecurity Social Dynamics: Attitudes, Influences, Usable Security | Dr. Cori Faklaris | CSI #59
44:37
Building Cognitive Defence for Organisations in the Age of AI w/ Holly-Jane Grayling & Andrew Beachy
21:15
2024: A Cyborg Odyssey | Len Noe | CSI #60
45:48
Cognitive Security Institute Live Stream
The Mind of the Machine: Governing the New Agentic Workforce | Josh Devon | CSI #87
31:43
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The Cognitive Security Institute is a registered 501(c)(3) organization,
EIN: 92-3238363, State of Oregon Registration#: 66753.

©2025 Cognitive Security Institute.

All rights reserved.

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