Computer security conference

A computer security conference is a term that describes a convention for individuals involved in computer security. They generally serve as a meeting place for system and network administrators, hackers, and computer security experts.

Computer security conference events

Common activities at hacker conventions may include:

• "Boot camps"- offering training and certification in Information Technology.
• Presentations from keynote speakers, or panels. Common topics include social engineering, lockpicking, penetration testing, and hacking tools.

List of General Computer Security Conferences

General security conferences might be held by non-profit/not-for-profit/for-profit professional associations, individuals or informal group of individuals, or by security product vendor companies.

• ACM-CCS (Conferences on Computer and Communications Security), security conference held since 1993.
• ACSAC, Annual Computer Security Applications Conference - oldest information security conference held annually
• ASIA or the Annual Symposium on Information Assurance that serves as the academic track for the New York State Cyber Security Conference, an annual information security conference held in Albany, NY usually for two days during June targeted at academic, government, and industry participants.
• Black Hat, a series of conferences held annually in different cities around the world. Black Hat USA, held in Las Vegas immediately before DEF CON, is the largest 'official' computer security event in the world.
• BlueHat Conference, a twice a year, invitation-only Microsoft security conference aimed at bringing Microsoft security professionals and external security researchers together.
• CarolinaCon, in North Carolina, is a regional technology and network security conference usually held during Spring.Department of Defense Cyber Crime Conference, an annual conference that focuses on the computer security needs of the United States federal government, military, and defense contractors.
• Hack.lu, an annual conference held in Luxembourg
• Hacker Halted, Presented by EC-Council, the objective of the global series of Hacker Halted conferences is to raise international awareness towards increased education and ethics in IT Security.
• Hackito Ergo Sum, Security conference pertaining to research topics, with attendees and speakers from both the industry, the offensive side and the academic circles, held in Paris every April.
• IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy, top-tier privacy & security conference.
• NSPW (New Security Paradigms Workshop), a unique, highly-interactive workshop with new ideas in security.
• RSA Security Conference, Cryptography and information security-related conference held annually in the San Francisco Bay Area.
• S4:SCADA Security Scientific Symposium, Security conference pertaining to SCADA held annually by Digital Bond, usually in Miami, FL.
• SANSFIRE, A yearly conference dedicated to the training of GIAC certified professionals, and networking with members of the SANS Internet Storm Center.
• SecureWorld Expo, A series of regional IT Security conferences offering education, CPE training opportunities, and networking of security leaders, experts, senior executives, and policy makers who shape the face of security.
• SOURCE Conference, SOURCE is a computer security conference in Boston, Seattle, and Barcelona that offers education in both the business and technical aspects of the security industry.
• TROOPERS IT Security Conference, Annual international IT Security event with workshops held in Heidelberg, Germany.
• USENIX Security, annual security conference associated with USENIX.

Hacker conferences

A hacker conference, also known as a hacker con, is a a convention for hackers. These serve as meeting places for phreakers, hackers, and security experts.

The actual events, timespans, and details of various themes of these conventions not only depends on the specific convention attended but also its perceived reputation. Typically the actual details of any given convention are couched in mild secrecy due to the legality of certain panels, as well as the willingness of attendees to explain themselves to law enforcement and less computer-savvy individuals (see hacker definition controversy).

Common topics include wardriving, lockpicking, corporate and network security, personal rights and freedoms, new technologies, as well as general 'geek' motifs. Some may also have contests and general collaborative events such as hackathons.

List of hacker conferences

• 44Con, large annual conference with training in London, UK.
• Brucon, annual conference in Brussels, Belgium.
• BrumCon, annual conference in Birmingham UK, held by Brum2600.
• B Sides, community conference that initially started in the US is now global.

