“Spotlight” in a category in our directory in which we “shine a spotlight” on a security event anywhere around the world. We interview a founder or co-founder, or someone within the management team and asks them a bunch of questions.
How Do We Choose What Events To Interview?
Honestly, there’s no set criteria.
The only thing we look for is that it is different, supportive of the community, and is making as much effort as possible to push the Cybersecurity agenda as possible.
We also favor events that help folks to network for personal career gain so that’s always a bonus.
We have a bunch of events that we’d love to focus in on in [year] but for the moment, here are the personalities that I’ve interviewed so far.
An interesting observation I’ve made from interviewing these conference organizers is that they all seem to feel that the future of events will likely be a blended approach, i.e. a combination of virtual as well as physical events and I tend to agree. When we feel, truly, that we have a vaccine for COVID-19, as well as declining infection rates then yes, the resurgence of “in-person” events will resume.
I catch up with legendary Jack Daniel to ask him a bunch of questions about the global BSides franchise. Learn more!
nullcon
This premier Indian Cybersecurity Event, held every year in sunny Goa is one of India’s premier security events. In this piece, I interview Aseem Jakhar, Co-Founder of nullcon. Go check it out here.
There are a bunch of THOTCON founders, and I was fortunate enough to get hold of Nicholas Percoco to ask him a bunch of questions regarding this amazing event. Learn more here.
NorthSec
NorthSec is one of the best Cybersecurity Conferences taking place in Canada, in fact, Montreal to be exact. Taking place every year, this conference packs in a ton of goodness including a 48 Hour CTF – yup, you read right. I caught up with Gabriel Tremblay to learn more. Go check it out here.
TROOPERS
When you think about the most iconic European Hacker Conferences you can pretty much always include TROOPERS within any list. I’ve wanted to interview someone from TROOPERS for a while now and I was able to get hold of Niki Vonderwell, one of the TROOPERS organizers.
Without a doubt, HACKLU (or hack.lu) is Luxembourg’s #1 Hacker Conference and has been so since 2005 when it first started! Like NorthSec (listed above) it also has a mega CTF.
REVULN events are an invitation-only (Free) set of events that take place at various cities in Europe and Asia. I asked Luigi Auriemma and a bunch of questions which you can read about here.
SUITS AND SPOOKS
Suits and Spooks events are awesome. They’ve always got great speakers and depth of quality content.
Founder Jeffrey Carr kindly answered my questions which you can read about here.
The Diana Initiative
This “Women in Cybersecurity” event is fast-evolving into the event promoting women’s much-needed contribution to Information Security. I catch up with co-founder Virginia Robbins to ask her my questions. Learn more and be inspired!
ISSA-LA
ISSA is an excellent InfoSec Professional membership to join and if you’re aren’t already a member then you might want to consider joining. I catch up with the LA Chapter organizer and founder Richard Greenberg to ask my questions.
This AI Summit is part of a series of events organized by Luxatia International.
These conferences (this one addresses Artificial Intelligence) is are a fantastic opportunity to network with industry leaders and discuss strategies like introducing automation and cognitive technologies to drive your business forward.
Ai4, like Luxatia International, put on a bunch of excellent conferences and events every year; most of which are associated with Information Security.
You’ve likely heard that one before, or perhaps you’ve heard of speaking with pebbles in your mouth like Demosthenes.
However, there’s more advice to give than just those old adages.
Public speaking is a skill that everyone can master: and that’s the good news.
Be Confident Be Honest
Just to tell someone to “break a leg” and go out there and perform by being confident certainly is a correct approach, but we’d suggest that an even more effective way to be an excellent public speaker is to just be honest. Being honest is so much easier than lying and I doubt that anyone reading this can disagree with that.
Speaking from the heart, being honest and being yourself are certainly the most important attributes anyone can deploy when being on stage and delivering a talk or presentation.
Tips ‘n Tricks To Make You A Better Public Speaker
#1 Remember that everyone is the same. We all have bills to pay, worries, concerns, successes, insecurities, great things about ourselves and a bunch of shitty ones too. What’s the point I’m making? Try not to get all wound up over stuff which you really needn’t get stressed over.
Take the edge off by making sure that the first ten seconds of your speech is something pretty darn cool or interesting. Why? Because the audience will be instantly charmed by you and you’ll make them relaxed – and the rest will follow.
#3 Start by saying nothing.
Yes, that’s an odd one but think about it. Give yourself some respect.
“…Paulie may have moved slow, but it was only because Paulie didn’t have to move for anybody…” Henry Hill, GoodFellas
Just walk up to the podium with a slight stagger and you’ll find that your body language will help you and the audience to respect your presence on stage. Don’t rush onto the stage all nervously and immediately start speaking, instead, take your time. Walking up to the stage in a calm and concise manner portrays someone who believes in themselves and therefore has something of value to say.
It might be somewhat of a mind-hack but the benefit of taking your time also relaxes yourself pre-intro.
#4 You’ve got a lot more time than you realize. Talk fast like a car-salesman and no-one will trust you. Talk nice ‘n real slow and you’ll be just fine. Seriously: just take a step back and relax and let each sentence have a meaning.
