The one thing that's consistent about the IT security environment is change. Just when you think you've got a grip on what's happening, new threats emerge, new technologies hit the market, and new defensive practices take hold. It's difficult to even keep up with the latest developments, much less implement them.

With this rapid pace of change in mind, Dark Reading on April 29 will present The Dark Reading Cyber Security Crash Course, a new, one-day event offered in conjunction with Interop Las Vegas, one of the IT industry's best-known IT professional conferences. Registration for both events is open now.

The Cyber Security Crash Course is designed to help IT and security professionals quickly get caught up on the latest threats and defenses in all areas of cyber defense. In a series of 12 rapid-fire, 30-minute sessions, some of the industry's top experts will offer "everything you need to know" presentations on critical areas of infosec, including cloud security, mobile security, targeted attacks, end user defenses, social engineering, insider threats, and many more.

The information in the Cyber Security Crash Course will be presented in simple language, making it ideal for IT professionals who need a fast education on the various aspects of the cyber threat. But because each presenter is an expert in his or her field, attendees at this limited-audience event will be able to ask very specific questions about their specific environments in a collegial, small-event environment. The Cyber Security Crash Course is an opportunity to intelligently bone up on the latest developments in IT security, and get real answers to the problems that you face in your own IT department.

If you've attended security sessions at other large conferences, you know that it can be difficult to get an opportunity to talk with the speakers following their talks. Not so at the Dark Reading Cyber Security Crash Course. During the course of this one-day event, you will not only have the chance to ask questions in a small-group setting, but also rub elbows with speakers during a working lunch and a cocktail party presented at the end of the day. The event is designed not only to give you fast information, but to help you find the contacts you need to provide more information about cyber security issues in the future.

In addition, every attendee will go home with a Cyber Security Crash Course Summary, containing additional notes, slides, and other information that will serve as a reference for attendees and their colleagues in IT.

If you are in need of a fast, expert way of catching up with the latest threats and defenses in IT security -- or if you work with others in IT who could use a fast education -- The Dark Reading Cyber Security Crash Course may be the event you've been looking for. We hope you'll take a look at the website, ask questions, and register to participate. IT security is a moving target -- we all need a way to catch up.