How peer review keeps Black Hat’s global stage credible

Cybersecurity vulnerabilities used to surface over weeks, but now they appear in minutes as attackers move faster than defenders can respond, prompting the industry to rethink how practitioners can find trustworthy answers quickly. One solution many rely on is cybersecurity peer review, which involves vetting research, startups, and threat intelligence before they reach a stage or a spotlight.

Suzy Pallett, president of Black Hat, a leading cybersecurity event series, took on the role in September 2025 after over 20 years in global events. Pallett explained at Black Hat USA that the industry still needs to focus on urgency and collaboration in critical environments to devise collective solutions. She spoke with theCUBE’s Krista Case about cybersecurity peer review and Black Hat’s new Global Startup Spotlight competition.

This year, Black Hat received thousands of research submissions, but only a fraction will be presented on stage. An independent review board, separate from the event organizers, evaluates every paper for authenticity and relevance before acceptance. Pallett emphasized that only authentic, valuable, and critical industry information reaches the Black Hat stage.

The same peer-review model now covers startups through Black Hat’s Global Startup Spotlight, a consolidated competition from Asia, Europe, Canada, and the U.S. Winners and runners-up will appear on theCUBE. Many finalists build AI tools for defense and offense, Pallett noted. "They have this really huge community of peers they can lean into," she added.

"It's not just a moment in time, but they can do that at Black Hat USA and throughout the year." TheCUBE, a paid media partner for Black Hat USA, reports that its coverage of the event does not have editorial control over content.