#5 Plan. Plan again and then plan some more.Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Piss Poor Performance. Anyone who knows anything about the British Army (the author of this post is British) will have heard this now famous acronym as described in Bravo Two Zero. The thing is though, that the 7 P’s, as it is affectionately known by squaddies, is actually spot-on and highly relevant in this discussion on how to become a better public speaker.
Planning the content that you’re going to deliver is gold and will help you structure your main points in a confident and understandable format.
The above is particularly true when public speaking at Cybersecurity Conferences. Why? Because the content needs to be completely on-point.
#6 Speak to the mirror.
Yup.
Talk to the mirror. Although it might make you feel a little weird to start it’s a fantastic idea to get your body language squared away. Maybe raise your hands at a certain time, or make a specific gesture at a specific point in a key sentence and you’ll likely emphasise a key-point in your presentation which will win over the audience.
#7 If your gran doesn’t get it then no one will. OK, so if you’re speaking at a cryptography event or at a BSides Conference then you’ll be in front of a, very likely, a savvy audience, so needless to say, especially within the Cybersecurity Conference remit, you’d better bone up on your fact-checking.
#8 Confidence breeds confidence. Just be brave and put yourself out there. The fact that you are and have the audience wouldn’t have the courage to do so already speaks volumes about your character.
In Summary
I guess you can call these more ‘mind-hacks’ than actual practical advice, but in any event, we hope that we’ve helped to some capacity of other your ability to perform better at public speaking.
If you agree or disagree with the above please chime in with your thoughts and comments.
We help Cybersecurity vendors promote their cybersecurity conferences and events so we are always interested to read about event platforms that are launched as well as any type of virtual conference technology.
Here are two technologies that have interested us recently:
Tame Events
Qflow
Tame Events
Tame Events, or simply “Tame”. Tame is a virtual events platform that enables event organizers to create, promote, and host a fully branded experience for large-scale event attendees. This ensures that the experience never appears to be hosted by a third party, which is a benefit for both the event organizer and the attendees.
By 2021, the startup had grown four times (this followed 7x growth in 2020) and as a result, VF Ventures gave Tame Events a $5 million investment.
As an illustration, businesses can use Tame to host webinars while still using their logos. The platform also generates attendance and engagement reports that enable businesses to focus on potential leads during the webinar.
When it was first introduced on Product Hunt, the tool was listed as the fifth-best “Product of the Day” item.
What Does The Future Hold For Tame Events?
Webinars, conferences, and events are not brand-new. However, they continue to observe growth as a marketing channel, particularly among B2B businesses.
In fact, according to 59% of B2B marketers (up from 46% last year), webinar marketing has been incorporated into their overall marketing strategy.
Given that nearly 95% of B2B companies intend to use webinar marketing in the upcoming years, demand for webinar marketing platforms is anticipated to increase.
Qflow
Qflow is a platform for managing events, in particular, the platform provides a selection of check-in options for events.
Because they provide two tiers of solutions, Qflow is distinctive. An app created specifically for smaller events is one option. Their alternative solution is a white-label, enterprise-level platform for big events.
On the Google Play Store, the startup’s application has received over 50,000 downloads and has been used by over a thousand companies, including Google, L’Oreal, and TED, using Qflow’s solution.
What Does The Future Hold For Qflow ?
The demand for sophisticated event management software has been growing in recent years as the number of hybrid events has increased.
In addition, there is a growing need for rapid testing and confirmation of vaccines during events, which is contributing to the rise in demand for event technology.
Startups in the field of event technology that is currently on the cutting edge include CrowdPass, Airmeet, and Zuddl.
Artificial Intelligence is, without question, one of the industries of the future. We’ve been covering Cybersecurity Conferences for a long time and we’ve been adding an increasing amount of AI events to our directory.
I’m really pleased to say that I caught up with Jessica Gallagher to ask her our usual bunch of questions regarding a conference she is actively involved with and also to share with us some insights into the future for the event.
Here’s the interview:
What’s The “Best Thing” About Your Event(s)?
This FREE webinar includes 2 panels with industry leaders: one of these covers “Defense: AI for Detection and Incident Response” and the other for “Offense: Hackers’ Perspective on AI” so you can get all questions and topics covered. With a great speaker lineup and informative panel in store, this event is a can’t miss!
How Would You Like To See Your Event(s) Evolve?
We aim to provide free, quality cybersecurity content to anyway looking to learn more via our webinars. We also host one of North America’s largest AI conferences with a whole track devoted to cybersecurity!
What Do You Look For In Speakers And Their Presentations?
We seek executives and data scientists with an abundance of experience with AI in cybersecurity providing them with a unique perspective to share.
Anything Else You’d Like To Share?
This webinar is one in a series of webinar covering AI’s intersections with various industries
If you are a new visitor to our website then here’s what we do: we list a ton of information on Cybersecurity Conferences taking place around the world. With our interest in IT Security events, we thought it to be only logical to share some awesome Cybersecurity TED Talks that we have watched and wanted to share with you, and here it is!
