BSides Cape Town 2024 is coming in hard and fast. It has been an interesting year with a fair few challenges, but we wanted to drop a blog and let you know where we are at.
BSides as an organisation and conference started many years ago, with BSides Las Vegas. It was created due to so many amazing talks not being selected at DEF CON and BHUSA. BSides…like the BSide of a Tape became a place where community matters most, and speakers had additional opportunities to give their talks and share their wares. BSides Cape Town started soon after. We are still trying to track down a picture, but basically it was about 20 people, in a room, with pizzas and some speakers.
We have always focussed on making it a community first conference and a conference that enables and empowers every young hacker to come attend, make new friends and learn. Yes, in recent years it has become all shiny and pretty, but it was needed. BSides tickets are probably the lowest paid in the country, by a factor of 10, and with that, we lose money on every attendee. This means we need to find the money elsewhere, and that is where our sponsors come in. Without them, this conference does not happen.
Some of our long standing sponsors “get” BSides and support it irrespective of their ROI, but for some, we have to make it look like the real deal, whilst still maintaining our rules, which include
- Blind CFP Process
- Low cost tickets for all
- No sharing guestlist with sponsors
- No paid speaker slots
- Shenanigans
We hope to see you there!
Next up, some updates as of Oct 2024
As you may see, unless you have been living under a rock, our website has changed. This has been something we have wanted to do for the past 2 years, and we finally managed it. Yeah, sure, not everyone likes WP, but it makes our lives easier, and for non-technicals like me, it makes it easier and more fun to write a post. Find something sketchy, let us know, and we maybe give you a lil something! We would like to thank the driver behind this, Synstalker and the rest of the BSides Cape Town #Website team. We are on theme, we are looking sexy, im lovin it!
Be More Than Just An Attendee... Be A Reason For This Events Success.
2024 has been somewhat slow with Sponsors, but we have some of the best and loyal sponsors. Some old names are returning once again, which we are excited about. We also have some new sponsors. At the time of writing this post, we still have a spot for Platinum, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze, Workshops and AV available. If you want to consider sponsoring, reach out to [email protected]
If you are attending and love what we do, be sure to give them a follow, like and share, and consider them when acquiring your next security service, tool or product. They put the community first, let’s return the favour. On the day, come say hello, check out their wares and maybe get yourself some of their swag. Post it on socials for bonus points.
Call For Papers and Workshops opened up a few weeks ago and the interest has been awesome. We have some fantastic talks submitted, and looking forward to accepting a fair chunk. This year, we have decided to stick to 2 tracks, with Workshops only on the Friday. We hope to host 3 workshops on Friday and then our talks on Saturday.
Workshop tickets will be released in the next 2 weeks, and will be between R100-R150 for half day, and R250-R300 for full day. Just a reminder, workshops will be 6 December
Understandably some may be disappointed, but don’t fret. We will do our best to give feedback to those that have been unsuccesful, and then get those that have been selected all sorted. If you have any questions, email us on
Ticket sales have been unprecedented. At this time last year, we were standing on about 25% of our tickets sold. Currently we are at 90% of our Tickets sold, meaning, we are selling out soon. In a perfect world we could welcome every hungry mind, but due to venue restrictions and cost per attendee (Food…food is overly expensive) we have limitations.
If you have not got a ticket yet, get it soon on quicket.
Once again our fearless Designer, Artist, prodigy, Thomas Wiese has taken on the tasks. If you see ANY graphic, print or bit of swag, he is behind it. No one gets design like he does, and we are blessed to have him.
We have gone all out on swag this year, so here is the details
This year, our fan favourite custom TShirt will be ready for your backs! We have stuck with our amazing, but costly supplier and do not plan to change. We will only be releasing a preview of the TShirt on the day, so enjoy!
This year we have made a custom hoodie, using it’s very own design. These are on sale on quicket, when you purchase your tickets. If you have your tickets already, use this link to get straight to merch. Please remember, we do not facilitate shipping, so make a plan with a friend attending.
