The New Security Paradigms Workshop (NSPW) seeks embryonic, disruptive, and unconventional ideas on information and cyber security that benefit from early feedback. Submissions typically address current limitations of information security, directly challenge long-held beliefs or the very foundations of security, or discuss problems from an entirely novel angle, leading to new solutions. We welcome papers both from computer science and other disciplines that study adversarial relationships, as well as from practice. The workshop is invitation-only; all accepted papers receive a 1 hour plenary time slot for presentation and discussion. In order to maximize diversity of perspectives, we particularly encourage submissions from new NSPW authors, from Ph.D. students, and from non-obvious disciplines and institutions.
In 2019, NSPW invites theme submissions around “Social manipulation through technology” next to regular submissions. Recently, a new type of concern is emerging in the cybersecurity community: how should the field deal with the possibility of manipulating societies or subgroups within a society via information and communication technology (e.g. trolling, fake news, election manipulation)? What are new paradigms that could help in this context? Possible topics include, but are not limited to:
- What are the motives, origins and characteristics of such manipulations?
- What are the effects on social systems in terms of culture, politics, communication, media, trust, power?
- What can and should our field do, if anything, to safeguard the values embedded in our societies against such manipulations?
- How do current technical and social arrangements enable or facilitate manipulation?
- What new technical or social protections might we put in place? What new social media could help, or hurt?
For the theme, we particularly invite cross-disciplinary submissions that may be having trouble finding the right venue, and submissions (co-)authored by social and political scientists.
NSPW 2019 will be held at Hotel Tilajari in San Carlos, Costa Rica. As in the past, this choice of venue is designed to facilitate interactions between the invited attendees throughout the workshop.
Submission Instructions
NSPW accepts three categories of submissions:
- Regular Submissions present a new approach (paradigm) to a security problem or critique existing approaches. While regular submissions may present research results (mathematical or experimental), unlike papers submitted to most computer security venues, these results should not be the focus of the submission; instead, the change in approach should be the focus.
- Theme Submissions are focused on “Social manipulation through technology”, and should explain the connection with the theme in the justification statement (see below). They follow the format of a regular submission.
- Panel Proposals describe a debatable topic of interest to the security community that merits significant discussion. Proposals should describe the major perspectives on the chosen topic. They should also present the background of the panelists, explaining how they are the right people to discuss the chosen topic at NSPW.
Submissions must be made in PDF format, 6-15 pages, ACM SIG formatting, through EasyChair. Submissions must include a cover page with authors' names, affiliation, justification statement and attendance statement. Papers not including these risk rejection without review. The justification statement briefly explains why the submission is appropriate for NSPW and the chosen submission category. The attendance statement must specify which author(s) will attend upon acceptance/invitation. Submissions should not be blinded. Organizers and PC members are allowed to submit, but will not be involved in the evaluation of their own papers. All submissions are treated as confidential as a matter of policy. NSPW does not accept previously published or concurrently submitted papers.
Authors may submit review responses during the review process indicating the changes they wish to commit to. Papers are accepted conditionally and are shepherded, with final proceedings being published after the workshop.
Attendance
The workshop itself is invitation-only, with typically 30-35 participants consisting of authors of about 12 accepted papers, panelists, program committee members, and organizers. One author of each accepted paper must attend; additional authors may be invited if space permits. All participants must commit to a “social contract”: no one arrives late, no one leaves early, no electronic distractions (including laptops, tablets, and mobile devices), and all attend all sessions of the 2.5 day program, sharing meals in a group setting and complying with the code of conduct. The workshop is preceded by an evening reception allowing attendees to meet each other beforehand.
Financial Aid: Financial aid may be available, especially for U.S.-based students and junior faculty. We encourage submissions from students and junior faculty, even if support is required to attend.