The University of Queensland-based not-for-profit computer security coordination centre has traditionally selected speakers based on recommendations from its members and security professionals. This year, however, AusCERT will also select a handful of speakers from the wider community based on the quality of their papers and ability to present them.
AusCERT general manager Graham Ingram told ZDNet Australia the group doesn't want to miss out on delivering high-quality material simply because potential speakers may be "unknowns".
"If there are some really good speakers... that we may have missed, we'll go through those and see if they can be worked into the program," he said. "That's what the call for papers is all about... it's about the quality of the presenter and the quality of the paper."
Ingram says AusCERT will accept papers from anyone, however the submissions will be stringently vetted. "There will not be a large amount of slots left open, so the selection will be quite rigorous," he said. "People who have something to say and know what they're talking about" should submit material, he added.
The AusCERT conference attracts around 500 attendees to the Gold Coast each year.
