For a rookie, the Voting Machine Hacking Village is off to a very impressive start: consider the following tweets:
The Voting Village has a bunch of machine makes and models to try your hand at, including Sequoia AVC Edge, ES&S iVotronic, Diebold TSX, Winvote, and Diebold Expresspoll 4000. More importantly, there's a chance to make a little history here. The integrity of voting systems is a live issue in the world's news, and there are a lot of eyes on our little experiment. If your idea of fun includes a little paradigm-shifting, the VotingVillage is open all DEF CON.
In Memoriam, the DEF CON Conference CD
Posted 7.27.17
Let's face it: this change has been looming on the horizon for a long time. When we started putting a compact disc full of slide decks and files into the DEF CON goodie bag, it was a perfectly good idea. In those days, 750 megabytes was a decent amount of storage. More importantly, optical discs were still a thing. Readers shipped with all the computers and we all had cool CD wallets and racks and whatnot.
The world has changed, and CDs are now a weird novelty item from the hazy past like Pet Rocks and Cassingles.
This year, you'll find all that juicy data on the DEF CON media server (media.defcon.org) and you can connect at your leisure and leech to your heart's content with no silly plastic doodads to hunt down of when you're loading out your hotel room.
We will miss the Conference CD. We had good times together. We will toast to your memory, and pour out a little data in your honor. See you on the flip side, old friend.
Torrents for Presentation and Workshop Materials:
https://media.defcon.org/DEF CON 25/DEF CON 25 presentations.torrent
https://media.defcon.org/DEF CON 25/DEF CON 25 workshops.torrent
DEFCON 25 Pre-con Link Roundup
Posted 7.26.17
It’s very nearly on, DEF CON fam! As many of you are already in the city getting situated, here’s a few helpful links to get your mind right for the impending festivities.
Parking information: Vegas parking is a little different every year - here’s the thread about it on the DEF CON forums.
https://forum.defcon.org/forum/defcon/defcon-25-planning/226245-parking-in-vegas-it-s-ok-we-can-hear-you-screaming-from-here
For that matter, you can use the DEF CON forums to check out information about any of the stuff going on here.
forum.defcon.org
In case you didn’t know, there’s an official app for DEF CON called HackerTracker, available in iOS and Android flavors. Open source and created with love by members of the community, and full of stuff like maps and schedules to help you navigate.
iOS: https://itunes.apple.com/mx/app/hackertracker/id1021141595?l=en&mt=8
Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.shortstack.hackertracker&hl=en
For those of you in Paris and Bally’s, good news! You get DEF CON TV! 4 channels, no waiting.
For the latest in presentation info and such, hit up the DC25-specific media server at dc25-media.defcon.org on the internal DEF CON 25 network.
To keep up to date on the latest of the late-breaking news, follow the main twitter feed @defcon, the DEF CON info booth @dcib and Facebook.com/defcon. Pictures and such also going up at @wearedefcon on Instagram.
And most importantly, registration opens Thursday at 6am. See you there!
Announcing the DEF CON 25 Official Soundtrack
Posted 7.26.17
The Official DEF CON soundrack has dropped!The Official DEF CON soundrack has dropped! If you're here in Vegas, you'll get it on a CD with your registration pack, but if not, fear not, you can have it too!
14 tracks of hacker-centric tunes by so many fantastic artists, like:
Skittish and Bus, Laughing Mantis, Information Society, Zebbler Encanti Experience, JG And The Robots, Bioassay, Moderns, Left-Right, Ninjula, Richard Cheese and Lounge Against The Machine, The TroubleShooters, MC Frontalot, Lavos, Dual Core
It's available for free on media.defcon.org in a handy torrent, or if you're feeling benevolent, in a pay what you want format to benefit the EFF.
Friends of Bill W. at DEF CON 25.
Posted 7.21.17
Vegas is a lot of fun, but it can also be just a lot. Too much, even, if you’re trying to keep the horizon level in your windscreen. If you’re a friend of Bill W joining us for DEF CON 25, please know that we have meetings at noon and five p.m., Thursday through Sunday in “Office 4A”, on the promenade level. Drop by if you need to touch base or just want a moment of serenity. We’ll be there.
(See info booth next to office 4 on the map, if you’re having trouble finding “Office 4A”)
DEF CON 25 Data Duplication Village!
Posted 7.19.17
Data Duplication Village is back for DEF CON 25, so don't forget to bring up to 3 6TB drives if you want to download the whole enchilada. This year's goodies are:
6TB drive 1-3: Updated archive of infocon.org plus other "direct from DT" content
6TB drive 2-3: freerainbowtables.com hash tables (#1-2)
6TB drive 3-3: GSM A5/1 hash tables plus remaining freerainbowtables.com data (#2-2)
There's a handy schedule to follow and you can drop off and pick up just like dry cleaning.