For those also new to TED and the smaller TEDx, they are an organization that promote some really great (inspirational) talks.
Pro Tip!
Download these videos on your phone and enjoy them on your daily commute. Some of them are really very inspirational and thought-provoking.
Your Smartphone Is A Civil Rights Issue
Christopher Soghoian | October 2016
The smartphone you use reflects more than just personal taste … it could determine how closely you can be tracked, too.
Privacy expert and TED Fellow Christopher Soghoian details a glaring difference between the encryption used on Apple and Android devices and urges us to pay attention to a growing digital security divide. “If the only people who can protect themselves from the gaze of the government are the rich and powerful, that’s a problem,” he says. “It’s not just a cybersecurity problem — it’s a civil rights problem.”
The 1s and 0s Behind Cyber Warfare
Chris Domas | June 2014
Hackers: The Internet’s Immune System
Keren Elazari | June 2014
The beauty of hackers, says cybersecurity expert Keren Elazari, is that they force us to evolve and improve.
Yes, some hackers are bad guys, but many are working to fight government corruption and advocate for our rights. By exposing vulnerabilities, they push the Internet to become stronger and healthier, wielding their power to create a better world.
Hire The Hackers!
Misha Glenny | September 2011
Despite multibillion-dollar investments in cybersecurity, one of its root problems has been largely ignored: who are the people who write malicious code? Underworld investigator Misha Glenny profiles several convicted coders from around the world and reaches a startling conclusion.
How (And Why) Russia Hacked The Us Election
Laura Galante | May 2017
Hacking, fake news, information bubbles … all these and more have become part of the vernacular in recent years. But as cyberspace analyst Laura Galante describes in this alarming talk, the real target of anyone looking to influence geopolitics is dastardly simple: it’s you.
Hack A Banana, Make A Keyboard!
Jay Silver | May 2013
Why can’t two slices of pizza be used as a slide clicker? Why shouldn’t you make music with ketchup? In this charming talk, inventor Jay Silver talks about the urge to play with the world around you. He shares some of his messiest inventions, and demos MaKey MaKey, a kit for hacking everyday objects.
Governments Don’t Understand Cyber Warfare. We Need Hackers
Rodrigo Bijou | December 2015
The Internet has transformed the front lines of war, and it’s leaving governments behind. As security analyst Rodrigo Bijou shows, modern conflict is being waged online between non-state groups, activists and private corporations, and the digital landscape is proving to be fertile ground for the recruitment and radicalization of terrorists. Meanwhile, draconian surveillance programs are ripe for exploitation. Bijou urges governments to end mass surveillance programs and shut “backdoors” — and he makes a bold call for individuals to step up.
Why Good Hackers Make Good Citizens
Catherine Bracy | February 2014
Hacking is about more than mischief-making or political subversion. As Catherine Bracy describes in this spirited talk, it can be just as much a force for good as it is for evil. She spins through some inspiring civically-minded projects in Honolulu, Oakland and Mexico City — and makes a compelling case that we all have what it takes to get involved.
All Your Devices Can Be Hacked
Avi Rubin | February 2012
Could someone hack your pacemaker? Avi Rubin shows how hackers are compromising cars, smartphones and medical devices, and warns us about the dangers of an increasingly hack-able world.
This Is What Democracy Looks Like
Anthony D. Romero | May 2017
In a quest to make sense of the political environment in the United States in 2017, lawyer and ACLU executive director Anthony D. Romero turned to a surprising place — a 14th-century fresco by Italian Renaissance master Ambrogio Lorenzetti. What could a 700-year-old painting possibly teach us about life today? Turns out, a lot. Romero explains all in a talk that’s as striking as the painting itself.
How The Blockchain Will Radically Transform The Economy
Bettina Warburg | November 2016
Say hello to the decentralized economy — the blockchain is about to change everything. In this lucid explainer of the complex (and confusing) technology, Bettina Warburg describes how the blockchain will eliminate the need for centralized institutions like banks or governments to facilitate trade, evolving age-old models of commerce and finance into something far more interesting: a distributed, transparent, autonomous system for exchanging value.
We Can Fight Terror Without Sacrificing Our Rights
Rebecca MacKinnon | September 2016
Can we fight terror without destroying democracy? Internet freedom activist Rebecca MacKinnon thinks that we’ll lose the battle against extremism and demagoguery if we censor the internet and press. In this critical talk, she calls for a doubling-down on strong encryption and appeals to governments to better protect, not silence, the journalists and activists fighting against extremists.
How The Blockchain Is Changing Money And Business
Don Tapscott | August 2016
What is the blockchain? If you don’t know, you should; if you do, chances are you still need some clarification on how it actually works. Don Tapscott is here to help, demystifying this world-changing, trust-building technology which, he says, represents nothing less than the second generation of the internet and holds the potential to transform money, business, government and society.
