A practical guide to getting your talk accepted at a BSides security conference
A Call for Papers (CFP) is an open invitation for speakers to submit talk proposals. Most BSides events publish a CFP a few months before the conference, review submissions, and notify accepted speakers 2-6 weeks before the event.
BSides CFPs are typically managed through platforms like Sessionize, Google Forms, or the event's own website. The process is usually straightforward: fill out a form with your talk title, abstract, and bio.
Your abstract is the most important part of your submission. Reviewers read dozens or hundreds of them, so make yours stand out.
Start by describing the problem or question your talk addresses. Reviewers want to know why the audience should care before they learn what you'll cover.
Vague abstracts get rejected. Instead of "I'll discuss cloud security," say exactly what the audience walks away with: a tool, a technique, a framework, a case study.
Two to three paragraphs is ideal. First paragraph: the problem. Second: your approach or what you'll cover. Third (optional): why you're the right person to give this talk.
Talks with demos, tools, or real-world case studies are strongly preferred over purely theoretical presentations. If you built something, released a tool, or investigated an incident, say so.
BSides events are specifically designed to be welcoming to new speakers. Many have dedicated first-timer tracks or mentorship programs. Don't let impostor syndrome stop you.
Some of the best BSides talks come from people sharing something they recently learned. "I spent a weekend reversing this IoT device and here's what I found" is a perfectly valid talk.
Submit to your nearest BSides first. Smaller events often have higher acceptance rates and more supportive audiences. Once you have one talk under your belt, submit it to other events.
Most BSides talks are 20-30 minutes. Some events offer lightning talks (5-10 minutes), which are a great way to ease into speaking.
The single best preparation is seeing what the BSides crowd has actually presented. Browse the archive of recorded BSides talks — filter by chapter, speaker, or year, and watch a few in the style of talk you want to give. You’ll pick up pacing, structure, slide density, and what reviewers tend to accept, far faster than reading guidance.
Most BSides events notify speakers 2-6 weeks before the conference. If you don't hear back, it's fine to follow up once. If you're not selected, submit the same talk to another BSides — different review committees have different preferences.
Keep an eye on this page for newly opened CFPs, and check the main event list for upcoming events that haven't opened their CFP yet.
CFP stands for "Call for Papers" — an open invitation for security researchers and practitioners to submit talk proposals for an upcoming BSides conference. The organising team reviews every submission and selects the talks that make up the event's program.
A strong CFP submission has three short paragraphs: lead with the problem you are addressing, describe specifically what the audience will learn, and briefly explain why you are the right person to give the talk. Reviewers want concrete takeaways — a tool, a technique, or a case study — and the most common reason proposals get rejected is that they read like a vendor pitch or product demo.
Most BSides events open their CFP three to six months before the conference and close submissions four to ten weeks beforehand. Acceptance notifications usually go out two to six weeks before the event. Specific deadlines vary by chapter — check each event's CFP page for the current dates.
Reply times vary by event. Most BSides chapters notify speakers two to six weeks before the conference. If the event date is approaching and you have not heard back, a single polite follow-up is welcome — review committees are volunteers working on tight schedules.
No. BSides is a volunteer-run, community-driven conference series with no speaker fees. Most events cover or discount the speaker ticket, and some chapters offer travel stipends or hotel discounts where budgets allow, but speakers generally cover their own travel and accommodation.
BSides is the most welcoming entry point into security speaking. Acceptance rates are higher than the larger commercial conferences, audiences are technical and engaged, and many chapters run dedicated first-timer tracks or mentorship. A BSides talk is a recognised credential when applying to bigger events, and many speakers return year after year because the community is what brings them back.