What is BSides Adelaide?

BSides Adelaide is a local, community-driven cybersecurity conference that is part of the global Security BSides movement. It provides a platform for security professionals, enthusiasts, and newcomers to connect, share knowledge, and discuss the latest developments in cybersecurity. Unlike larger commercial conferences, BSides events are known for their inclusive, grassroots approach, emphasising collaboration and local talent.

BSides Adelaide is an unconference, with a bohemian vibe and focus on interactive elements like Capture The Flag (CTF) competitions, technical demonstrations, and hands on workshops that provide real world experience and skill development.

At BSides Adelaide, attendees can expect a variety of talks, workshops, and hands-on activities covering topics like penetration testing, threat intelligence, and incident response. It’s an excellent opportunity for networking with peers, learning from experts, and gaining exposure to real-world security challenges.

The conference typically attracts a diverse audience, including seasoned professionals, researchers, students, and anyone with an interest in cybersecurity. It’s an ideal event for those looking to deepen their understanding of security, share innovative ideas, or kickstart a career in the field.

BSides Adelaide 2024 was the first ever and featured everything from a cyber security careers village, through to locksports (lock picking) and incident response activities. We also had the Adelaide Retro Gaming group, a Space village and a large display from the Australian Spy Museum!

What can I expect?

BSides Adelaide is a hands-on event focused on engaging and fun activities. Although we have a central talsk stream and some villages also feature talks, our primary differentiator is the Defcon-style villages run as not-for-profit events, with minimal corporate branding. This isn’t an event where you’ll have vendors selling to you. Although we do have sponsors and companies that deliver villages and events, BSides Adelaide is a celebration of cyber security and an opportunity for us to learn together.

What is a BSides Adelaide Village?

A BSides Adelaide Village is an interactive and engaging space within the conference dedicated to hands-on learning, collaboration, and exploration of specific cybersecurity topics or skills. Villages are a hallmark of BSides events, offering attendees an opportunity to immerse themselves in practical activities, meet like-minded enthusiasts, and deepen their understanding of niche areas in cybersecurity. Villages are built around themes and delivered by village hosts, who have a passion for the specific focus area of their village. Village hosts are knowledgeable volunteers or subject matter experts who guide participants through demonstrations, answer questions, and share insights. Villages foster a collaborative environment where attendees can learn from each other, solve problems together, and exchange ideas about the latest tools and techniques.

Villages often feature practical exercises like hardware hacking, lockpicking, reverse engineering, and Capture The Flag (CTF) challenges. Villages vary in their experience levels; some focus on experts and others on beginners. By tailoring villages and offering a variety of experiences, we ensure everyone gets something out of BSides Adelaide.

Villages at BSides Adelaide add tremendous value to the conference experience by combining education, fun, and community. They’re a great way to turn theory into practice and gain hands on experience in a supportive environment.

Is BSides Adelaide good value for money?

BSides Adelaide is great value. BSides events are run by volunteers and focus on community engagement rather than profit. This allows ticket prices to remain low, whilst providing access to high quality talks, villages and engaging events. Despite the low cost, the conference features top-notch speakers, practical workshops, and engaging discussions. Many presenters are industry professionals and researchers who share cutting-edge knowledge and insights typically found at more expensive conferences. We include all fees and taxes in our costs, and for under $260 offer a similar experience to conferences that charge over $2600. We are x10 less expensive than many popular cyber security conferences!

Cyber security has so many conferences - why should I come to this one?

We aren’t your typical conference; we want to be inclusive and fun, engaging and open. We try not to perpetuate the ‘clicks’ of many other conferences and we don’t make any money - meaning the event is affordable yet top quality.

Attendees can meet industry professionals, recruiters, and like-minded peers in an informal and welcoming environment, making it an excellent venue for career building connections without the high cost of traditional networking events. By attending BSides Adelaide, participants help grow the local cybersecurity community. This grassroots focus ensures that the content is relevant and unlike corporate events, BSides fosters a more intimate, inclusive environment, allowing attendees to interact directly with speakers and other participants, maximising the value of their experience. BSides Adelaide delivers an unbeatable mix of knowledge, skill-building, and networking opportunities at a price point that makes it accessible to everyone - from students to seasoned professionals - without compromising on quality.