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How the call for papers at OFFZONE works: from submission to presentation
Getting to OFFZONE as a speaker is not the easiest task. Every year we get questions: how does the CFP work? which topics are better to choose? how to submit an application correctly? what will speakers get?
We talked to the owners of the themed zones and the members of the CFP committee, and compiled their answers into this article. If you want to speak at the conference, we recommend reading it.
Call for papers, or CFP, is an annual open call for talk proposals. Since 2018, we’ve run it to gather the best research for OFFZONE that will be interesting to cybersecurity specialists and more.
Who selects talks for OFFZONE tracks and how
OFFZONE features two types of tracks: main and themed.
Main track and the CFP committee
The main track is the core of the conference. It’s been there since the very first OFFZONE, and only the best of the best talks make it in—selection is strict. The special thing about the main track is that submissions here are reviewed by the CFP committee. This committee includes not just organizers from BI.ZONE, but also independent experts from different companies, such as Yandex, Kaspersky Lab, DeteAct, Swordfish Security, and Positive Technologies.
The committee doesn’t have favorite or unfavorite speakers. Even if you’ve spoken several years in a row, that doesn’t guarantee your talk will be accepted this year. The reverse is true as well: if your talk gets rejected, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try again next time.
All committee members are recognized cybersecurity experts, and when evaluating talks, each member’s opinion carries equal weight. This approach helps select the best talks without bias.
If a submission doesn’t make it into the main track, organizers may assign it to one of the themed tracks.
Themed tracks and their owners
These tracks, or zones, can change every year. For example, in 2022 we had Community.Zone for the first time, and in 2024 AI.Zone and Threat.Zone were added. The selection process differs from the main track here. Speakers are invited and submissions are selected by the people responsible for these tracks—the track owners—who are proactive folks from BI.ZONE and experts in the fields relevant to each zone.
What are the requirements for talks
Each track has its own. But there are some common rules we stick to during selection.
What we definitely won’t accept
Commercial content. Vendor presentations, hidden product advertising — we don’t take these. Not even for money. Not even for a lot of money :)
Non-technical topics. Organization of work, methodologies, social engineering (unless it complements a technical section).
Wikipedia-style talks. Classifications, reviews with no novelty, retelling well-known facts — all of this is boring.
Politics and highly social topics. Even if it seems important for the community.
What we approve
Personal experience. “How we hacked X” instead of “10 ways to defend against Y” — focus on personal practice, not theory.
Fundamental research. But only with scientific value. For example, on new classes of vulnerabilities, cryptographic algorithms, or complex chains that lead to exploitation.
Uniqueness. Research that hasn’t been published or presented anywhere before. In general, avoid templates and don’t just retell articles or open-source tool manuals.
Humor and memes. As long as they don’t turn the talk into a stand-up routine.
What else we consider during selection
Novelty and relevance. What fundamentally new point does the talk bring and how applicable is it to cybersecurity.
Complexity. Who is the talk aimed at: beginners, intermediates, or experts. For example, a talk for beginners won’t make it to the Main track.
Technical depth. Formulas and code are welcome, but it’s better to balance them with case studies.
Evidence base. How much of the talk is based on practice: is there a proof of concept (PoC), scripts, or test data.
Speaker reputation. Has the speaker presented publicly, written articles? Inexperienced speakers are unlikely to get onto the main tracks.
How to properly submit a talk application
Go to the OFFZONE website, navigate to the CFP section, and proceed to the application platform. Register there, choose the track where you want to give your talk. Carefully and thoroughly fill out all the required fields of the application. If you have several topics, create a separate application for each one.
Name or nickname and contacts. These are needed to inform you whether your application is accepted or not.
Duration of the talk. Aim for 45 minutes for full talks and 15 for short ones. Manage your time: if you pick a long slot, don’t finish too quickly. Also, set aside about 15 minutes for questions from the audience—there might be a lot.