For more info you can check out dcddv.org and the forum thread
DEF CON 25 Entertainment Lineup!
Posted 7.19.17
Curious who's gonna be rocking the house in the wee hours of DEF CON 25? Here's a handy guide to the MainStage performers for all three nights! Enjoy, plot your entertainment journey and pass it on.
Just a little over a week! W00T!
*Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine are performing in the Chill-Out Area, the rest of these performers are on the main stage.
Full-spectrum psychedelic bassquake - ZEE is back!
Posted 7.17.17
Saturday Night, y'all!
Zebbler Encanti Experience (aka “ZEE”) is what happens when Pixel Wizard and Techno Badger meet in the woods and decide to short circuit neural pathways of the nearby mushroom pickers with nothing short of bassquakes (9.0 on the scale of awesome) and complete visual reality replacement (somewhat too awesome and terrifying to be numbered anything in particular).
That historic meeting in the woods is the underpinning of the very garments that ZEE now wear at every event they perform. The mere loosening of a button of their coats' pockets opens up a wormhole of psychedelic visions and sub-sonic rattles. But Zebbler Encanti Experience do more than that. They open their minds fully to each and every dance floor and ask you to Get In There!
Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine are BACK for DEF CON 25!
Posted 7.15.17
Friday, in the Chillout area, please to enjoy the nearly-too-swanky-to-function sounds of returning DEF CON performers (and DEF CON Soundtrack contributors!) Richard Cheese and Lounge Against the Machine!
America's loudest lounge singer Richard Cheese performs swingin' Vegas versions of rock and rap songs, "swankifying" popular Top40 hits into retro vocal standards. Imagine Sinatra singing Radiohead, and you've got Richard Cheese & Lounge Against The Machine.
The aforementioned DEF CON soundtrack is included with admission at DEF CON 25 or by donating to the EFF (url coming soon).
DEF CON 25 Friday Headliner: Reel Big Fish!
Posted 7.14.17
For your DEF CON After Dark enjoyment, we present Friday's headliners, Reel Big Fish! They're fresh from their Beer Run Tour and ready to bring their trademark SoCal skank to the DEF CON masses.
In case you're not familiar, a bio snippet: "Reel Big Fish were one of the legions of Southern California ska-punk bands to edge into the mainstream following the mid-'90s success of No Doubt and Sublime. Like most of their peers, they were distinguished by their hyperkinetic stage shows, juvenile humor, ironic covers of new wave pop songs, and metallic shards of ska."
Sounds fun, yes? Yes.
DEF CON 25 Village Spotlight: ICS VIllage
Posted 7.13.17
A small group of SCADA Ninjas are traveling around the globe, spreading the word of SCADA. Unless you are already operating a secret nuclear enrichment facility in your basement or an ACME factory production line, then this is your best chance to get a kick-start into the world of Industrial Control Systems. We are bringing a number of real-world industrial devices from different vendors for you to look, feel and mess around with.
We bring you a safe, yet realistic environment where you can learn on how to assess, enhance, and defend your Industrial Environment. We bring you real components such as Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC), Human Machine Interfaces (HMI), Remote Telemetry Units (RTU), Actuators, etc. to simulate a realistic environment by using commonly components throughout different industrial sectors.
You will be able to connect your machine towards the different industrial components and networks and try to assess these ICS devices with common security scanners, network sniffers to sniff the industrial traffic, and more! In addition to previous years there is a workshop dedicated to ICS 101 and 201. Afterwards there will be an additional but optional challenge to test your newly acquired skills.
Follow @ICS_Village or have a look at www.ics-village.rocks.
New for DEF CON 25:
Voting Machine Hacking Village!
Posted 7.11.17
"Just like everything else, it's time for hackers to come in and tell you what's possible and what's not."
-The Dark Tangent
Judging from the headlines, it's a good time to figure out how secure our electronic voting machines are. What better way, we thought, to find out what's real and what's hype than getting a bunch of real voting machines into the hands of thousands of hackers? We happen to know where to find a lot of hackers onthe last weekend in July, so we created the Voting Machine Hacking Village. We're bringing a bunch of voting machines and encouraging people to see what's possible. Let's test the physical security, try attacks at a distance, dump the BIOS, all of it. Knowing is half the battle, people. Let's do our part to add to the base of knowledge.
Read all about it:
Voting Machine Hacking Village on the DEF CON Forums
Lawyer Meetup at DEF CON 25!
Posted 7.7.17
Attention all lawyers, law students, and judges: The DEF CON Lawyer Meetup is BACK! We'll be meeting Saturday the 29th at 6pm in the Counsel Boardroom on the Promenade Level. Join us for conversation and merriment, followed by dinner for those interested in extending the experience.