• CanSecWest, large annual convention held in Vancouver, Canada.
• Chaos Communication Congress, the oldest and Europe's largest hacker conference, held by Chaos Computer Club.
• ClubHack, India's hacker convention.
• DEF CON, in Las Vegas, is the biggest hacker convention in the United States held during summer (June–August).
• DefCamp, first and largest underground and technical security conference in Romania.
• DerbyCon, a hacker con started in 2011 held in Louisville, Kentucky
• C0c0n - Where Hack3rs Unite - Con.
• Ekoparty, a hacker convention in Argentina and one of the most important in South America, held annually around September in Buenos Aires.
• HackSE - Greece's biggest hacking convention, organized by GHS since 1993, New York, US and Athems, Thessaloniki, Xanthi, Greece.
• GrrCON, a hacker convention in Michigan, held annually around September.
• HackCon - Norway's biggest security convention, held in Oslo, Norway.
• nullcon - Community driven Security and hacking conference(by null - The open security community).
• Hack In The Box, a security conference, Asia's largest network security conference held annually in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
• Hackers 2 Hackers Conference, a Brazilian conference, started 2004.
• Hackfest, a Quebec, Canada, bilingual conferences and hacking games.
• Hacktivity , in Budapest, Hungary, run every September, the largest hacker conference in the Central and Eastern Europe.
• Hackers on Planet Earth (H.O.P.E.), in New York is held by 2600: The Hacker Quarterly in mid-summer (July/August) every other year.
• Hacks In Taiwan Conference (HITCON), in Taipei, is the biggest hacker convention in Taiwan held by Chroot Group in late July.
• Kiwicon, is a Wellington, New Zealand hacker convention.
• LayerOne, run every spring in Los Angeles, California.
• MalCon, world's first International Malware Conference, hosted in India.
• Notacon, in Cleveland, Ohio, is an art and technology conference held frequently in mid-April.
• Nuit du Hack, the first and oldest French annual hacker conference, held by HZV
• PhreakNIC, in Nashville, Tennessee, is held by Nashville 2600. around October.
• Pumpcon, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, is held around October.
• Pwn2Own, in Vancouver, Canada is held at the end of March, started 2007. Targets: web browsers and web related software.
• Quahogcon, In Providence, Rhode Island is held at the end of April.
• ROOTCON, in Cebu, Philippines is held around September–October. Philippines' premier hacker conference. For more info check also their blog.
• RootFest, in Minneapolis, Minnesota was first held in 1999 and 2000 and returns for 2012.
• Ruxcon, in Melbourne, Australia -- Ruxcon is the premier technical security conference in Australia. In 2011, Ruxcon will be held on November 19th and 20th Nov 2011.
• SEC-T, a hacking and security convention in Stockholm, Sweden.
• SecTor, a Toronto convention, founded in 2007 and seemingly held around October.
• ShakaCon, in Honolulu, Hawaii convention started in 2007 by Secure DNA held every spring.
• ShmooCon, a Washington DC convention started in 2005 by The Shmoo Group, and held annually in late winter (usually February).
• SkyDogCon, a Nashville, Tennessee convention started in 2011. The name is temporary, and the convention will probably be renamed..
• Summercon, one of the oldest hacker conventions, held during Summer (frequently in June). It helped set a precedent for more modern "cons" such as H.O.P.E. and DEF CON.
• T2 infosec conference, focuses on newly emerging information security research with a balance of topics on auditing and pen-testing, and security and defensive strategies. In general, presentations will address different aspects of information security—all presentations will include demos and be technically oriented and practical.
• THOTCON, a Chicago based hacker conference held in the Spring each year.
• ToorCon, San Diego hacker convention that emerged from the 2600 user group frequently in late September.
• Recon, A hacker convention primarily focused on Reverse Engineering. Held in or around July annually in Montréal, Québec.
• Nola X Con, a New Orleans based hacker conference that will debut in 2012.
• YSTS, in Sao Paulo - SP, Brazil a very exclusive, mostly invite-only conference, started 2007. Held at an almost secret location only announced to whom it may concern a one week before the con. The speakers receive a challenge-coin that guarantees your entry to yStS for as long as the conference exists.
• IL.Hack, an Israel based hacker conference.
• 8.8, The first technical security conference in Chile. Held annually around November in Santiago.

Non-annual hacker conventions

• Stichting HAL2001, a not-for-profit organization, holds a quadrennial Dutch hacker convention. They have, so far, held HAL2001 (Hackers at Large) and What the Hack (2005, originally called HEX (referring to the 16th anniversary of the event, as well as an acronym for Hacking Extreme)). The Dutch conferences held prior Stichting HAL2001's existence were Galactic Hacker Party (1989), Hacking at the End of the Universe (1993) and Hacking In Progress (1997), notable for being held simultaneously and in conjunction with Beyond HOPE. The not-for-profit organization 'Stichting Hxx' was organizing the 2009 incarnation of this con; HAR (Hacking at Random).

External links

• Hacker Convention Comparison - A comparison of hacker events based on internet connectivity and attendees
• securityconferences.net - A listing of security conferences and their submission deadlines; includes iCal calendars
• [1] - another extensive diary of conferences.