Art That Lets You Talk Back To NSA Spies
Mathias Jud | October 2015
In 2013, the world learned that the NSA and its UK equivalent, GCHQ, routinely spied on the German government. Amid the outrage, artists Mathias Jud and Christoph Wachter thought: Well, if they’re listening … let’s talk to them. With antennas mounted on the roof of the Swiss Embassy in Berlin’s government district, they set up an open network that let the world send messages to US and UK spies listening nearby. It’s one of three bold, often funny, and frankly subversive works detailed in this talk, which highlights the world’s growing discontent with surveillance and closed networks.
How Fear Drives American Politics
David Rothkopf | September 2015
Does it seem like Washington has no new ideas? Instead of looking to build the future, it sometimes feels like the US political establishment happily retreats into fear and willful ignorance. Journalist David Rothkopf lays out a few of the major issues that US leadership is failing to address — from cybercrime to world-shaking new tech to the reality of modern total war — and calls for a new vision that sets fear aside.
How To Avoid Surveillance … With The Phone In Your Pocket
Christopher Soghoian | August 2015
Who is listening in on your phone calls? On a landline, it could be anyone, says privacy activist Christopher Soghoian, because surveillance backdoors are built into the phone system by default, to allow governments to listen in. But then again, so could a foreign intelligence service … or a criminal. Which is why, says Soghoian, some tech companies are resisting governments’ call to build the same backdoors into mobile phones and new messaging systems. From this TED Fellow, learn how some tech companies are working to keep your calls and messages private.
Think Your Email’s Private? Think Again
Andy Yen | March 2015
Sending an email message is like sending a postcard, says scientist Andy Yen in this thought-provoking talk: Anyone can read it. Yet encryption, the technology that protects the privacy of email communication, does exist. It’s just that until now it has been difficult to install and a hassle to use. Showing a demo of an email program he designed with colleagues at CERN, Yen argues that encryption can be made simple to the point of becoming the default option, providing true email privacy to all.
What’s Wrong With Your Pa$$w0rd?
Lorrie Faith Cranor | June 2014
Lorrie Faith Cranor studied thousands of real passwords to figure out the surprising, very common mistakes that users — and secured sites — make to compromise security. And how, you may ask, did she study thousands of real passwords without compromising the security of any users? That’s a story in itself. It’s secret data worth knowing, especially if your password is 123456 …
Protecting Twitter Users (Sometimes From Themselves)
Del Harvey | March 2014
Del Harvey heads up Twitter’s Trust and Safety Team, and she thinks all day about how to prevent worst-case scenarios — abuse, trolling, stalking — while giving voice to people around the globe. With deadpan humor, she offers a window into how she works to keep 240 million users safe.
How The NSA Betrayed The World’s Trust — Time To Act
Mikko Hypponen | November 2013
Recent events have highlighted, underlined and bolded the fact that the United States is performing blanket surveillance on any foreigner whose data passes through an American entity — whether they are suspected of wrongdoing or not. This means that, essentially, every international user of the internet is being watched, says Mikko Hypponen. An important rant, wrapped with a plea: to find alternative solutions to using American companies for the world’s information needs.
Your Online Life, Permanent As A Tattoo
Juan Enriquez | May 2013
What if Andy Warhol had it wrong, and instead of being famous for 15 minutes, we’re only anonymous for that long? In this short talk, Juan Enriquez looks at the surprisingly permanent effects of digital sharing on our personal privacy. He shares insight from the ancient Greeks to help us deal with our new “digital tattoos.”
The Rise Of Human-computer Cooperation
Shyam Sankar | September 2012
Brute computing force alone can’t solve the world’s problems. Data mining innovator Shyam Sankar explains why solving big problems (like catching terrorists or identifying huge hidden trends) is not a question of finding the right algorithm, but rather the right symbiotic relationship between computation and human creativity.
A Navy Admiral’s Thoughts On Global Security
James Stavridis | July 2012
Imagine global security driven by collaboration — among agencies, government, the private sector and the public. That’s not just the distant hope of open-source fans, it’s the vision of James Stavridis, a US Navy Admiral. Stavridis shares vivid moments from recent military history to explain why security of the future should be built with bridges rather than walls
How To Fool A GPS
Todd Humphreys | July 2012
Todd Humphreys forecasts the near-future of geolocation when millimeter-accurate GPS “dots” will enable you to find pin-point locations, index-search your physical possessions … or to track people without their knowledge. And the response to the sinister side of this technology may have unintended consequences of its own.
A Vision Of Crimes In The Future
Marc Goodman | July 2012
The world is becoming increasingly open, and that has implications both bright and dangerous. Marc Goodman paints a portrait of a grave future, in which technology’s rapid development could allow crime to take a turn for the worse.
A New Way To Stop Identity Theft
David Birch | June 2012
Bartenders need to know your age, retailers need your PIN, but almost no one actually needs your name — except for identity thieves. ID expert David Birch proposes a safer approach to personal identification — a “fractured” approach — that would almost never require your real name.
FBI, Here I Am!
Hasan Elahi | October 2011
After he ended up on a watch list by accident, Hasan Elahi was advised by his local FBI agents to let them know when he was traveling. He did that and more … much more.