See you there!
Important Call for Parties Update!
Posted 7.6.17
Luxury problem: It turns out that we have a little more free night-time space than we anticipated.
Luxury solution: Turn it over to DEF CON community for some more parties. Got an idea for a fun, open-to-everyone party you’d like to throw? Get at us at contests@defcon.org right away. We’ll work with the best ideas to allocate floor space and get the party launched.
You have your assignment. We look forward to your kick-butt ideas.
DEF CON 25 Demo Labs are Live!
Posted 7.6.17
DEF CON Demo Labs are back, and everything you need to know about them is waiting for you at the DEMO Labs Page! It's a heavy lineup of cool, open tools for all kinds of audiences, from testers to defenders to crypto enthusiasts. Bring your curiosity and questions and let's see what grows out of the interaction!
Meet the CFP Review Board!
Posted 6.30.17
Meet the team of renegade super geniuses that work for months to pick the best talks for DEF CON. We love them, and you should too. It's a crazy hard job reviewing hundreds of highly technical proposals, providing meaningful feedback and picking the best ones. This year they'll be rocking special CFP Review Board badges at DEF CON, so if you see them let them know we appreciate what they do.
The Speaker List is Complete!
Posted 6.22.17
You know how we know it’s almost DEF CON? The Southwest is having a heat wave, that ancient tweet about the Feds (allegedly) not appreciating the ‘Spot the Fed’ contest is back and the interwebz are buzzing with burner phone chat.
Also, the speaker list is complete! Get yourself over to the speaker page and learn what wondrous presentations DEF CON 25 has in store for you! We think it’s gonna be a great year, and we want to thank everyone who submitted, both selected and not.
Extra special shout out to the unsung heroes of the CFP Selection team, who labor mightily to pull together the best possible lineup, and to provide the kind of feedback that makes everyone better.
Check out the lineup, plan accordingly, and go ahead and get psyched. DEF CON approaches.
A DEF CON 25 Announcement
Posted 6.15.17
BAD NEWS:
No DEF CON 25 Mystery Challenge or badge contest.
WHAT HAPPENED?
Curious Codes, the company that was designing the DEF CON 25 badges,
notified us they are no longer working on any challenges or badges for DEF
CON.
WHY?
A combination of design and planning delays combined with a last minute
unforeseen personal circumstance made their production impossible.
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR DEF CON?
No special badges or challenge and no mystery challenge
SO NOW WHAT?
We've gone with a DEF CON 25 anniversary theme with the badges and have
worked around the clock to get them designed and ordered. Not to fear, we
are hackers, it will work out. Everyone will have badges, they just won't
have crypto, secret embedded robotics, or radioactive compounds. I'll talk
more about the joy of conference badges in a later post.
WAIT, THERE WAS GOING TO BE ANOTHER MYSTERY CHALLENGE?!?
Yes, L0st had planned to do a special DC 25 challenge to break everyone's
minds.
ERATTA
Stay tuned for more info on #badgelife, we are planning a badge meet up for
all those who enjoy building and collecting conference or contest specific
badges of all kinds.
Village Spotlight - Crypto and Privacy Village Edition!
Posted 6.14.17
Privacy is important to everyone, both in terms of the abstract legal right to secure our information and the concrete availability of tools and means to keep that data secure. In this age of near-ubiquitous surveillance, it's a good idea to keep your security knowledge sharp.
To that end, the Crypto and Privacy Village is back with a full roster of presentations, contests and workshops to level up your privacy game. Follow them @cryptovillage, or get the full rundown at cryptovillage.org.
Better Know a Contest: Hair Farmer Edition!
Posted 6.14.17
The DEF CON Beard and Mustache Contest is back - time to break out the various oils, waxes and industrial fertilizers that keep you looking so profoundly beardy. There are prizes to be won! Join us at 'the intersection of facial hair and hacker culture'.
You can learn the rules and whatnot at the contest website dcbeard.com, and you can follow the contest on the Twitters @dcbeard contest.
Beardless, but interested in competing? Please know that there is a freestyle category that actively encourages the creation and display of faux, ersatz and/or fictive facial hair arrangements. Fanciful and improbable designs welcome.
Village Spotlight: Packet Hacking Village
Posted 6.10.17
Once upon a time, the Wall of Sheep was mostly a bunch of paper plates stapled to a wall, shaming DEF CON attendees for bad security practices. It has grown into a whole village full of packet shenanigans with its own speaker track, contests and even workshops.
