You will quickly discover there are other people who want to share what they know, who are happy to teach you, and learn from you. In other words: you belong at DEF CON!Įveryone has something to contribute and something to offer! But, this only works if everyone checks their ego at the door. Imposter Syndrome is a real thing and it is normal to feel like other people know more, or are smarter than you, or that you are going to be “found out.” If you feel this way, don’t worry many others do too! Remember, if you are hanging with a group of people and you feel like a fraud because they are all super smart, keep in mind that they chose to have you as a friend. If you feel like a hacker, or you care about the culture, then you belong. Belonging (Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut. DEF CON is a gathering of hackers, a family reunion, a quest, a destination, an experience. But what is it really like? It’s hacker mecca, and your DEF CON experience is what you make of it. You’ve heard the rumors and watched the talks. DEF CONĪlso spelled DEFCON, Defcon, Def Con, defcon, etc. We hope this guide will help you get the most out of your experience, and perhaps meet some new hacker friends. With multiple talks at the same time, villages everywhere, workshops here and there, something called “SkyTalks,” those people in red shirts who keep directing the thousands of hackers, and everything else going on, it can be a lot to take in! And this is all while the bells, whistles, and lights of the Las Vegas casino that you will grow to love… or hate… are flashing in your face. Excited now?ĭEF CON is huge, and can be very overwhelming at first. If you’re not sure if you want to go (or even if you are), you should watch the DEF CON Documentary. tl dr, do it right: Be social, get involved, remember that everyone is a noob and you belong here, and for everyone’s sake follow the 3-2-1 rule. High Level Planning Guide for How Much $$$$ to Bring.Goons (Those Cool People in Red, Often Confused with Deadpool).Getting Involved and Making New Hacker Friends.Belonging (Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut.I hope they can expand, allowing for more people because Defcon is an experience I never want to give up. I feel like Defcon is growing faster than its infrastructure, which is making things burst at the seams so to speak. I let him in and got my items paid for and an invite to a party out of it. I had a guy ask me once to jump in line ahead of me, b/c he was in a rush. terrible? to you :P Same goes for everyone else. IIRC, there is a grocery store not too far away either, from which you can get food to make your own meals in your room for even cheaper. * Don't eat at the Riv! There are plenty of off-the-strip restaurants nearby that are loads cheaper.

Just (as a precaution) don't do anything sensitive in the clear on this network. * In my experience, the wireless network isn't as hostile as everyone makes it out to be. * Check the receipt when you check into your hotel, its possible that there could be a mix up and if you don't take care of it quickly enough you could be out of a room. * Don't expect to be able to pay cash for your hotel room, the hotel will actually turn you away for this. * There are a lot of parties at night, but most card at the door. * The talks are good, but the great ones fill up quickly.

Defcon is an amazing experience that will leave you dead tired at the end of the weekend.

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