How Cyberattacks Threaten Real-world Peace
Guy-Philippe Goldstein | October 2011
Nations can now attack other nations with cyber weapons: silent strikes on another country’s computer systems, power grids, dams that leave no trace behind. (Think of the Stuxnet worm.) Guy-Philippe Goldstein shows how cyberattacks can leap between the digital and physical worlds to prompt armed conflict — and how we might avert this global security hazard
The Security Mirage
Bruce Schneier | April 2011
The feeling of security and the reality of security don’t always match, says computer-security expert Bruce Schneier. In his talk, he explains why we spend billions addressing news story risks, like the “security theater” now playing at your local airport, while neglecting more probable risks — and how we can break this pattern.
What Security Means To Me
Eve Ensler | September 2008
Playwright Eve Ensler explores our modern craving for security — and why it makes us less secure. Listen for inspiring, heartbreaking stories of women making change.
Yes, the world has gone upside down, but that doesn’t mean that you should cancel your Cybersecurity Conference.
Convert it online!
There are some massive benefits to converting your event online. They are:
Kudos and love for carrying on!
You’ve got a captive audience (due to quarantine);
You’ll also likely attract more senior delegates because they too are in quarantine!
Also – your conference will live on forever online, therefore, giving your marketing a team a ton of fantastic and unique content to share with your community.
Furthermore, you’ll have no limit (within reason) of Cybersecurity Professionals able to attend your event and there is no geographical limitation.
Converting your event from physical to online is a no-brainer. Most (if not all) of the western world (as well as APAC) is under quarantine, so you’ve got a captive audience.
The coronavirus pandemic has affected all businesses not just events and conferences. However, the event-space is entirely driven by the ability of employees, partners, clients (vendors), and delegates in being able to attend “in-person” events.
COVID-19 virus, popularly known as Coronavirus has made this year an annus horribilis for the events-industry, let alone the sports industry.
Many high-profile Information Security events and conferences have been canceled as a result of the pandemic. For example, we’ve listed over 25 conferences that have either been canceled, postponed or placed online. In this post, we will focus on the latter, i.e. “how to convert your physical event to an online webinar/conference”.
How to Change a Physical Conference to a Virtual Event
The first thing to do is not panic. See this is a challenge and an opportunity to do good for your community.
Here’s the good news: everyone, from vendors to delegates, will appreciate your efforts in this crisis and will in fact admire and respect your tenacity for still going ahead with the event.
Sure, you do have a choice to postpone your conference, especially if paid vendors (sponsors) and delegates have expectations of what to expect, but should you go ahead and offer a “stripped-down” version of the event that here how you could do it.
Step #1 Confirm The Conference Date With Your Team
Make a decision about the date of your event: will you keep it “as is” or will you push it down a month or two?
It might be tricky to select a date and stick with it, but once you’ve committed to online date for your conference the good news is that no pandemic can affect the deliverability of your online conference, so, you can relax in the knowledge that the show will go on!
Step #2 Understand What Is Involved With Hosting An Online Conference
Here’s what you need to do in a nutshell:
Confirm that you want to move your conference online;
Make sure that your sponsors are happy with this new arrangement (which may involve reimbursement of some description);
Commit to a date;
Select an online platform that can cater to the number of delegates you anticipate;
Plan your event, i.e. session format (with/without Q&A);
Make sure you get the word out pre and post-event.
Step #3 Commit The Date
The date of this resource is early April 2020, and we are pre-peak according to the WHO. So, if your event was, say, in the last Quarter of the year then you’ll probably be ok to continue to host it physically as planned.
Make sure that you have an event “buffer” of 2 months (ideally) when it comes to planning whether or not you want to further postpone, cancel or place your conference online. However – let’s stay focused on the mission at hand: i.e., let’s work on getting our conference online.
Committing the online conference date with your team has the benefit of having a focus and a fixed “deadline” to get the show on the road.
Step #4 Contact All Key Stakeholders
Perhaps you should do this step before committing a date but I’d argue the opposite. Why? Because once you have a date and have made a decision the stakeholders have “no choice” but to participate or not!
Most of the work that will go into planning and executing a physical (bricks-and-mortar) conference is exactly the same as hosting an online conference.
The conference goals will remain. The conference objectives and “learning outcomes” will all be the same as will the content that will be delivered by the speakers.
Let’s discuss each one of these stakeholders.
Delegates
If you’re offering a free InfoSec conference then no worries – you’re good to go! You’ll get a bunch of serious love and karma for having the tenacity to carry on.
If you were charging a fee for entry and haven’t received payment then you’re in luck, you should be ok to be able to switch the event online. If you have received payment then you might be able to offer a partial refund should they attend the online event.
Should the online conference be less expensive than the original event you’d planned? Yes, definitely.
If you’re unsure about this step or what to charge, then go ahead and take a sample of your early-bird delegates and ask them! Fire off a bunch of emails or if you create a quick poll and you’ll rapidly get answers to the feasibility of converting your event to online.
Speakers
Asking speakers to deliver their content online rather than in a physical venue is not, at all, a deal-breaker. Indeed, your speakers will be thankful for the opportunity to deliver the content that they would have created pre-event and will likely be delighted to be able to share that!