There’s loads of information on their wallofsheep.com, including the speakers they’ve so far selected for DC25. There’s a lot to take in, so it pays to get familiar in advance. The Packet Hacking Village has enough going on to satisfy all packet ninjas, from Padawan to full-blown Jedi. Visit their site, follow them on Twitter @wallofsheep and get your chops in order. The mischief starts next month.
'Better Know a Contest’: Crash and Compile Edition
Posted 6.6.17
Crash and Compile is part drinking game, part programming contest. The ratio, of course, is yours to determine, but there are prizes for both the solving of programming problems and the drinking of drinks.
There are more rules than this,naturally, and you can find them at crashandcompile.com. They are the kind of rules that go like this: something happens, people take a drink. Also something doesn’t happen, or fails to happen as expected, and people take a drink. You get the picture, we think.
There are also ways to participate if you want to code without the drinking, or drink without the coding, or just distract the people trying to do both.There are prizes, and booze, and the satisfaction of proving that your skills can’t be thwarted by a little casual imbibing.
Follow the organizers on Twitter @crashandcompile and if this seems like your kind of party, get started on the training montage. We’ll see you there!
DEF CON 20 Documentary on USB with updated material!
Posted 6.5.17
Still working on convincing someone you like to come with you to DEF CON? Sharing the essence of something as big and complex as DC isn't easy. We've got your back.
This sleek little USB key contains enough info to give a taste of DEF CON's magic. You get:
Jason Scott's terrific DEF CON documentary and a ton of out takes and soundtrack tunes
Videos of DC 20's Hacker Jeopardy and Hacker Pyramid
Music from the artists that played DEF CON 20 Pictures from all over DC20
All the DEF CON programs in PDF format
All the entries from the DC20 Short Story Contest.
When your hand your friend this little bundle of goodies, you're giving them all the data they need to get a real feel for DEF CON. Cool, right?
DEF CON 25 Sticker Packs now Available!
Posted 5.31.17
Got a device with visibly unadorned surface area? Don't worry - DEF CON is here to help you do the right thing. Hide your laptop's shiny silver shame with our stylish, durable DEF CON 25 stickers! There's five in the pack: you get a DC25 logo and four variations of our popular 'Disobey' sticker.
It's almost summer here in the Northern Hemisphere - make sure your gadgets are beach-ready. Get these fine stickers (and all kinds of other DEF CON goodies) at our eBay store, while supplies last.
DEF CON 25 Vendor Applications are Closing Soon!
Posted 5.30.17
If you're still hoping to be a vendor at DEF CON 25, you need to to get over to defconvendors.com with all deliberate speed. The space is limited,and the deadline for submissions is June 1.
Don't miss your chance to share your products with thousands of members of the DEF CON community at Caesars Palace in July.
Tick-tock, tick-tock.
First Round of DEF CON 25 Speakers are Live!
Posted 5.24.17
The time has come, worthy citizens of DEF CON! Our first round of speaker selections, piping hot and ready for your delectation. It's going to be a big year, and it's a good time to start planning your con. We'd love to hear which talks you're most interested in so far. Stay tuned to this channel for additional speaker updates in the days to come.
Get psyched!
DEF CON in the Media: Mar Talks Art and DEF CON on PBS!
Posted 5.23.17
We put a lot of effort into the atmosphere of DEF CON. We bring in musicians and artists that set a tone of high-energy creative inspiration. One of our favorite artists is Mar Williams - you’ve seen Mar's bold and evocative work in the halls, in the programs, on your swag. That style and energy are a large part of the DEF CON image in recent years, and we’re very proud of Mar.
Mar recently shared some thoughts about the creative process and some ideas about the connections between hacking and art with an interviewer at PBS. Check it out and let it inspire you to just start something creative and see where it takes you.
If you find that you really like Mar's style and you need some more of it in your life, Mar has a Patreon account you can check out at https://www.patreon.com/spux.
YouTube version:
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=Ud-l6u9HzVY
You can also find this video (and an enormous quantity of other cool stuff) on the DEF CON Media Server’s Documentary Section.
https://media.defcon.org/Hacking Related Documentaries/
Village Spotlight: BioHacking Village!
Posted 5.19.17
From the BioHacking Village website at defconbiohackingvillage.org:
"The DEF CON Biohacking Village is a multi-day biotechnology conference focused on breakthrough DIY, grinder, transhumanist, medical technology, and information security along with its related communities in the open source ecosystem. There have been multiple instances of DIYBio overcoming conventional science. We want to celebrate the biohacker movement with a compendium of talks, demonstrations, and a medical device hackathon.
The 2017 BioHacking Village theme is Medical Industry Disrupt. The Medical Industry is one of the last to be touched by technology. We have placed doctors and the study of medicine on an altar for years; the time of ivory towers, pedestals, and information isolation has come to an end. Biohackers are working on projects that have traditionally been kept in the labs of the medical institutions. We are moving science forward by working on DIY projects that matter and use citizen science to solve the economic problems that are caused by privatizing medicine and the resources for research."