Talk topic. We recommend suggesting several title options at once, so the most interesting one can be chosen. Stay up to date with current topics, different conferences, network with experienced speakers—all this will help you stay in context and come with a relevant topic.
To understand what engages the audience and organizers, check out previous talks—watch OFFZONE videos.Talk description. Describe it in detail, aim for 800–1000 characters. The clearer your description, the higher your chances of your talk being accepted.
For example, list three key points the audience will hear. Don’t limit yourself to generic phrases like “I’ll talk about pentesting”—add specifics: describe the methods, formulate key takeaways, explain what makes it unique.
We also recommend checking your material in advance with colleagues and like-minded people who are familiar with the topic. Ask them if the talk is interesting and what it might lack.
It will be a plus if you provide extra information in the optional fields.
Value for the community. Explain how your research will help other professionals.
Idea demonstration (PoC). Attach anything that clearly shows your concept: screenshots, scripts, screencasts, etc.
We are often asked: do you need to attach a ready-made presentation to your proposal? Our answer: it's not mandatory, but if you do so, it will help the committee and the track owners better understand your idea. Presentations are formatted in the OFFZONE template, which speakers receive after their proposal is approved and their talk is confirmed.
And one more piece of advice: submit your proposal in advance and don't wait until the last moment. Each track has a limited number of spots for talks, and they fill up very quickly.
What happens after submitting the proposal
It goes to the CFP committee or to the track owners for review. About two weeks after the CFP closes, you will receive an email with the decision.
If your proposal is rejected
Don't be discouraged — it's not a failure, but a point of growth. Try again, and everything will work out!
Sometimes, track owners may help you refine your talk if they find it interesting but not quite of sufficient quality. For example, they may suggest narrowing the focus or recommend adding practical cases. They may also help with slide templates: improving the narrative logic, or advising how to eliminate unnecessary content. However, this happens at the initiative of the owner: not everyone has the time for such work.
Therefore, if your talk was not selected and the owners didn't contact you immediately, try to refine your research on your own and submit your proposal again, or come up with a different topic next year.
If your proposal is accepted
Prepare for your presentation — here are some tips:
By the specified deadlines, send the organizers all the necessary information about yourself and your talk so it can be added to the conference program.
Don’t try to squeeze a dissertation into 30 minutes, otherwise your story will come out blurred. Focus on key takeaways, avoid overloaded slides and complex wording. The simpler and more structured, the better.
Do a few test runs — this will help you keep to your timing, refine your delivery, and spot tricky moments in advance.
Prepare your presentation in the conference template ahead of time and send it to the organizers for review.
Think through possible questions and answers, and be ready to improvise — things may not go according to plan. The main thing is to stay flexible and confident.
Arrive on time at the venue where you’ll be speaking.
And if you suddenly don’t make it to prepare your talk on time — it’s better to withdraw from speaking so the organizers can find a replacement.
What speakers get
You’ll be heard by thousands! But OFFZONE isn’t just the stage — there are extra perks.
All speakers, regardless of track, get an extra conference pass and a merch pack (something new each year), and those presenting on the Main track who aren’t from Moscow get free transfer and accommodation during OFFZONE. All details are on the website.
In addition, all speakers receive an invitation to the Speaker party. It’s not just a closed event, but a place to connect with colleagues and informally exchange experiences with professionals. You won’t meet this many specialists on an ordinary day, but at the Speaker party they all gather in one place. The connections you make at such get-togethers often turn into collabs and new, interesting projects. That’s what it’s all about.
Conclusion
For the organizers, OFFZONE is more than just a conference. Every year we try to make it better and add something new. That’s why we aim to keep a high standard of professionalism for the talks, but at the same time, not forget about fun and community.
We believe that all the talks that have passed the selection are great, and we collect them into playlists so that everyone can get acquainted with them.
If you have any questions, write to info@offzone.moscow. Also, follow the news on our Telegram channel: there we announce all the dates and updates related to the CFP.
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