The Passwords Conference is the world’s first conference dedicated to passwords, PINs, and digital authentication. Originally launched as a small workshop in 2010 by Per Thorsheim at the University of Bergen, Norway, it has grown significantly and has been hosted across Europe and the United States.
In 2014 and 2015, the conference accepted peer-reviewed papers published in the Springer Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series (LNCS 9393, Trondheim 2014; LNCS 9551, Cambridge 2015). PasswordsCon 2026 will reintroduce a peer-reviewed paper track — further details on submissions and publication will be announced. It brings together researchers, practitioners, password crackers, and industry experts from around the world to explore challenges in authentication security, usability, and policy. PasswordsCon is known for its collaborative and informal environment, encouraging open discussion between participants and speakers throughout the event.
The 2026 conference will be hosted at Munster Technological University, Cork, Ireland.
Until end of July
Until end of September
Valid student ID required
From October
PasswordsCon welcomes original contributions presenting attacks, analyses, designs, applications, protocols, systems, practical experiences, and theory related to passwords and authentication.Accepted papers will be published after the conference by Springer as part of the Lecture Notes in Computer Science (LNCS) series. Authors must prepare their submissions and, if accepted, their final camera ready versions using the Springer LNCS template.
Topics include but are not limited to:
Submit your talk proposal: Long & short talks, plus ideas for lightning talks, new work in progress or previously published work deserving wider attention. These presentations will not be published. please email your proposal to [email protected].
Cyber Research Conference Ireland (Cyber-RCI) 2026
If you’re already in Cork for PasswordsCon, why not stay on for the Cyber Research Conference Ireland (Cyber-RCI), taking place the same week at MTU Cork on Thursday 10th December?
Cyber-RCI is an annual IEEE WIE sponsored conference bringing together researchers from academia, industry, and public authorities working in the field of cybersecurity across the island of Ireland. The conference focuses on theoretical and practical aspects of cybersecurity, privacy, trust, and resilience of networks, systems, and services, as well as the human dimensions of security.
Cyber-RCI 2026 will be co-located with PasswordsCon at Munster Technological University, Cork — making it the perfect opportunity to extend your stay and connect with the wider Irish cybersecurity research community.
The following hotels are all located in Cork city centre and within easy reach of MTU. We recommend booking early as availability can be limited.
Budget
Premier Inn Cork City Centre
Morrison’s Quay, Cork
Clean, modern and reliable. One of the most affordable options in the city centre.
Mid-range
Hotel Isaacs Cork
48 MacCurtain Street, Cork
Boutique hotel with excellent reviews for comfort and service. Great breakfast included.
Mid-Range
The Metropole Hotel
MacCurtain Street, Cork
A classic Cork hotel with a warm atmosphere, well located for the city centre.
Mid-range
Clayton Hotel Cork City
Lapp’s Quay, Cork
Modern hotel with spacious rooms, a pool, and good transport links.
Premium1
The Imperial Hotel & Spa
76 South Mall, Cork
A historic landmark hotel right in the heart of the city.
From Cork Airport
From Dublin Airport
Cork Airport is approximately 10–15 minutes from Cork city centre.
Journey time approximately 3–3.5 hours.
From Cork City Centre to the Bishopstown campus
MTU Cork (Eircode: T12 P928) is located in Bishopstown, approximately 4km west of Cork city centre.
Using buses during your stay in Cork
If you plan to use buses during your stay, we recommend getting a TFI Leap Card — a reusable prepaid travel card that saves you 30% compared to cash fares on Bus Éireann services in Cork. Cash is accepted on buses but exact change is required.
More information at www.leapcard.ie