If this sounds like your jam, or you just want to dip a toe in the DIYBio pool, you can find out more at defconbiohackingvillage.org, by following @DC_BHV or checking out their space on the DEF CON Forums.
Better Know a Contest - Film Contest Edition!
Posted 5.17.17
The TD Francis X-Hour Film Contest is back! Think you've got the skills to conceive, script and shoot a short film in the midst of the DEF CON madness? Do you enjoy fun, prizes and awesome Contest shirts? Sign up, meet some basic requirements,and make your masterpiece.
Full details are on the Film Contest Website (xhourfilmcontest.com), but the basics are:
• You get the full and final rules and the topic when you pick up your reg Packet onsite.
• You can film in the venue so long as you're wearing your brightly colored Contest tees.
• Up to 5 crew - actors and extras aren't counted as crew.
Win prizes like a Seattle Film Institute scholarship and human badges to DEF CON 26, and get your film shown at DEF CON 25.
Thank DEF CON through your Oscar tears a surprisingly short time later.*
Slots are limited, so if you want shot at DEF CON Film glory, get over to xhourfilmcontest.com right away and begin your journey.
*your mileage may vary, but you definitely can't rule it out.
DEF CON 25 Village Spotlight: Tamper-Evident Village!
Posted 5.11.17
Tamper-evident tech may not be the flashiest security are out there, but it's a fascinating way to get your hands dirty in some ground-level physical security. The wily hacker who masters this space must know methods and techniques for defeating a wide variety of real-world seals, all the while stepping so lightly as to remove all evidence of their passing.
The Tamper-Evident Village brings a ton of different seals for you to practice on, helpful humans to point you in the right direction and even a few contests to test your skills.
Join us in the Tamper Evident Village and level up your physical security skill set!
Tuesday Feature: Better Know a Contest!
Posted 5.9.17
We're spotlighting some of the contests of DEF CON 25, to help you map your time and maybe get some practice in.
Today's Featured Contest: COINDROIDS!
Coindroids is sort of an RPG, set in a post-humanity Earth where only financial services droids remain, battling each other through the ruins for upgrades and survival. Money is the goal, both as a symbol of power and the weapon from which power is derived.
The game is played within the blockchain, and each block represents a round. To attack, you send defcoin to the attack address. To defend, you send defcoin to a 'block' address to raise your shield. Gain experience, level up, purchase new and more powerful armaments and upgrades and claw your way up the leaderboard. Rule the Cryptocurrency wasteland.
For a thorough explanation of the game's inner workings, check out the coindroids github: https://coindroids.github.io/Coindroids-Documentation/#introduction
Sign up and get some reps in at the Coindroids website: def.coindroids.com
Flashback Friday: DEF CON the Documentary!
Posted 5.5.17
For today's #defconflashbackfriday, we offer the DEF CON documentary we commissioned for DEF CON's 20th anniversary. It's a great way to get a feel for what DEF CON is about and the amazing community that makes it happen.
If you've always wanted to come to DEF CON but wished you knew more about what to expect, set aside some time this weekend to watch the video and get up to speed. If it seems like your cup of tea, we'd love to have you join us for our 25th Anniversary Celebration at Caesars Palace.
We'll save you a spot.
Congrats to DEF CON 25 CTF Qualifying Teams!
Posted 5.1.17
We'd like to congratulate these qualifiers for DEF CON 25's CTF contest:
PPP
Tea Deliverers
Shellphish
DEFKOR
A*0*E
hacking4danbi
!SpamAndHex
RRR
Team Rocket ☠️
Excellent work, and may fortune smile on you in Las Vegas this July. We'd also like to thank the shadowy masterminds of the Legitimate Business Syndicate for putting together another great contest. Feels good, doesn't it? The spring is turning to summer, the table is set for the DEF CON CTF and we're in the home stretch of the countdown to DC25. Feel free to get amped.
DEF CON 25 CFP Reminder!
Closes Monday May 1!
Posted 4.27.17
If you're waiting until the last minute to submit your presentation, you should know that we are officially in last minute territory right now. The window closes Monday, so if you want to see your talk in contention make good use of the remaining time! The moment of truth is upon you, so clear out some space and get your submission in order.
Let's get your cool ideas up where they belong.
The information you need is here:
https://www.defcon.org/html/defcon-25/dc-25-cfp.html
DEF CON 25 Crypto & Privacy Village CFP is OPEN!
