RSAC Conference
An international conference and events platform focused on cybersecurity, information security, cryptography, privacy, and digital trust.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
RSAC Conference is an international event brand and conference series devoted to cybersecurity, information security, cryptography, privacy, and related technology policy. It began in 1991 as a small cryptography-focused gathering associated with RSA Data Security, the company whose name referred to the public-key cryptographic system developed by Ron Rivest, Adi Shamir, and Leonard Adleman. The first event was conceived during a conversation involving RSA Security chief executive Jim Bidzos and the Electronic Privacy Information Center, and consisted of a single panel examining competing digital-signature standards. The conference expanded during the 1990s as cryptography moved from a specialist research topic into a commercial and public-policy concern. Attendance exceeded 200 by 1993, reached approximately 2,500 by 1997, and the event increasingly attracted vendors, enterprise technology buyers, researchers, government representatives, and policy advocates. Its agenda also became more commercially oriented, creating occasional tension with competing European security companies that found it difficult to exhibit directly and promoted themselves at nearby venues instead. The conference used its visibility to engage with policy controversies, including opposition to the proposed Clipper Chip in 1995, when organizers displayed prominent anti-Clipper messaging. International expansion began with a European conference in 2000, followed by an Asia-Pacific event in 2013 and a United Arab Emirates event in 2015. Over time, the brand moved beyond its original cryptography remit into a broad information-security and cybersecurity forum. Cloud security, enterprise risk, software security, privacy, identity, artificial intelligence, cybercrime, national security, and digital infrastructure became recurring subjects. The United States event became a major industry gathering; by 2008 it reportedly had about 17,000 attendees, hundreds of participating vendors, hundreds of sessions, and numerous tracks. By 2017, the U.S. event was reported to attract roughly 40,000 to 43,000 attendees and included hundreds of speakers, sessions, exhibitors, and keynote presentations. RSAC Conference also operates beyond its exhibition and speaking program. Its activities include professional networking, educational programming, consumer and child internet-safety education, a security-scholar program for students, and awards. The Innovation Sandbox competition gives selected startups an opportunity to present technologies to judges, while the RSA Award for Excellence in Mathematics recognizes contributions to cryptography and related mathematics. Speaking slots are highly competitive, with many more submissions than available presentations, and each conference generally adopts a theme and selected areas of emphasis. The brand has periodically served as a public stage for major technology and policy debates. The 2010 U.S. conference included a public presentation of the previously undisclosed Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative. The 2014 event was affected by controversy over allegations concerning RSA Security products and alleged government surveillance access, while the 2016 conference reflected the dispute between the FBI and Apple over access to encrypted iPhones. The event also adopted a professional-attire rule for exhibitors in 2015 after criticism of sexualized promotional practices at technology trade shows. The conference experienced ownership changes alongside RSA Security. In 2020, RSA Security and the conference business were included in a transaction valued at approximately $2 billion involving a consortium of investors. In 2022, RSA Security sold a majority interest in the conference business to Crosspoint Capital Partners and subsequently sold its remaining interest in the events operation to other investors. In early 2025, the brand was renamed RSAC Conference, with the letter C described as standing for community. The conference remains an active international cybersecurity platform, although specific current ownership, executive leadership, and headquarters details are not established in the supplied reference material.
