Call for Briefings

Our Commitment
to an Inclusive
Speaker Lineup

Great security research and expertise can come from anywhere.

We are committed to building programs that reflect the breadth of the global cybersecurity community and actively encourage submissions from people from groups that have historically been underrepresented in the industry, including women.

By creating space for a wider range of perspectives, experiences and technical voices, we believe we can foster stronger discussions, challenge assumptions and ultimately advance the security community as a whole.

If you identify as part of an underrepresented group and are comfortable sharing that information, we encourage you to let us know as part of your submission. This helps us understand how we are progressing against our inclusion goals and where we can continue to improve.

Bulk
Submission
Policy

Each speaker may submit a maximum of 5 proposals. This limit ensures our review board can dedicate appropriate attention to each submission while maintaining a fair and manageable evaluation process. Proposals exceeding this limit will not be reviewed or considered.

White
Papers

White papers are not required, but we encourage you to submit a white paper if you feel it will help the review board better evaluate your submission.

Submit to
Another
Black Hat
Program

To submit to another Black Hat program, such as Summits, Trainings, or Arsenal, please refer to the links below.

• Summits
• Trainings
• Arsenal

Tools

Tools can strengthen a Briefing submission when they directly support the underlying research, demonstrate a technique, or enable attendees to reproduce results. If your session is primarily a tool demonstration, then it should be submitted to Arsenal. The two programs are independent: submitting to Briefings does not enter your tool into Arsenal, tools must be submitted separately for Arsenal consideration, and selection in one program does not influence selection in the other.

Coordinated
Disclosure

Black Hat strongly supports and encourages coordinated disclosure. To this end, Black Hat has a strong partnership with the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF) to provide pro-bono legal consultations to security researchers on the legality of any research or data they plan to present at the event.

If you have questions about the legal implications of your security research or presentation, contact Electronic Frontier Foundation at info@eff.org.

Review
Board &
Content
Selection

The Black Hat Review Boards are comprised of the industry's most credible and distinguished security professionals and thought leaders throughout various areas of the information security community. The Review Boards advise Black Hat on reviewing and programming conference content and providing unparalleled insight into the research community.

Black Hat strives to deliver one of the most empirical content selection processes in the industry. All submissions are vetted thoroughly by the Review Boards. Each submission is reviewed for uniqueness, overall content expertise, and accuracy before any selections are made. Through the course of this dynamic review process, Review Board members may ask researchers for clarity on areas of question in their submission(s) – whether it be about the uniqueness or audacity of claims made. The best submissions come with academic-grade papers, proof-of-concept code, and/or video demonstrations of the work done. Of note, Black Hat does not support pay-for-play Briefings. The Briefings are, and always have been, independently selected based on quality of content and area of expertise rather than sponsorship.

Briefings
Speaker
Benefits

The following benefits apply to Briefings Speakers. For benefits related to other programs, such as Arsenal, Summits, or Community, please contact the respective program manager.

Black Hat USA

• Briefings Pass — One complimentary pass per speaker presenting on stage (max 2).
• Honorarium — $1,000 USD for one speaker per session.
• Air Travel Reimbursement — Up to $1,000 USD (domestic) or $1,500 USD (international) for one speaker; receipt required.
• Accommodations — Three nights for one speaker per session (speaker block only).
• Speaker Coaching — Access to the complimentary coaching program.
• Research Contributor Discount — Discounted registration for research contributors listed on the original submission and published on the website.

Black Hat Europe & Black Hat Asia

• Briefings Pass — One complimentary pass per speaker presenting on stage (max 2).
• Honorarium — $1,000 USD for one speaker per session.
• Air Travel Reimbursement — Up to $1,000 USD (domestic) or $1,300 USD (international) for one speaker; receipt required.
• Accommodations — Three nights for one speaker per session (speaker block only).
• Speaker Coaching — Access to the complimentary coaching program.
• Research Contributor Discount — Discounted registration for research contributors listed on the original submission and published on the website.

SecTor

• Briefings Pass — One complimentary pass per speaker presenting on stage (max 2).
• Honorarium — $500 USD for one speaker per session.
• Air Travel Reimbursement — Up to $900 USD for one speaker; receipt required.
• Accommodations — Three nights for one speaker per session (speaker block only).
• Research Contributor Discount — Discounted registration for research contributors listed on the original submission and published on the website.

Speaker
Coaching
Program

Speakers selected to present a Briefing at Black Hat USA, Asia, or Europe are eligible to participate in the complimentary Speaker Coaching Program. Established in 2019, the program connects speakers with past Black Hat presenters, Review Board members, and other respected industry experts.

With participation consistently above 40%, the program is designed to support every stage of presentation preparation—from content refinement to rehearsal. Coaching is tailored to each speaker’s needs, whether they are taking the Black Hat stage for the first time or are seasoned presenters looking to sharpen delivery and ensure their message resonates with the Black Hat audience.

Coaching is required for all first time speakers who do not have verifiable prior speaking experience.

• Coaching Testimonials

• Meet the Speaker Coaches