Posted 4.24.17
Cypherpunks, start your engines! Crypto and Privacy Village is returning for DEF CON 25 and they're looking for speakers. If you've got some good stuff to share with the Crypto community, point yourself over to cfp.cryptovillage.org and get your submit on! We're looking forwards to seeing what you've been working on.
DEF CON 25 Vendor Registration is OPEN!
Posted 4.21.17
If you have geek-friendly wares you'd like to get in front of tens of thousands of clued-up, engaged and highly caffeinated DEF CON types, might we suggest the vendor area at DEF CON 25? For that audience, you really can't beat it. Smart people with an interest in hacker stuff is literally all we got.
As always, vendor table space is limited, and will get claimed pretty quickly. Its a good idea to get your application in early to ensure your spot. The information you need to apply is available at defconvendors.com. Registration closes on June 1st, 2017, so don't delay.
DEF CON in the News: Smithsonian Edition
Posted 4.20.17
The 2016 DARPA Cyber Grand Challenge was kind of a big deal. It was an autonomous, all AI Capture the Flag contest with millions of dollars in prize money. The systems competing were built by teams from all over the country, all of them building the road as they travelled. The teams that made it to the hotly contested final round are all full of straight-up wizards. We're proud of how great the contest turned out, and of all the brilliant humans who made it happen.
When the smoke cleared, For All Secure's Mayhem was the last bot standing. In addition to the millions in prize dollars, the eternal bragging rights and the very stylish DEF CON Black Badge, Mayhem now has a place in official history at the Smithsonian.
Writeup Here:
http://invention.si.edu/ai-and-challenge-cybersecurity
Recap and tons of info also available here:
http://archive.darpa.mil/cybergrandchallenge/
DEF CON 25 Call for Demo Labs is Open!
Posted 4.14.17
DEF CON Demo Labs are BACK! If you’ve got an open source project (tool or hardware) that you want to get in front of a huge, clued-in and interested audience, you’re gonna want to check out our Demo Labs page. Whether you’re looking for feedback, help or just getting the word out, we can offer you a 2-4 hour dedicated time slot to share at DEF CON 25. And one badge, if your project makes the cut, obvi. Get your info on the DL page and get your proposal in before June 1, and let’s make some demo magic!
Call for Contests, Events, and Villages is Closed!
Posted 4.6.17
The Call for Contests/Events/Parties is now closed. If you submitted a proposal, expect a response soon. If you just want to know what kind of delights are in store for DEF CON 25 attendees, watch this space.
It's getting closer, people. Feel free to get amped.
Press Registration is Open for DEF CON 25!
Posted 4.1.17
Friendly reminder to our friends in the fourth estate: Press Registration for DEF CON 25 is now officially OPEN! Spaces are limited, and speedy application improves your chances. The information you need to get your ducks properly aligned is on the DEF CON Press page. We've made some changes to streamline the process, so it's worth your time to check that out.
We look forward to hearing from you. It's gonna be a big year.
DEF CON 25 Secret Stash: March Edition
Posted 3.25.17
This month's profoundly rad design is here to hacker up your spring wardrobe! Dozens of DEF CON and hacker culture references packed together in the inimitable style of our own Mar Williams. Can you identify them all?
Limited edition, only available in the Secret Stash, so get yourself fresh while you can!
We're Working on Great Things for DC25!
Posted 3.22.17
One of the fun perks of staying in the host hotel at DEF CON is access to live, streaming talk content from the comfort of your room. DEF CON TV can really come in handy when a talk is over capacity, or when you need a little breather from the Vegas of it all.
This year, we’re hoping to expand the offering of DEF CON TV beyond the main venue. If you're staying in any of the partner hotels, you’ll not only get our D.C. Group rate, but you get DCTV as well! Huzzah! We’ll keep you informed via social media and the DEF CON 25 website when we have the green light.
Our block rate is sold out at Caesars, but you can still grab it at
Linq
Paris
Bally's
Flamingo
Harrah's
We suggest you book promptly to ensure the preferred pricing - these will fill up quickly.
DEF CON 25 CTF Qualifying event, 0OPS CTF this Weekend!
Posted 3.16.17
The next stop on the road to DEF CON 25 CTF glory is this weekend's 0OPS CTF. It's a wide open, jeopardy-style event you can learn about at https://ctf.0ops.net. Everybody gets an exciting sleepless weekend of network combat, but the winner gets a spot at the Big Show at DC25. Spring has sprung and the procrastinator's window is slowly closing. Gather your stoutest warriors and get your name in the arena, or forever wish you had tested yourself against the best.
Details and the full quals schedule are at legitbs.net.
DEF CON 25 Call for Entertainers is Now Live!
