Hackers descend on Las Vegas for security conferences

[Dashken]

Thousands of professional hackers, government agents and computer security aficionados are descending on Las Vegas for two major conventions that will show off the latest exploits and improvements to computer security.

Two major computer attacks are the hot topics of conversation this year – a strike on Estonia that downed websites, banks, media outlets and even government computer systems, and an operation that exposed 45 million credit cards from retail giants T.J. Maxx and Marshalls.

Both conferences were started by former hacker Jeff Moss who started hacking at age 13 so he could make free phone calls.

Although they were created by Moss, the events contrast wildly from each other - one focusing on professionals and one on the hard-core hacking community.

The Black Hat conference, being held at the swanky Caesars Palace hotel and casino, is aimed at corporate security professionals. It draws an elite crowd of 3,400 who pay thousands of dollars to attend training sessions and seminars such as Malware Analysis and Microsoft Ninjitsu: Black Belt Edition.

The Defcon conference is more of a hacker frat party than an industry-wide gathering of professionals. It draws 5,000 to 10,000 underground hackers to the more downscale Riviera Hotel, where they demonstrate flaws in many types of mainstream computer software. Attendees must make sure they patch their system with all the latest security updates, as many hackers exploit anyone trying to use the conference’s WiFi network, and out their victims on the wall of the main hall using a digital projector.

Hackers will also participate in competitions to see who can crack products ranging from operating systems like Windows Vista and Apple’s OSX, to devices like the iPhone.

While some companies encourage and sponsor the conferences, many are uncomfortable supporting hackers that might use their customer’s private information in a malicious fashion.

Thomas Dullien a.k.a. “Halvar Flake”, one of the trainers for the Black Hat conference was blocked from the U.S., among heightened security at the Detroit airport.

"It appears I can't attend Blackhat this year," he posted in his blog. "I was denied entry to the US for carrying trainings materials for the Blackhat trainings, and intending to hold these trainings as a private citizen instead of as a company.”

"After a 9-hour flight and a 4 1/2 hour interview I was put onto the next 9-hour flight back to Germany. Future trips to the US will be significantly more complicated as I can no longer go to the US on the visa waiver program," he wrote.

Despite many company’s fears, the conference would not be a wise place to launch an assault on the corporate world, as there are many corporate and government computer security enforcers who monitor the activities of the attendees.

Some of the heavyweight speakers to make it to this year’s conferences include U.S. National Security Council adviser Richard Clarke, and National Security Agency vulnerability chief Tony Sager.

Source: http://www.canada.com/topics/technol...885472&k=27182