History
RSAC Conference originated in 1991 as a specialist cryptography gathering connected to RSA Data Security. The initial concept emerged from a conversation between RSA Security chief executive Jim Bidzos and the executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center. Its first program consisted of one panel, titled around DES and DSS as competing standards choices, reflecting the event’s early emphasis on cryptographic standards and digital signatures. The event expanded steadily through the 1990s. It attracted more than 200 people by 1993 and approximately 2,500 by 1997. As its commercial profile increased, the conference brought together security vendors, enterprise users, researchers, government participants, and policy advocates. Its growth also created competitive friction: some European companies associated with RSA Security’s competitors reportedly promoted themselves outside the official venue when they could not secure exhibition space. The conference nevertheless became an influential platform for debate as well as business. In 1995, it opposed the proposed Clipper Chip, a U.S. government-backed telecommunications security design that critics argued could provide government access to encrypted communications. Internationalization began with the first European conference in 2000. During the 2000s, the event’s subject matter widened from cryptography to the larger information-security market. Cloud computing, enterprise security, privacy, software vulnerabilities, identity, cybercrime, national security, and cybersecurity policy became increasingly prominent. A 2005 keynote by Microsoft chief executive Bill Gates symbolized the conference’s growing relevance to the mainstream technology industry. By 2008, the U.S. conference reportedly had around 17,000 attendees, 375 participating vendors, 18 tracks, and 230 sessions. The conference’s public-policy role continued during the 2010s. The Obama administration used the 2010 U.S. event to disclose the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative, which had previously been kept secret. In 2011, HBGary withdrew after threats connected to its proposed effort to identify members of Anonymous. In 2014, several speakers boycotted the event after RSA Security was accused of placing a surveillance-related backdoor in its products. RSA Security denied the allegations, but the controversy and the Edward Snowden disclosures made government access to commercial technology a central topic at the conference. The series continued to expand geographically. Its first Asia-Pacific event took place in 2013, and the United Arab Emirates edition followed in 2015. In the same year, the organizers introduced a professional-attire requirement for exhibitors after criticism that booth-babe practices were unprofessional and alienating to women. The 2016 event focused heavily on the FBI–Apple dispute over whether the government could compel access to an encrypted iPhone. By 2017, the U.S. conference was reported to attract approximately 40,000 to 43,000 attendees and to include hundreds of speakers, sessions, and exhibitors. The platform also developed educational and recognition programs, including consumer and child internet-safety initiatives, a student security-scholar program, startup presentations through Innovation Sandbox, and awards for achievement in cybersecurity and cryptographic mathematics. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a fully virtual 2021 conference. In-person events returned in 2022. Ownership changed during the same period: the conference was included in the 2020 acquisition of RSA Security and related assets by investors, then separated from RSA Security through transactions in 2022. Crosspoint Capital Partners acquired a majority interest, while RSA Security later sold its remaining interest to other investors. In early 2025, the brand changed its name from RSA Conference to RSAC Conference, with the new C intended to emphasize community. The series remains active across multiple international markets.
- 2025
Rebrand to RSAC Conference
[1]The brand adopted RSAC Conference, with the C representing community.
- 2022
In-person events resume and ownership separates from RSA Security
[1]The event returned to in-person programming while Crosspoint Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in the conference business.
- 2021
Fully virtual edition
[1]The conference was held entirely online due to COVID-19 concerns.
- 2015
United Arab Emirates edition launches
[1]The conference series expanded into the United Arab Emirates.
- 2013
Asia-Pacific expansion
[1]The first Asia-Pacific conference was introduced.
- 2008
Large-scale U.S. conference
[1]The U.S. event reported approximately 17,000 attendees, 375 vendors, 18 tracks, and 230 sessions.
- 2005
Agenda broadens into mainstream IT security
[1]The conference became more broadly focused on IT security and drew major technology-industry participation.
- 2000
European edition begins
[1]The first European RSA Conference launched with five tracks.
- 1997
Attendance reaches approximately 2,500
[1]The conference had expanded to roughly 2,500 attendees.
- 1995
Clipper Chip opposition
[1]The conference publicly opposed the proposed Clipper Chip and its potential to give the U.S. government access to communications on equipped devices.
Products and positioning
A large, internationally recognized cybersecurity and information-security convening platform connecting practitioners, vendors, researchers, policymakers, students, and technology startups.
Conference event · 1991
RSAC Conference United States
The flagship U.S. edition is a large cybersecurity industry gathering combining keynote presentations, technical and policy sessions, an exhibition floor, startup programming, educational activities, and professional networking. Its subject matter has expanded from cryptography into enterprise security, cloud security, privacy, identity, software security, cybercrime, artificial intelligence, and national-security policy.