Posted 3.15.17
Are you an entertainer? A singer of songs, a shredder of licks, a spinner of beats? Have you the skills to keep the sweaty masses in a rumpus till the breaking of dawn? If so, DEF CON has urgent need of your talents.
The DEF CON 25 Call for Entertainers is now live. Fill out the form, prove you have the goods, rock faces off at DEF CON's 25th Anniversary shindig. It's that simple. You've got til June 1 to get our attention.
DEF CON 25 BioHacking Village CFP is Open!
Posted 3.7.17
This CFP announce is for lifehackers; not the ones who have a really good todo list app, but the ones who hack life. The DEF CON 25 Biohacking Village is looking for your presentation ideas. Grinders, transhumanists and DIY biotech geeks of every description are encouraged to apply.
The Biohacking Village theme for 2017 is Medical Industry Disrupt, so special consideration goes to pitches that aim to revolutionize the practice of medicine. You have until May 28th to get your submissions in. We're looking forward to seeing what you're up to.
For all the details, go to defconbiohackingvillage.com
DEF CON 25 Site is Now Live!
Posted 3.4.17
It’s happening, luminous humans of DEF CON. The hour of our reunion draws closer. All the signs say so. The seasons change, the CFPs begin to sprout, and this year’s DEF CON website goes live.
That’s right - the DEF CON 25 website lives! Burn its address into your heart, your mind, and your browser of choice. As the conference approaches, we’ll fill the site with all the info you need to maximize your DEF CON preparations. Get amped, people. DEF CON’s 25th Anniversary is closer than ever.
Call for Reviewers Closing Soon
Posted 2.24.17
Your response to our call for reviewers was much bigger than we expected, so we’re closing it down Monday. Thanks to everyone who offered to help - we’ll be getting in touch with those who’ve been selected. We’ll keep the applications we received on file, and we’ll open this call back up before DEF CON 26.
If you’re still looking for volunteer reviewer opportunities, we encourage you to get in touch with the villages - most of them also field a large number of proposals that might be a perfect match to your expertise.
Thanks to the DEF CON community for always responding to our requests with so much love and enthusiasm. You rule.
Call for Contests, Events, Villages, & Parties is now Open!
Posted 2.23.17
DEF CON 25 approaches. It more than approaches. DEF CON 25 looms. It hovers just beyond the near horizon, waiting to be awesome.
One key element of this awesome is all the superfun hackertainment we deliver in the form of Contests, Events, Villages and Parties. And the key element to pulling that together is YOU. All of that fun is 100% community-driven.
Every year we ask the DEF CON community for their best ideas for CON amusements, and we make the best ideas happen. This year, our 25th Anniversary year, we're hoping you're ready to respond and really step things up. Dig deep. Dream big. Seize this moment.
Everything you need to know to put your proposal together is on our CEV page. Go there, get amped, and submit your killer idea.
Let's get epic, people.
Reminder: DEF CON CFP Review Board AMA on Reddit Tonight!
Posted 2.22.17
Friendly reminder: If you've got any questions about the process of becoming a DEF CON speaker, don't miss the AMA today! Get yourself over to /r/defcon at 6pm PST today and get 'em answered by the DEF CON 25 CFP Review Board.
Get tips on what they're looking for, help with how to present your proposal and general encouragement to bring your ideas to the DEF CON community. Be there.
Next Quals Event for DEF CON 25 CTF Coming Up!
Posted 2.20.17
If you're a packet ninja on a quest for CTF immortality at DEF CON 25, you need to keep your eyes on the qualification schedule. No quals, no glory.
The next qualifying event is the online Jeopardy-style Bostonkey.party, happening this very week (Feb 25-27)! You can find info about this and all the remaining events in the schedule at legitbs.net, the online home of the shadowy masterminds hosting this year's CTF.
We're expecting big things from you.
DEF CON CFP Review Board AMA on Reddit next Week!
Posted 2.16.17
The DEF CON 25 CFP Review Board will be hosting an AMA Wednesday, Feb 22 at 6pm PST. Bring your questions and get yourself up to speed. Meet the team that does the selecting, and learn tips that will give you an edge in getting your talk accepted.
Join us in /r/defcon next Wednesday!
Specialized Reviewers wanted
for DEF CON 25 CFP!
Posted 2.14.17
Greetz!
We're seeking specialized CFP Reviewers to join our DEF CON 25 CFP board this year. We have a fairly well rounded board, but we could use a few more to the team. Specifically, we'd like those more specialized in: Cryptography, Malware, Post-exploitation, Reverse Engineering, and Forensics. So if you can open a can of whoop ass with those skills, please apply.
