My First DEF CON: I Finally Get It

This year, I finally made it to DEF CON for the first time.

I had heard so much about DEF CON before going. The villages, the talks, the challenges, the people, and the general chaos of trying to fit everything into a few days. But I don’t think I really understood what DEF CON was until I actually experienced it.

One of my favorite parts was getting to explore the different villages and actually work with my hands.

Being a manager in Cybersecurity can involve a lot of time sitting behind a screen and in meetings, so I loved being able to walk into a village and actually do something. I got to play with hardware, try new things, work through challenges, and explore areas of security that I don’t normally get to interact with.

I even soldered for the first time in probably 15 years.

Which was great.

Except now I have an entire soldering setup in my room, so…thanks, DEF CON. 😂

My One DEF CON Regret

The Social Engineering Village was actually one of the things I was looking forward to the most.

And I completely missed it.

Not because I forgot about it…. but because by the time I got there, the line was SO long that I wasn’t getting in.

So, lesson learned for next year: if there is a village you really want to experience, GO EARLY.

And I’ll add one little request as a first-timer: if you’ve been before and already had the chance to experience one of the super popular activities, consider making a little room for someone experiencing DEF CON for the first time.

There are thousands of people there trying to experience as much as they can, and sometimes giving someone else a chance to try something for the first time is part of what makes the community so great.

For me, the Social Engineering Village will just have to be a priority next year.

What Surprised Me the Most

The biggest surprise for me wasn’t any of the technology.

It was the people.

Before I went, people told me how welcoming the DEF CON community was. I believed them, but I don’t think I fully understood what they meant until I was actually there.

Everyone really does support each other.

The second someone finds out it’s your first DEF CON, they want to help. People give you recommendations, explain things, show you where to go, help when you’re trying something new, and genuinely seem excited that you’re there.

I met so many new people throughout the week, and there was never this feeling that you had to prove you belonged there before you could participate.

You could walk into something knowing absolutely nothing about it and just be curious.

And people welcomed that curiosity.

That was probably my biggest takeaway from my first DEF CON.

For a conference built around hacking, breaking things, finding vulnerabilities, and questioning how things work, there is also this really strong sense that everyone is looking out for one another.

DEF CON is a place that welcomes newcomers, encourages curiosity, and looks out for its community.

I went because I love cybersecurity and wanted to learn, explore, and get my hands on things.

I came home with new skills, new friends, way too many new project ideas, and apparently a new soldering hobby.

But more than anything, I came home understanding why people go back year after year.

So yeah…

I get it now.

See you next year, DEF CON.

And Social Engineering Village, I’m coming for you first!