Call for Papers: Symposium on Usable Security and Privacy (USEC) 2025

The call for papers is now closed.

The Symposium on Usable Security and Privacy (USEC) invites submissions on all aspects of human factors and usability in the context of security and privacy. USEC '25 aims to bring together researchers already engaged in this interdisciplinary effort with other researchers in relevant areas, encouraging contributions from economics, HCI, AI, theoretical computer science, cryptography, psychology, and business studies. Collaborative research from authors in multiple fields is particularly encouraged.

USEC '25 will also feature a Test of Time Award to honor significant contributions with lasting impact on the field.

Submission Tracks

• Research Track: For mature, completed work. Papers must not be more than 12 pages (excluding bibliography and appendices).
• Meta-Science Track: For mature work reporting on research practices, replicability, and systematization of knowledge. Papers must not exceed 12 pages (excluding bibliography and appendices).
• Vision Track: For work in progress or concrete ideas for future work. Papers must be up to 5 pages (excluding bibliography and appendices).

Submission Guidelines

• All submissions must be original work and clearly document any overlap with previously published or simultaneously submitted papers.
• All papers should be written in English.
• Formatting: Use Times font, 10-point or larger, with 11-point or larger line spacing. Use the templates for NDSS Symposium and co-located events.
• Authors have the option to attach supplementary appendices with study materials.
• Submission Portal: https://usec25.hotcrp.com/

Review Process

• Reviewing will be double-blind.
• Author names and affiliations should not appear in the paper. Reasonable efforts must be made to not reveal identities or institutional affiliations.
• Prior work should preferably be referred to in the third person or blinded.
• Submissions that violate these requirements will be rejected without review.
• The list of authors cannot be changed after acceptance without Program Chairs' approval.

Areas of Interest

Topics include, but are not limited to:

• Innovative security or privacy functionality and design
• New applications of existing models or technology
• Usability evaluations of new or existing security or privacy features and lessons learned
• Security testing of new or existing usability features
• Psychological, sociological, and economic aspects of security and privacy
• Research and design methodologies for human-centric security and privacy research
• Reports of replicating previously published studies and experiments
• Reports of failed usable privacy/security studies or experiments, with the focus on the lessons learned
• Systematization of Knowledge (SoK)
• Inclusive security and privacy
• Ethics in human-centric security and privacy research
• Workforce, labels, cyber-physical systems
• Usability in smart manufacturing

All submissions must clearly relate to the human aspects of security or privacy. Papers without this focus will not be considered.

Important Dates

• Submission Deadline: 25 November 2024
• Reviews Due: 16 December 2024
• Discussion Period: 16-19 December 2024
• Notification of Acceptance: 20 December 2024
• Camera Ready Deadline: 28 January 2025
• Workshop Date: 24 February 2025

Conflicts of Interest

Authors and Program Committee members must indicate any conflict of interest. Conflicts include advisors and advisees, institutional relationships, professional collaborations within the past 2 years, and close personal relationships. PC members with a conflict will be excluded from the evaluation of that paper.