All you have to do is write a cover letter telling us how you've been involved in the DEF CON community, what skills you can bring to the table, and where to find your resume. Please be aware being on the review board is a hard volunteer job. To review you need to spend hours reading submissions and providing feedback. There will be hundreds of emails, so you have to be committed. The reward, however, is having a hand in making DEF CON 25 amazing and the eternal gratitude of hackers all over the world. Which is nice.
Send your entries to talks@defcon.org if you want in.
Thanks,
Nikita
DEF CON Jackets on Sale!
Posted 2.9.17
Pro Tip: DEF CON's eBay store has a 50 dollar price drop on some very stylish waterproof soft-shell jackets! Now there's no excuse for spending one more day in the same boring, skull-free outerwear. Fight the elements and crush the mid-winter blahs with style. Check 'em out !
Jeff Moss Named Commissoner on GSCSC!
Posted 2.8.17
We're excited to announce that our founder, Jeff Moss, has been named a Commissioner of the brand new Global Commission on the Stability of Cyberspace! The Commission, which will debut at the Munich Security Conference, aims to safeguard the peaceful use of the Internet as volatility and threats from state-level conflict increase.
Jeff joins a team of security and policy luminaries Chaired by Marina Kaljurand, former Foreign Minister of Estonia. The Co-Chairs are former US Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff and former Deputy National Security Adviser of India Latha Reddy. You can learn more about the GCSC and its mission at cyberstability.org
DEF CON 25 Call for Papers and Call For Workshops are Open!
Posted 2.1.17
Luminous humans of the DEF CON community, we interrupt your slow news week to bring you this urgent message:
The DEF CON 25 CFP is OPEN! And so is the Call for Workshops!
We realize that's kind of two messages. The common thread is that the machinery of DEF CON 25 awakes from its fitful rest, and it hungers. It hungers for your talk submissions as well as your workshop ideas.
To expedite the annual feeding of this beast, we've created a CFP index page that includes all of the many ways you can submit your work for consideration.
The time is upon us, people. The deadlines will arrive faster than you think. Get your stuff together, whip it into shape and get it in. We are only going to turn 25 once, and we want you to be a part of it.
DEF CON In the Media: Coded Web Series
Posted 1.18.17
The trailer for 'Coded', a new hacker-focused series from Freethink Media, has tons of shots from DEF CON 23. It also contains interview footage with Ladar Levison and Nico Sell. We've only seen the trailer, but It looks promising. Here's the promo blurb: "The data war is in full swing. Foreign governments are hacking major corporations, major corporations are collecting massive amounts of consumer data, and the NSA is listening to all of them. With malevolent hackers on one side and oppressive regimes on the other, data security is as important to the global economy and human rights as free speech and the rule of law. Join us as we profile a new generation of programmers helping consumers and companies alike protect their financial information, their identities, and their freedom."
Caesars is Sold Out, But Options Abound!
Posted 1.13.17
The early birds have captured all of the on-site worms: Caesars Palace is sold out for DEF CON 25.
Be of good cheer, however. You can still get our discounted room rate at the following nearby properties:
Linq
Paris
Bally's
Flamingo
Harrah's
DEF CON 25 is gonna be kind of a big deal, and we want you there. We suggest getting on that reservation post haste. The link for the DEF CON discount is https://resweb.passkey.com/go/SCDEF7 and the time for action is now.
Jennifer Granick receives Palmer Prize!
Posted 1.11.17
Congrats to @Granick!
Hacker lawyer extraordinaire, Director of Civil Liberties for the Stanford Center for Internet and Society and possible secret superhero Jennifer Granick just won the Palmer Prize! The prize, awarded for work that sheds light on the interplay of civil liberties and State security is for her upcoming book "American Spies: Modern Surveillance, Why You Should Care, and What to Do About It". We can't wait to read it.
Jennifer is also a frequent and popular speaker at DEF CON. To give those unfamiliar an idea why her work and ideas are so valued by the hacker community, take a look at her most recent DEF CON presentation. It's entitled "Slouching Towards Utopia; The State of the Internet Dream" from DEF CON 24.
As always, enjoy and pass it on.
DEF CON 25 CTF Quals Update!!
Posted 1.10.17
Attention all seekers of CTF glory - the qualification season is underway! The solid citizens of the Legitimate Business Syndicate have posted the information you need to get involved on their website at legitbs.net.
If you've got the goods, get in the arena. There's nothing between your squad and Capture the Flag supremacy but air, opportunity and the best players on Earth. Get you some.
DEF CON 24 SE Village Video Playlist!
Posted 1.5.17
Today's treat - a YouTube playlist chock full of SE goodness from the Social Engineering Village at DEF CON 24! All the presentations and a bonus live recording of the Social Engineering podcast. There is much to be learned here, so block off some time.
As always, take what you can use and pass it on. The best defense against the dark arts of SE is exposure and education.