Cybersecurity is wholly dependent on visual representation and explanation and this will remain central to your InfoSec online event.
If you’ve paid your speakers then you’ve likely not paid them since speakers are paid post-event.
Sponsors (Vendors)
This is the tricky one, but nothing that you can’t handle!
Sponsors of your conference were paying to receive an expectation of certain deliverables such as exposure and association.
Being associated with an online event absolutely has benefits and whether this is diluted with the conference being online is arguable but in any event, it all comes down to the marketing. If your marketing team is promoting the online event then there is a ton of value with that.
In fact, your exhibitors and sponsors will get far more data than they ever would at a physical event. At a physical conference, many exhibitors and sponsors are dependent on the willingness of a delegate to “stop and chat” whilst an online conference has a physical point of contact: an email address.
Other Items To Consider
We will be adding more to this resource with regards to platform providers that you can use, but here are some other items to consider.
If you have attendees joining from the European Union (EU GDPR) and/or California (CCPA), make sure that you comply with data privacy laws, this is particularly the case within Cybersecurity Conferences!
Also, make sure you have a Data Processing Agreement (DPA) in place.
Plan the event to include breaks for everyone. Try to also keep each presentation to less than 45 minutes, ideally 20-25 minutes.
If you are going to convert your InfoSec event online then be sure to let us know and submit it here. If you have already submitted your event and need the status changed then click here to let us know.
Booking a hotel in the UK when attending a conference or an event is often a requirement when you’re a delegate. Pre-Covid, it was a completely normal thing to do to stay overnight in a hotel when attending a conference, either as a speaker or as a delegate.
Most UK conferences that we cover (within the Cybersecurity niche) are based in London.
When you book the hotel, make sure it is close to the venue! Sounds obvious but it’s worth paying a little bit extra to ensure that you’re close to the conference.
London has more meeting places than anyplace else in the UK. We’ve researched that there are over 2,500 conference spaces to hire from!
ExCel, London’s largest arena, boasts 100,000 square meters of area, a capacity of 10,200 people, and six on-site conference hotels!
In London, most conferences take place in Earls Court and
For over a decade, I’ve been deeply involved in the cybersecurity conference space, collaborating with dozens of event organizers across the globe.
My journey in the conference space (within cybersecurity specifically) has given me a front-row seat to the transformative power of knowledge-sharing and networking that these events offer.
But there’s another aspect that often goes unnoticed: the financial rewards for speakers.
Yes, speaking at conferences can be a lucrative endeavor for some.
While not everyone is paid well, those who have carved out a niche for themselves in the cybersecurity industry can earn high speaking fees. Experts who bring fresh perspectives, ground-breaking research, or high-level strategic thinking to the table are frequently generously compensated for their time and experience.
But it’s not just about the money; the exposure and networking opportunities are priceless. You will have the opportunity to share the platform with other thought leaders, interact with a highly targeted audience, and even capture the attention of future employers or clients.
Are There Free Cybersecurity Speaking Gigs?
Yes, of course, there are.
Typically if your company or employer is sponsoring a conference then you will be allocated a quota of speakers.
What about attending events? If you’re wondering whether you should attend cybersecurity conferences, my suggestion is a resounding yes; there are dozens of niches to choose from in our directory.
Whether you’re a new or seasoned speaker, these platforms provide a unique blend of professional and financial growth prospects that are too wonderful to pass up.
The cybersecurity landscape is always changing, and conferences serve as crucibles for shaping the future. Participate in shaping the future.
Here’s a small sample of what some of the best Cybersecurity speakers are being paid.
Anthony Amore is the Director of Security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and an expert in art theft and museum security. He specializes in theft investigations and is passionate about cultural heritage preservation.
Role & Speaking Fees
Director of Security at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Art Theft Investigator.
Scott Augenbaum says Scott Augenbaum, a retired FBI agent, has dedicated his career to cybercrime prevention. His area of expertise is teaching organizations and individuals how to defend themselves against cyber dangers.
Role & Speaking Fees
Retired FBI Agent with expertise in Cyber Crime Prevention.
Jessica Barker says Jessica Barker is an award-winning cybersecurity awareness leader who focuses on the human component of cybersecurity. Her expertise has been highlighted by major media sites such as the BBC and Sky News.
Role & Speaking Fees
Cybersecurity expert specializing in human behavior and culture.
Richard Bird is the Chief Product Officer at SecZetta and has a background in customer information management. He also sits on the Forbes Technology Council.
Role & Speaking Fees
Chief Product Officer at SecZetta and Former Chief Customer Information Officer at Ping Identity.
Eric Cole, MD: Dr. Eric Cole, a leading cybersecurity expert in the United States, has worked as McAfee’s CTO and Lockheed Martin’s Chief Scientist. He is the CEO and Founder of Secure Anchor Consulting.
Role & Speaking Fees
Top Cyber Security expert in the US, Former CTO of McAfee.
Lars Daniel is a digital forensics expert who specializes in obtaining and evaluating electronic data. His expertise is focused on legal matters involving digital data.
