The BSidesSF show will go on

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http://blogs.csoonline.com/security-leadership/2008/bsidessf-show-will-go

By Bill Brenner
Salted Hash
CSO Online
January 31, 2012

BSidesSF has been saved, thanks to a financial commitment from Lee=20
Kushner (@ljkush) at Information Security Leaders.

The announcement came shortly after Sandra Toms LePedis of RSA=20
Conference responded to the controversy about BSidesSF. Her post began=20
with the standard "RSA supports a wide ecosystem of events and=20
organizations" during its conference week and then turned to "rumors" in=20
this blog and elsewhere about RSA trying to squash BSidesSF:

"As you may have seen from posts on Twitter to blogs like CSO=E2=80=99s S=
alted=20
Hash, there has been a rumor regarding RSA Conference and its=20
relationship with Security B-Sides.  Despite these rumors, we want to be=20
clear that there is no attack taking place against Security B-Sides."

She said:

"RSA Conference has been in discussions with B-Sides for over a year to=20
find ways that the two events can exist during the week without making=20
attendees feel the need to choose one event over another.  If planned=20
correctly, this could be very complementary programming for the infosec=20
community.  During this time, the Conference only requested that B-Sides=20
host its SF show on Sunday and Monday.  The reasoning is that our Expo=20
Hall opens on Tuesday which features over 300 exhibitors that do not=20
sponsor B-Sides that make a significant investment to exhibit at RSA=20
Conference could lose potential visitors on that day if they are=20
electing to visit two events in one day. We have offered to help B-Sides=20
find another venue that would be available on Sunday and Monday but they=20
have ignored our request to help. We have no problem with any B-Sides=20
event, and hope to find a way to work together to benefit both events=20
sponsors."

In an email exchange last night, Kushner explained why he decided to=20
step in:

Professional development and community are two key components of an=20
information security professional=E2=80=99s career.  I believe BSides pro=
vides=20
information security professionals with an opportunity to blend both of=20
these elements in a unique open environment.  When I learned that the=20
event was in jeopardy of being cancelled (via Twitter) I reached out to=20
Mike directly and asked if there was anything that I could do to help.

Knowing many information security professionals look forward to this=20
event, use their vacation days, absorb the costs of travel and lodging=20
to participate, the thought of them having to cancel these plans was=20
personally very upsetting to me.

I asked him the question: How much money would be necessary for the=20
event to take place.  Mike got back to me with an amount that=20
Infosecleaders.com could manage, and I made the commitment on the spot.

Being in a position to provide financial support through=20
Infosecleaders.com =E2=80=93 an information security community career res=
ource =E2=80=93=20
seemed logical, considering the support that the information security=20
community has provided to this project.

Being that Information Security Leaders is under no agreements with RSA=20
and has never entered into any sponsorship agreement with the RSA=20
Conference, I did not see this as an issue.

I've seen a lot of back-and-forth on Twitter about who is responsible=20
for this game of brinkmanship. Some describe it as the big corporate=20
monster (RSA) coming down on the common man (Bsides).

LePedis' argument that BSides should be held on Sunday and Monday so as=20
not to interfere with its exhibit floor hours is hard for me to accept,=20
since it wasn't an issue last year or the year before. I remember people=20
moving freely between BSides and the exhibit. Why that constitutes a=20
problem is beyond me.

Whatever the case may be, I'm just glad to see that BSides will proceed=20
as planned.


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