The international PHDays Fest featured discussions on Big Tech "authoritarianism" and combating cybercrime

Delegations from 40 countries gathered in Moscow last week for an annual cybersecurity conference to explore ways to reduce reliance on Big Tech and address the rise of AI-assisted fraud.

This year's Positive Hack Days Festival, known as PHDays Fest, was the largest since the event began in 2011, according to the organizers. Over three days, about 150,000 people attended the Luzhniki venue in person, while more than 180,000 joined panels virtually.

Initially launched by Russian cybersecurity firm Positive Technologies, the event has grown into a global forum attracting government officials and industry leaders. Among the 2025 forum's international speakers were Mexican Ambassador to Russia Eduardo Megias and Ahmed Mustafa Al-Issawi, an aide to the owner of Qatar-based Al Adid Business Foundation.

Digital sovereignty was a central theme of the conference. Organizers highlighted Russia's response to being cut off from Western tech services after the Ukraine conflict escalated in 2022.

Yury Maksimov, the billionaire founder and former CEO of Positive Technologies, advocated for a shift away from what he called the "authoritarianism" of major software developers. Smaller firms, he said, struggle to compete in the current environment, but could flourish under a knowledge-sharing model. By teaching clients to manage their own cybersecurity, companies can foster global expertise and network-based advantages, he argued.

Cybercrime was also a key focus. Danil Filippov, a senior official with Russia's Interior Ministry, said that roughly half of all crimes the take place in the country, ranging from financial fraud to terrorist incitement, are initiated abroad.

Criminals are rapidly adopting advanced tools, said Elman Mekhtiev, a consumer protection consultant to the Bank of Russia. He warned that advancements in real-time translation software powered by artificial intelligence will soon erase language barriers for cybercriminals.

The event featured a cyberwarfare championship, where more than 40 hacker teams competed in simulated attacks on critical infrastructure. Attendees also had the chance to experience "Fraud Roulette," which connects suspected phone scammers with volunteers willing to waste their time.

The project, developed by T-bank, recorded 617 phone calls lasting more than 10 hours in total during the live demonstration at the fest. Those efforts alone cost fraudsters an estimated $1,600 in lost revenue, organizers said.