Hacker Conferences In 2023 - 2024

We list a ton of Cybersecurity Conferences – and they are labeled accordingly.

Many of the events that we list we’ve categorized as being “Hacker Cons”.

Quick Background

In the year 1993, Las Vegas, Nevada hosted the first-ever globally recognized hacker conference. DEF CON (also known as DEFCON, Defcon, or DC) is a big and well-known hacker event held every year in Las Vegas, Nevada.

A hacker conference, commonly referred to as a hacker convention, is a gathering of hackers. These are gathering spots for phreakers, hackers, and security experts.

The actual events, time spans, and specifics of numerous convention themes are determined not only by the convention attended but also by its perceived reputation. Due to the legality of some panels, as well as the willingness of participants to explain themselves to law authorities and less computer-savvy persons, the real contents of any particular conference are usually shrouded in mild obscurity.

Wardriving, lockpicking, corporate and network security, personal rights and liberties, new technology, and general ‘geek’ themes are all popular topics. Contests and general collaborative activities, like hackathons, may be held by some.

The development of the conference badge is one aspect of hacker conferences that tends to distinguish many “HackerCons” from regular computer security conferences. While many conferences use a fairly standard paper/plastic badge to identify attendees by name, many hacker cons have evolved to use more non-traditional badges, such as electronic PCBs with LEDs, LCD screens, and advanced, often hidden functionality, such as games, that do not identify the individual, sometimes promoting a group identity or regional/local group affiliation.