Call for papers

In addition to regular submissions presenting new security paradigms, NSPW also has an optional theme each year to encourage submissions in specific areas of interest or importance. The theme for NSPW 2024 is Response.

Cyber security is a rapidly moving field driven by changes in technical, socio-technical and geopolitical drivers. The security community is constantly responding to these changes as well as to short-term events. The response theme is appropriate for submissions looking at, for example, new paradigms for response functions, responding to changes in the threat and technology landscape, how humans respond to one another in the context of cyber security and new paradigms to optimize or improve response strategies.

Relevant topics for this theme include:

  • Novel paradigms for detection and response activities
  • Response planning and awareness
  • Responses to changing threat landscapes and technologies
  • Response methodologies and evaluation criteria
  • Predictive approaches to develop cyber security response activity
  • Response design, automated, human, or combined
  • Interactions between human and automated response
  • The consequences of not responding

Other related topics and interpretations of response are welcome.

NSPW 2024 is scheduled to be held in the Omni Bedford Springs, Bedford, PA, United States. 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 “Response”, and should explain the connection with the theme in the justification statement (see below). They follow the format of a regular submission.
  • Implementation Submissions explore implementing previous NSPW submissions. Historic NSPW submissions have often proposed new paradigms but do not extend to implementation. These submissions should clearly cite which previous work(s) is being referenced and how the current submission extends beyond the original scope. Original authors may be involved or not; if not, they will be offered the chance to comment on the submission.

Submissions must be made in PDF format, 6-15 pages, ACM "sigconf" formatting, through EasyChair. Submissions should blind author identity where possible. The LaTeX document option anonymous=true provides a minimum level of protection; however, authors should also avoid referencing their own work in the first person or other obvious de-anonymization in the submission.

EasyChair submission: https://easychair.org/conferences/?conf=nspw2024

NSPW Submissions must include both a cover page with authors' names, affiliation, and participation statement and a justification statement before or after the abstract.

  • To support double-blind reviewing, the cover page should not be part of the PDF submission, but will be submitted separately on EasyChair.
  • The participation statement (on the cover page) must specify which author(s) will attend upon acceptance/invitation, that all authors will engage in good faith with the feedback given in the review and revision periods, and that all authors will abide by the NSPW code of conduct.
  • The justification statement (included in the PDF submission) briefly explains why the submission is appropriate for NSPW and the chosen submission category. The justification statement will not appear in the final publication.

Papers not including both statements risk rejection without review.

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.

Given the focus on the development and exploration of new ideas, the process for paper submission, revision, presentation, and publication at NSPW is different from many other security conferences. Accepted papers are shepherded and revised before the workshop; this revised version is then presented and discussed in an hour-long session. After the workshop, the final version is produced, incorporating the discussions and feedback. Acceptance to the workshop is conditional on engagement with this process.

The submission, review, and workshop phases of NSPW are all governed by the NSPW code of conduct, https://www.nspw.org/conduct.

Attendance

The workshop itself is invitation-only, with typically 30-35 participants consisting of authors of about 10-12 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), 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.

NSPW is making arrangements for (some) child care during the event. Any potential attendee who would like to take advantage of this or has questions, please email general-chairs@nspw.org now. We would like to get a general understanding of interest and capacity to assist with planning for the event.

Program Committee Co-chairs:

Matilda Rhode, British Standards Institution, matilda.rhode@bsigroup.com

Kent Seamons, Brigham Young University, seamons@cs.byu.edu

Program Committee

  • Matilda Rhode (BSI)
  • Kent Seamons (Brigham Young University)
  • Peter Garraghan (Lancaster University)
  • Jeroen van der Ham (UTwente)
  • Sonia Chiasson (Carleton University)
  • Tom Millar (CISA)
  • Karen Renaud (University of Strathclyde)
  • Eireann Leverett (Concinnity Risks)
  • Laura Kocksch (Aalborg University)
  • Partha Das Chowdhury (University of Bristol)
  • Luca Allodi (Eindhoven University of Technology)
  • Julie Thorpe (UOIT)
  • Scott Ruoti (University of Tennessee)
  • Mohammad Mannan (Concordia University)
  • Ceri Jones (LEGO Group)
  • Ingolf Becker (University College London)
  • Filipo Sharevski (DePaul University)
  • Bridget Kenyon (SSCL)
  • Yulia Cherdantseva (Cardiff University)
  • Florian Alt (Bundeswehr University Munich)
  • Matt Bishop (University of California, Davis)
  • Elizabeth Stobert (Carleton University)
  • Christian Probst (RMTP IT-Beratung und Service GmbH)
  • Tom Walcott
  • Tara Whalen (Cloudflare)