You've probably seen all the tweets, heard the wild DEFCON tales, and finally decided you’re going. Cool, but let’s get real for a second. Vegas isn't exactly the sleek Hollywood glam you see in movies, it's a bit more like GTA Liberty City. Between the scorching heat and endless activities at DEFCON, your first time can feel pretty overwhelming. Don't stress, hopefully with these tips will help you navigate this wild event smoothly.
What’s DEFCON All About?
DEFCON is the largest hacker conference globally, held annually in Las Vegas. It's a gathering for cybersecurity pros, enthusiasts, and beginners to learn, connect, and explore everything cyber-related. Whether you're into security research, penetration testing, messing with hardware, cars, fridges, whatever really.. there’s something here for everyone.
It's mostly built around talks, workshops, villages and CTFs. The main stage talks are generally recorded and released on Youtube after a while, so you won't necessarily miss much if you don't attend them in-person. At the same time, they are a great opportunity to "meet the heroes" so it's always fun to go if you find some you're interested in.
How to Prepare and Survive
You got to be ready with the essentials when going to DEFCON, a lot of us are travelling from far away and we can't afford to go unprepared.
- Stay Hydrated: Vegas heat is no joke. Buy a big pack (12-24 bottles) of water from CVS or similar stores right away. Avoid overpriced hotel water; you'll thank me later. Drink at least two or three times more than usual—seriously.
- Comfortable Shoes: Prepare to walk (a lot). Last year, my phone fitness app thought I was on some hiking retreat ironically.
- Bring Cash: DEFCON prefers cash for tickets, merchandise, and some workshops. Vegas in general works better with cash - for tips, for shops, drinks, casinos etc...
- IDs Everywhere: Keep identification handy at all times; Vegas venues frequently ask for IDs.
- Plan but Don’t Overdo It: Pick one or two talks per day that you definitely want to attend, and leave some breathing room in between. You won't catch everything, don't stress, as most presentations appear online later.
Surviving Vegas: Practical Advice to Remember
Vegas is wild, fun and exciting and therefore also tiring and intense. A few key survival tips:
- Heat and Sun Protection: It’s a desert. Heatstroke is real. Sunscreen, hats and sunglasses will save you headaches.
- Fremont Street: If you have spare time, check out Fremont Street. It's quite the unique Vegas experience, trust me. I won't spoil it, just trust the process.
- Food and Drink Costs: Meals and drinks on the Strip are notoriously expensive. Venture a few blocks off-strip for local ramen shops, taco trucks, or diners to save some cash (which you definitely won't end up spending at the casinos).
- WATER: Yes, I already said it I know, but seriously, drink lots of water. It's hot as hell and you'll probably be walking around a lot.
Making the Most of DEFCON: Beyond the Talks
DEFCON’s real value often lies outside the main stage talks. Here are some ways to make the most of the experience.
- Embrace LINECON: Sure, you could buy your ticket online, but waiting in line (affectionately called LINECON) is a surprisingly enjoyable social event. Recommend doing it at least once.
- Explore Villages: DEFCON has several villages like Red Team Village, IoT Village, Biohacking Village, and more, each with their own niche topics, workshops, and challenges. Definitely check them out and chat to people to see what they're doing. You'd be surprised how time flies when you get lured into random things you didn't know you would nerd out on with others.
- Talk to People: Conversations in queues, hallways, and workshops often lead to valuable networking opportunities and friendships. In the industry there's a lot of introversion, but if you're going to squeeze your social battery to its limits, this is a great place to do it.
- Take Part in Challenges: DEFCON offers numerous challenges, CTFs, and puzzles. Try them even if you’re not an expert. It's fun and you may go home with some cool badges or swag if you solve them!
- Go Solo or With a Group: Do your own thing. It's fine to split off on your own occasionally. There's plenty of interesting activities to do alone or in smaller groups.
- Use Official Resources: DEFCON's official FAQ is genuinely helpful: DEFCON FAQ. Download the HackerTracker app too; it has maps, schedules, and useful info to help navigate the chaos.
Protect Yourself: Device Safety at DEFCON
This one's important unfortunately, but it's an obvious one. You're surrounded with 30 thousand hackers, you want to protect yourself in case one of them goes rogue.
- Digital Hygiene: At DEFCON, turn off cellular data, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Use Airplane Mode as much as possible. Consider activating Lockdown Mode on your iPhone. Use a reliable VPN if you have to connect online. Better safe than sorry.
- Burner Devices and Data Blockers: A minimal digital footprint is safer, burner phones or laptops with clean OS images are ideal. A USB data blocker (juice-jacking protection) is useful too.
Quick Note: Module Override Workshop at Red Team Village
By the way, my colleague zer0phat recently shared a cool technique called Module Override Process Injection. I'll be demonstrating it at the Red Team Village this year with him. Feel free to swing by and ask us about it, even if you didn't get the chance to come to the workshop.
For some background information on it, check out his original posts:
Keep It Responsible
DEFCON is about both curiosity and respect amongst other things. Always ask permission, respect boundaries, and use your cybersecurity knowledge ethically. Local Vegas authorities take issues seriously, they don't fuck around and they're probably dreading these days for obvious reasons - don't give them a reason to hold a grudge against us.
Your DEFCON Packing Checklist
- Water bottles (buy cheaply off-strip)
- Comfortable shoes
- Cash
- ID
- Sunscreen, hat, sunglasses
- Burner phone
- USB data blocker
- Portable phone charger
- RFID-blocking wallet/sleeve
- Laptop with a clean OS install
- Snacks and reusable water bottle
- Business cards
Finally...
DEFCON can be intense, but it's also incredibly rewarding and an absolute blast. Stay hydrated, stay safe, talk to new people, and enjoy the adventure. If you spot me around, come say hello and let's trade war stories!
Happy hacking!