TL;DR Review
Last updated: December 31, 2024
DEF CON is – most likely – the best known hacker conference on earth.
It’s also one of the largest and longest-running underground hacker conference, held annually in Las Vegas since 1993. TBH, it’s a rite of passage. This iconic event is a must-attend for cybersecurity professionals, offering cutting-edge talks, hands-on workshops, and unique activities like Capture the Flag. The focus @ DEF CON tends to be security, privacy, and emerging tech. Highly Recommended!
DEF CON Dates
The DEF CON hacker conference will be taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada (as usual) between the 7th – 10th August at the Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall.
The next event will be DEF CON 34, i.e. the 34th time it has taken place.
History of DEF CON
Since June 1993, DEF CON has been one of the the world’s longest-running and largest underground hacker event, held yearly in Las Vegas.
DEF CON was founded as a networking event for computer underground enthusiasts by computer researcher Jeff Moss and has since grown to become an iconic venue for improving and discussing matters in security, privacy, technology, and other related subjects.
In fact, the actual event is really a series of several events, mini-conferences, and seminars.
Every year, notable speakers from the fields of security, politics, science, technology, and media attend the event. These lecturers cover a wide range of issues, from cyber-security, forensics, social-engineering and so much more.
DEF CON is usually held in early August each year, providing speakers and participants plenty of time to prepare.
The event has grown significantly since its inception, bringing thousands of attendees from all around the world each year.
DEF CON Villages
DEF CON’s main draw is its multiple “Conference” events.
These include the DEF CON Villages, which are the event’s major emphasis and are committed to discussing security and privacy issues. Wireless Village, which focuses on wireless networking and security, and Shared Memory Format, which focuses on computer memory, are two smaller, more specialized conferences. These activities, which span two to three days apiece, take place concurrently with the main conference.
In addition to Villages, Capture the Flag, Lockpicking Village, and social activities, DEF CON features several smaller events. Furthermore, the event includes both private and public expert conversations.
- Quantum Village
- Policy@DEFCON
- Radio Frequency Village
- Telecom Village
- Tamper Evident Village
- Recon Village
- Red Team Village
- Social Engineering Community Village
- Voting Village
- Capture the Flag
- Lockpicking Village
Def Con also has several slot machines for attendees to use, as well as a variety of electronic music and DJ events, notably with SOMA FM.
Over the years, Def Con has also included several high-profile speakers. Bruce Schneier, former NSA director Michael Hayden, security researcher Dan Kaminsky, internet entrepreneur Jeremy Allaire, privacy expert Cindy Cohn, and comedian and HBO’s Last Week Tonight host John Oliver are among others who have participated.