Jon Engstrom, a 20-year veteran of a major U.S. Metropolitan Police Department, is certified in ethical hacking. His area of expertise is cybersecurity law enforcement.
Role & Speaking Fees
20-year Veteran with a Major U.S. Metropolitan Police Department.
Nick Espinosa, also known as the Chief Security Fanatic, is a cybersecurity and network infrastructure expert. He is enthusiastic about educating businesses about cyber risks.
Role & Speaking Fees
Chief Security Fanatic and Expert in Cybersecurity and Network Infrastructure.
FC, often known as Freakyclown: Freakyclown, a well-known ethical hacker and social engineer co-founded the cybersecurity firm Cygenta. He is well-known for his novel approaches to cybersecurity.
Carol Rollie Flynn, a 30-year CIA veteran, is the Foreign Policy Research Institute’s President-Elect. She specializes in intelligence and national security.
Role & Speaking Fees
President-Elect of the Foreign Policy Research Institute.
Speaking at a conference is an extremely powerful marketing channel.
Let’s be crystal clear: being a speaker is good for two major reasons:
Hugely beneficial for your company
And – it’s a great way to network
Taking each of these in turn, let’s start by appreciating that when you speak at an event or conference, you position yourself as an authority. The company you represent is, therefore, through your delivery, presented as a leader within the niche.
Additionally, when you walk off the stage you’ll be recognized, and trust me, as a speaker myself, it makes networking so much easier.
The Conference Organizers Do All The Hard Work
The event organizers do all of the hard work.
They are the ones that have to organize the pre-conference promotion and marketing, the on-site logistics, lead generation, registration, and so much more.
Organizing a cybersecurity conference is not for a slacker. InfoSec subject matter is extremely complex and organizing an event can take a long time; indeed, events like Black Hat,CyberTech Tel Aviv 2021,or DEF CON can take a year to organize.
Organizing an IT security event or seminar can take a long time because you’ve got to get the right mix of subject matter experts, motivational keynote speakers, and engaging panelists that are all knowledgeable in the content. Couple this with the pressures of putting the show together on a budget and on time is, to say the least, a major challenge.
We’re friends with a lot of the Cybersecurity conference organizers and we’re always hearing how stressed they are leading up to their events. Needless to say, 2019 was a torrid year for the industry; however, there was some respite in the fact that most events were simply pushed online.
The most important task InfoSec conference organizers have is populating their event right blend of speakers. Get it right and you’ll have a memorable security conference; get it wrong and you won’t get a repeat audience the following year.
There’s also the arduous task of making sure that event sponsors are happy and are, hopefully, generating business.
How To Get Cybersecurity Speaking Engagements?
Speaking engagements come in three sizes:
Paid
Sponsored
Earned
Let’s take each one in turn.
#1 Paid Speaking Opportunities
A “Paid Speaking Engagement” means that you’ve been “booked” to speak at an event for a fee, i.e. you are being paid. Think along the lines of Bruce Schneider or Kevin Mitnick.
If you’re a Cybersecurity Professional then being paid to speak is, of course, a privilege.
Typically these people are personalities within their security niche.
The overwhelming majority of InfoSec event speakers are “sponsored”.
#2 Sponsored Speaking Opportunities
Sponsored and Earned are the opposite types of speaker engagements you can have.
Sticking with Sponsored Speakers; means that in exchange for sponsoring the event you’re allowed to address the audience with your company’s solution. It’s not a good idea as a sponsored speaker to give the audience a pitch-fest barrage of content, but rather to weave the vendor’s solution into the overall problem.
It’s normal for a Cybersecurity Company to pay anywhere between USD $2,000 – USD $20,000 for a speaking slot on a well-known stage such as RSA or Black Hat.
#3 Earned Speaking Opportunities
“Earned Speaking” basically means that you’re speaking for free – but – you still need to offer value. It’s common for an earned speaker to have to pay for their accommodation and travel but there are often “perks” or “speaker benefits” that are bundled with the speaking opportunities.
The most common types of speakers at Security Conferences are “earned speakers”.
How Do You Become A Cybersecurity Speaker?
Now that we’ve established the three categories, let’s focus on how an “earned speaker”, i.e. the most common type, secures speaking gigs.
Before committing time to actually getting speaking gigs, you need to be sure that your content is:
Timely;
Engaging;
Useful (“Actionable”)
If your content ticks those three boxes then it’s time to apply for “Call For Papers” or “Call For Presentations”.
The “Call For Papers” Process
The first thing to do is to find Cybersecurity CFP’s – something we specialize in through our InfoSec Event Navigator platform. Our platform, essentially, has one major benefit: it saves you hours of research.
However – don’t fear – there are free options if you don’t want to pay. Simple Google searches will generate CFP’s, and there are several other platforms that you can use as well that list out CFP’s.
Once you’ve identified a bunch of speaking opportunities (or “CFP’s”) then you’ll need to submit an abstract.