We are using Black 280g Pull Over Hoodie design with a Custom “Beyond Barriers” Screen Printed Front with 2024 Sponsors Rear and Custom Hood Graphics
We experimented with this last year and the feedback was positive. This year, standard attendees will not get a free coin, but we have enable sales on the coins. Get yours today.
This was a little selfish, but some of us wanted Mousepads, or bar mats. We listened, and found a solid supplier. Our mousepads will be on sale until late November on the quicket site as above.
We will be at the UCT GSB Conference Centre again. We will be rejigging the layout but we are booked for 2024. We did look for alternative venues, but this is always challenging and rather time consuming. Our venue is based in the heart of the V&A Waterfront, in CPT and against the old Naval Prison. It is sustainable, eco friendly, wheelchair friendly and comes with some amazing staff.
Now here, we have some big updates. This year, BSides Cape Town has partnered with Try Hack Me. We reached out to all our sponsors with the same request, Build it and we will hack it. Through the efforts of Tinus Green we currently have about 20 challenges, with a fair few still coming in. We will be drip releasing this in the days leading up to BSides, and will ensure we communicate all info leading up to release date.
Do sign up, do check it out and get involved.
This year we will have OffSec Vouchers, Altered Sec Vouchers, Lockpick Sets, Posters, all the things. We want the seasoned veterans and all the noobs. If you have never done a CTF, there is no time like the present.
Lock Picking was a big success last year, and we are returning with more. Taking a page from the DEF CON lock picking village, we will have some cool challenges, teach people how to open a box and be undetected, how to bypass security seals and some other things. We show people how easy this is, so they can go back to their companies with valuable info and knowledge on vulnerabilities and lessons learned, and look to change how they approach physical security.
Yeah, we ain’t gonna talk about this, but as they come, we will communicate this
This year we took on a Marketing Wiz, aka Fluffeh penguin along with some associate Organisers. We have selected 25 volunteers out of 56 applications. We wish we could select them all, but sadly this is not possible. See a volt on the day, say thanks, over them a refreshment and a sticker. Without them, this conference does not happen.
>> See the Team
At this stage, we just want your input on socials. Like, share and comment posts. Spread the word and get ready for an awesome conference, or as I call it, my favourite family reunion, on the first weekend of every December.
If you are a sponsor, redeem your tickets soon as. If you are considering sponsorship, get in touch.
Roughly 10 days before the conference, we will launch the CTF. We will drop challenges daily so make sure you keep an eye out.
Friday Morning, 6 December 2024 we will open at the UCT GSB Conference Centre for our 3/4 Workshops. Please ensure you have a ticket. We have a great mix and hope to have both full day and half day workshops.
Saturday, 7 December 2024. The main event. Gates will open around 0815-0830. Please have your ticket ready (Your entry ticket). Volunteers will welcome you, scan you in and issue you a swag bag accordingly. Merchandise will be found just past registration. Our opening briefing will start at 9am, followed by our keynote.
Locking picking will kick off sometime in the morning, so come give it a go. If you crack it, teach the next person. We will also launch some of the other physical challenges throughout the morning.
Some sponsors may have their own challenges so do check it out.
We will break for a longer lunch with teas and coffees either side. We try our best to have just enough food, without excess. This has always been harder than one can imagine. Please be mindful of others when dishing. We typically serve attendees, followed by volunteers, then organisers. Angus eats last, that is the rule. If you miss out, or are found wanting, come see me, and il order you happy meal from McDs.
After lunch we will get back into it. We typically front load the technical talks for fresher minds.
Towards the end of the day we will close out challenges, do the prize giving, some announcements and then closing talk. Ideally, to save everyone, I wont be doing it.
Following this we will have our afterparty of the roof terrace. This year, we are getting some DJ’s in some come have a beverage, a slice and some tunes. Excuse the staff if they are quiet, it has most likely been a long day.
From here, Midnight drinks at Ferrymans, last hacker standing. Sunrise is a stone throw away.
In the days following, we will send out a questionaire about the conference. If you want to improve the con, fill it in. Last year we received about 15 responses from 450 tickets sold. Help us, help you. Prizes to be won.
