Joe Blog

BSides Joburg is a volunteer run community-led event which aims to provide a platform for the exchange of knowledge and ideas in cybersecurity.We actively promote education, networking, and collaboration amount professionals and enthusiasts in Johannesburg. You can expect a day filled with talks from the community from technical deep dives into vulnerabilities, research, and talks about new emerging threats, vulnerabilities and approaches.Whether you are a seasoned expert or new to the cybersecurity community, there will be something for everyone.

You can view recordings of previous talks here: https://www.youtube.com/@BSidesJoburg

TicketsOur event has the following ticket types:CORPORATE TICKETS: For companies looking to send their staff to BSides JoburgSTANDARD TICKETS: If you are attending in your personal capacitySTUDENT TICKETS: These are our lowest- priced tickets, and are there for enrolled students. Verification will be conducted.

Please note that ticket will be released in batches. The first early bird batch will be the cheapest batch of tickets and every subsequent batch will be more expensive then the previous batch. This is to encourage people to buy tickets early.

Note that in order to get swag at the event, you need to purchase a ticket in the first 2 batches or before 21 May 2025, depending on which one comes first.If you are a student or someone who would like to attend but are unable to afford a ticket, please reach out to us at organizers [at] bsidesjoburg.co.za.

Our Theme - Shadow Algorithms: Rewriting RealitiesThe theme “Shadow Algorithms: Rewriting Realities” explores the unseen influence of algorithms in shaping our understanding of the world. These digital mechanisms, often operating in the background, dictate the content we see, the narratives we engage with, and ultimately, our perception of reality. From social media feeds to search engine results, recommendation systems subtly curate information, reinforcing biases, amplifying certain viewpoints, and suppressing others. As these algorithms learn from our interactions, they create personalized echo chambers, where truth becomes subjective and malleable.

This raises critical questions: Who controls these algorithms? What unseen forces dictate the reality we consume? And as machine-driven curation deepens, are we seeing the world as it is—or only as it is being rewritten for us? “Shadow Algorithms” invites us to interrogate these hidden digital forces and reclaim agency over our own realities.

Community Contributions / Donations:For the inception of BSides Joburg, we are moving away from a Rite of Passage model to a community contribution model. These community contributions will help us offset the cost of the event and enable us to serve the community better. The funds in community contributions will be used to facilitate community activities as well as helping out those in need. This could include sponsoring tickets for those who can not afford a ticket, sponsoring certifications for those in need or helping other community activities or initiatives.

The organisers reserve the right to refuse admittance or remove any person, without entitlement to a refund, from the event if deemed appropriate for valid reasons which includes the violation of our code of conduct.