Most conference organizers are real sticklers for the CFP being submitted exactly as they have asked. Get it wrong and you’ll be rejected. The CFP submission process deserves respect – if – you have deemed it an event worthy of your time and resources, and of course whether your marketing team feels that sales might be a possibility.
Make sure that your abstract matches the conference audience. Despite being founded by the same person (Jeff Moss) speaking at DEF CON for example is very different than Black Hat; it’s a totally different audience and the expectations are completely different.
Also, make sure that your abstract speaks to a problem that the attendees encounter. This is particularly true for Cybersecurity. Take, for example, privacy, GDPR, SCADA, Digital Forensics, Cybercrime, etc., these are all very specific subjects that have unique problems and challenges.
Needless to say, make sure that your content is unique! If there is a sniff of plagiarism then you’ll be out of gas in no time at all.
Experience Matters
A conference organizer is taking a bet on your delivery.
Typically, the bigger the conference, the more experience they will like to see.
Organizers tend to prefer speakers who can provide proof of their stage performance. That might mean that you submit a video of you presenting to a group or at another similar type of conference or event.
It’s also not unheard of for conference organizers to request session feedback scores from previous speaking engagements.
The reason why organizers are so strict on allowing speakers onto their stage is obvious: they’ve invested in the event. If you look good, then so do they, and of course, the opposite is also true.
Also, remember that the more socially engaged you are the better. Why? Because cybersecurity conference organizers tend to prefer speakers who have a solid social networking presence and are happy to use it.
Wrapping Up
If you get the speaking game working for you it can be hugely beneficial.
Qualified sales leads will flow to you!
Your marketing team will love you for it and you’ll also have exponential success with regards to more business coming in, and your personal network growing with every event that you speak at.
We wish you all the best with your Cybersecurity speaking engagements, and hope like everyone else, that the COVID nightmare stays in the past and that we can re-start our speaking schedules!
Are you interested in learning how to organize a conference? Here are some tips and considerations to help you plan and execute a successful event!
How Many Cybersecurity Events Are There Every Year?
Are you entering a saturated market?
Not really.
Whilst it’s difficult to provide an accurate figure of how many cybersecurity conferences are held each year, our data shows that there are over 1,480 top-tier cybersecurity conferences.
We don’t believe that you are entering a saturated market because organizations and individuals continue to seek ways to remain current on the newest trends and best practices.
As a result of this, the number of cybersecurity conferences has gradually increased.
These conferences are organized on a yearly basis and draw thousands of people from all over the world. There are many smaller, specialty conferences (like BSides) that focus on certain themes or businesses within cybersecurity, in addition to these major conferences.
Overall, the cybersecurity sector is dynamic and fast expanding, and education and awareness are always in demand. As a result, the number of cybersecurity conferences is expected to increase in the future years.
How To Organize A Conference
“Organizing a conference” can be a daunting task, but with the right plan in place, it can be a rewarding experience.
In this post, we will go over some important things to keep in mind when planning a conference so that it is a resounding success for you, your business, and your delegates!
Purpose and Goals
Define the purpose of the conference as well as its objectives. What are you hoping to accomplish by holding this conference? What are some of the objectives that you hope to accomplish by the end of the conference or seminar?
There are multiple niches within cybersecurity so your purposes and goals should fix those specific niches.
Target Audience
Find out who will be attending the conference, and then make sure that both the material presented and the overall structure are suitable for them.
If you are curious about how to find the right audience for your conference or event, here’s one tactic you can use: scrape the delegates from a similar LinkedIn event to yours and you’ll see the list of people that attended.
Budget
Establish a financial plan for the conference, and then distribute your resources properly. This covers the cost of the venue, catering, speaker fees, travel expenses, promotion, and any other conference-related costs. Remember that virtual conference hosting will always incur a cost as well.
Venue and Accommodation
Determine where the event will take place, as well as where attendees can stay. Think about things like accessibility, location, capacity, facilities, and pricing while making your decision.
Speakers and Content
Determine who might present at the conference as well as the themes that will be covered. Make sure that the attendees will find the information to be interesting and relevant.
Marketing and Promotion
Create a marketing and promotion plan for the conference in order to raise more people’s awareness of it and boost attendance. Among these include the development of a website, the conduct of marketing campaigns on social media and email, as well as outreach to relevant organizations and media outlets.
Registration and Ticketing
In order to keep track of income and manage participants, you will need to set up a registration and ticketing system. To boost attendance, you might want to think about offering discounts for early registration, group prices, and other types of deals.
Logistics and Operations
Make preparations for all of the operations and logistics that are associated with the conference, such as the audio-visual equipment, transportation, signs, and staffing.
Evaluation and Follow-up
Create a strategy to determine how successful the conference was and how to get feedback from those who attended. Make use of this feedback to better future conferences, and make sure to follow up with conference attendees after the event.
Contingency Planning
Make plans for unanticipated circumstances, such as disruptions caused by weather or cancellations of speakers, as well as any other crises that may arise.
In Summary
When planning a conference, these are just a few of the considerations you should give attention to. The most important things to remember are to plan and prepare thoroughly, communicate openly with all parties involved, and be flexible and adaptive as circumstances demand.