Conference event · 2000
RSAC Conference Europe
The European edition extends the conference brand to the European cybersecurity market. It provides a regional setting for security practitioners, researchers, vendors, and policy participants to discuss information-security technology, regulation, risk, and emerging threats.
Conference event · 2013
RSAC Conference Asia-Pacific and Japan
The Asia-Pacific event, introduced in 2013, brings the conference’s educational, commercial, and networking format to the region. It addresses regional and international cybersecurity concerns and connects local security communities with global vendors and practitioners.
Conference event · 2015
RSAC Conference United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates edition, launched in 2015, provides a Middle Eastern venue for cybersecurity discussion, technology demonstrations, professional education, and industry networking.
Startup competition
Innovation Sandbox
Innovation Sandbox is a startup presentation and recognition program associated with the conference. A selected group of emerging companies presents security technologies to a judging panel, giving early-stage vendors visibility among investors, enterprise buyers, researchers, and the wider cybersecurity industry.
Industry award
RSA Award for Excellence in Mathematics
This award recognizes innovation and sustained contributions to cryptography and the mathematical foundations supporting it. The program is sponsored by the conference and co-sponsored by the International Association for Cryptologic Research.
Controversies
2014
Boycott over alleged RSA Security surveillance backdoor
Eight speakers boycotted the conference after allegations that RSA Security had added a backdoor to its products for government monitoring. RSA Security denied the allegations. The controversy also highlighted that the conference and RSA Security were related but not identical entities.
2011
HBGary withdrawal after Anonymous-related threats
HBGary withdrew from speaking and exhibiting after announcing plans to identify members of Anonymous and then receiving retaliatory threats and cyberattacks. The incident raised security concerns around participation in the conference.
Marketing campaigns
- 2015Professional exhibitor attire policy
United States · International conference markets
The organizers revised exhibitor requirements to prohibit booth-babe practices and require professional attire after concerns that sexualized promotion made the event unwelcoming and less professional.
Outcome. The policy positioned the event as more professional and inclusive in its exhibition practices.
- 1995Sink Clipper
United States
The conference used posters and public messaging to oppose the proposed Clipper Chip, arguing against a design that could provide government access to communications protected by the technology.
Outcome. The campaign made the conference a visible venue for opposition to government-mandated encryption access.
Brand decisions
2025
Rebrand as RSAC ConferenceStrategyBackground
The conference sought to emphasize its broader community role beyond its historical association with the RSA cryptography name.
Action taken
The brand changed from RSA Conference to RSAC Conference, with the C explained as standing for community.
Aftermath
The conference continued operating under the RSAC Conference identity.
2022
Separate the conference business from RSA SecurityM&ABackground
Following the 2020 investor acquisition involving RSA Security and related assets, ownership of the events business was reorganized.
Action taken
Crosspoint Capital Partners acquired a majority interest in RSA Conference, and RSA Security later sold its remaining interest to other investors.
Aftermath
The conference became an independently owned events business rather than a wholly retained RSA Security operation.
2021
Move the annual conference fully onlineStrategyBackground
COVID-19 concerns made a conventional in-person gathering impractical.
Action taken
The 2021 conference was delivered 100% virtually.
Aftermath
In-person events resumed the following year.
2015
Adopt professional-attire requirements for exhibitorsStrategyBackground
The organizers faced criticism that booth-babe practices were outdated, unprofessional, and unwelcoming to women attending technology conferences.
Action taken
Exhibitor contracts were revised to require professional attire and effectively prohibit the practice.
Aftermath
The change became part of the conference’s effort to present a more professional exhibition environment.
Recent events
IBM withdraws from RSA Conference 2020[3]
Reported:
IBM notified the RSA Conference 2020 organizers that it was withdrawing from the conference, citing concerns about public health and safety. IBM was a platinum sponsor.
Sources3 sources
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