DEFCON 20/BlackHat 2012?

I'll be at DC20 Thur-Sun. Looks like a very good set of talks and speakers again this year.

And as usual, I'll be one of the few in the crowd wearing a Hawaiian shirt. I don't have the hacker's conformist style of always wearing all-black.

chaser7783

Dont forget about the Skytalks at Defcon https://skytalks.info/.

SephStorm

Id like to make it to a con one year, but trying to figure out which one to visit first, one with some training, and the talks aren't way over my head.

nerdydad

jasong318 wrote: »

Any pointers for one's first time?

Don't be the low hanging fruit.

docrice

Pointers:

1) Beware of network connections in any form (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, 3/4G, NFC, Ethernet...); you're at a hacker convention after all.
2) Look at the program guide and plan out the talks you want attend ahead of time (and know their room locations). At Defcon, the popular talks will have a long line and you might not get in.
3) Be prepared for change - sometimes talks switch rooms at the last minute.
4) Vegas summer heat, dark shirts, and many people's lack of attention to deodorant - plan accordingly.

Chris:/*

As others have said I strongly recommend not using any Hotel Wi-Fi or other networks while you are there. These places are dangerous as it is, but when you pool thousands of Hats in an area and some are Gray or Black there will be trouble. Purchase an RF resistant wallet and if you are bringing your passport an RF resistant passport cover.

chaser7783

docrice wrote: »

Pointers:

1) Beware of network connections in any form (Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, infrared, 3/4G, NFC, Ethernet...); you're at a hacker convention after all.

Yes if you have a cell phone, turn off blue tooth, Wi-Fi etc, or you might find yourself on the wall of sheep.

Also like docrice said, the days before map out the talks you want to go. If you try to go to some talks that are back to back, you might not get into some of them, the lines get long fast. Make sure to stop by the other events, like hardware hacking village, wifi village, lockpicking etc. be sure to check out the CTF room, it is really neat to walk in there and see the event in progress.

Defcon is not always about the talks and lectures, check out the other events during the con, network, and get some hands on in the village workshops.

And be prepared for a mass amount of people who lack hygiene.

JDMurray

SephStorm wrote: »

Id like to make it to a con one year, but trying to figure out which one to visit first, one with some training, and the talks aren't way over my head.

I highly recommend the "Meet the Feds" panel discussion. It's always my favorite DC session.

jasong318

Ya, I'm beginning to think for Defcon I'll be spending most of my time at the various villages and the SkyTalks, or hanging around the hallways. The talks are broadcast into the rooms and available for download later correct? As for network access, hoping tunneling all my traffic over my vpn back home will be sufficient

at least it'll be a good test for my firewall setup

chaser7783

I also forgot to mention if you make it in on Thursday check out the dc 101 talks.

JDMurray

chaser7783 wrote: »

I also forgot to mention if you make it in on Thursday check out the dc 101 talks.

I hope to be standing in line by 8AM Thursday to get my badge. The registration line last year got up to over 2+ hours long.

chaser7783

yea i'm flying in thurs a.m. I hope I make it in time to not get stuck with a paper badge. They are giving people at blackhat their defcon badges there so hopefully that "might" help with the lines.

JDMurray

I just had a look at the DC20 speaking schedule. Hacker "rock stars" Bruce Schneier and Dan Kaminsky both on Saturday. Gonna be some crazy long lines that day.

chaser7783

Yea defiantly going to Dan Kaminsky Black ops talk.

drkat

Ive been planning on attending for the past 15 years... guess what?? havent had a chance LOL! I remember back in my DALnet days, we actually were going to speak on CGI Security one year.. not sure if my buddy ever did but that would've been coo

demonfurbie

... you did dalnet as well .... hummm i may know you and this would be bad

JockVSJock

Don't use any of the ATMs at or near the hotel room. I haven't been to one since 2004, I don't think it is the same since they moved it from the Tropicana to the other hotel. The Tropicana setup was pretty sweet. If you couldn't get into the talk, you could always go back to your room, chill, drink beer and watch the talk over the Hotel TV.

I actually submitted a presentation to give back in 2010 on Social Engineering, for reason, it was rejected at the last minute. So, I'm thinking it all about who you know or who you are when you submit a presentation.

Lizano

We should start a thread on going to the event in 2013 as a TE group.

JDMurray

I would ask you all to follow my exploits at Defcon on Twitter, but Twitter is down right now. I hope it wasn't something i tweeted.

drkat

demonfurbie wrote: »

... you did dalnet as well .... hummm i may know you and this would be bad

Would've been the same nick. I was an @ in #cgi and hung out in #c