USENIX Security '21 Call for Papers

Symposium Topics

Refereed paper submissions are solicited in all areas relating to systems research in security and privacy, including but not limited to:

• System security
  • Operating systems security
  • Web security
  • Mobile systems security
  • Distributed systems security
  • Cloud computing security
• Network security
  • Intrusion and anomaly detection and prevention
  • Network infrastructure security
  • Denial-of-service attacks and countermeasures
  • Wireless security
• Security analysis
  • Malware analysis
  • Analysis of network and security protocols
  • Attacks with novel insights, techniques, or results
  • Forensics and diagnostics for security
  • Automated security analysis of hardware designs and implementation
  • Automated security analysis of source code and binaries
  • Machine learning in a secure systems context
  • Program analysis
• Data-driven security and measurement studies
  • Measurements of fraud, malware, spam
  • Measurements of human behavior and security
• Privacy-enhancing technologies and anonymity
• Usable security and privacy
• Language-based security
• Hardware security
  • Secure computer architectures
  • Embedded systems security
  • Methods for detection of malicious or counterfeit hardware
  • Side channels
• Research on surveillance and censorship
• Social issues and security
  • Research on computer security law and policy
  • Ethics of computer security research
  • Research on security education and training
  • Information manipulation
  • Online abuse and harassment
• Applications of cryptography
  • Analysis of deployed cryptography and cryptographic protocols
  • Cryptographic implementation analysis
  • New cryptographic protocols with real-world applications

This topic list is not meant to be exhaustive; USENIX Security is interested in all aspects of computing systems security and privacy. Papers without a clear application to security or privacy of computing systems, however, will be considered out of scope and may be rejected without full review.

Refereed Papers

Papers that have been formally reviewed and accepted will be presented during the Symposium and published in the Symposium Proceedings. By submitting a paper, you agree that at least one of the authors will attend the conference to present it. Alternative arrangements will be made if global health concerns persist. If the conference registration fee will pose a hardship for the presenter of the accepted paper, please contact conference@usenix.org.

A major mission of the USENIX Association is to provide for the creation and dissemination of new knowledge. In keeping with this and as part of USENIX’s open access policy, the Proceedings will be available online for registered attendees before the Symposium and for everyone starting on the opening day of the technical sessions. USENIX also allows authors to retain ownership of the copyright in their works, requesting only that USENIX be granted the right to be the first publisher of that work. See our sample consent form for the complete terms of publication.

Go to Paper Submission Policies and Instructions page for more information.

Artifact Evaluation

View the Call for Artifacts.

Symposium Activities

Invited Talks, Panels, Poster Session, Lightning Talks, and BoFs

In addition to the refereed papers and the keynote presentation, the technical program will include invited talks, panel discussions, a poster session, and Birds-of-a-Feather sessions (BoFs). You are invited to make suggestions regarding topics or speakers in any of these sessions via email to the contacts listed below or to the program co-chairs at sec21chairs@usenix.org.

Invited Talks and Panel Discussions

Invited talks and panel discussions will be held in parallel with the refereed paper sessions. Please submit topic suggestions and talk and panel proposals via email to sec21it@usenix.org by Thursday, February 4, 2021.

Poster Session

Would you like to share a provocative opinion, an interesting preliminary work, or a cool idea that will spark discussion at this year’s USENIX Security Symposium? The poster session is the perfect venue to introduce such new or ongoing work. Poster presenters will have the entirety of the evening reception to discuss their work, get exposure, and receive feedback from attendees.

To submit a poster, please submit a draft of your poster, in PDF (maximum size 36" by 48"), or a one-page abstract via the poster session submission form, which will be available here soon, by July 6, 2021. Decisions will be made by July 13, 2021. Posters will not be included in the proceedings but may be made available online if circumstances permit. Poster submissions must include the authors’ names, affiliations, and contact information. At least one author of each accepted poster must register for and attend the Symposium to present the poster.

Lightning Talks

Information about lightning talks will be available soon.

Birds-of-a-Feather Sessions (BoFs)

Birds-of-a-Feather sessions (BoFs) will be held Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday evenings. Birds-of-a-Feather sessions are informal gatherings of persons interested in a particular topic. BoFs often feature a presentation or a demonstration followed by discussion, announcements, and the sharing of strategies. BoFs can be scheduled on site or in advance. To schedule a BoF, please send email to the USENIX Conference Department at bofs@usenix.org with the title and a brief description of the BoF; the name, title, affiliation, and email address of the facilitator; and your preference of date and time.

Go to Paper Submission Policies and Instructions