How to Get a Free Ticket to Black Hat Conference

Black Hat is the top global security conference, held annually in the USA, Canada, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. It is the best place to network, learn from latest advancements in security and security product.

In 2024-2025, I have had the pleasure of running a session at every Black Hat conference. I highly recommend attending; it’s an experience you won’t find at any other security conference or hacker con.

Unless you’re fortunate enough to work for a company that provides a Black Hat ticket, attending can be cost-prohibitive. Prices are usually as high as $2,000. So, I’m going to share some ways you can get a free pass.

Present

If you present at Black Hat, you’ll receive a free Briefings pass to attend the conference. Depending on the type of your session, you may also get travel coverage. Presenting at Black Hat is highly competitive—you need a novel idea with proven results to have a chance of being selected. But if you have groundbreaking research or innovative techniques, don’t hesitate to submit a proposal.

Apply for Scholarships

I met a PhD candidate at Black Hat Europe who told me about the Black Hat scholarship program, which I hadn’t heard of before. Black Hat awards complimentary Briefings passes to a limited number of student applicants. The application deadline is typically a month before the conference, so make sure to apply early.

Get a Free Business Pass

Some Black Hat conferences offer Free Business Passes, which grant you access to all in-person Business Hall activities, Arsenal talks, and on-demand content.

See You There!

When you are there, come and say hi! You’ll find me in the conference schedule either giving a talk or running an attack and defense contest with prizes!

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