Blackhat/Defcon precautions?

I am going to Vegas for vacation Aug 3-8 and saw that the Blackhat and Def Con conventions overlap these dates. I will be staying at the Vdara so not at the actual convention hotels.

I have read that it is recommended to avoid using credit cards and wifi because of this. Anyone have any experience with this or recommendations? I would prefer using a credit card in general but not if its going to make me susceptible identity theft etc.

 

There should be very little increased risk than normal as far as I know.

The only thing I would probably not do is use a shared wifi network for any personal transactions like online banking etc. Which to be fair, you probably shouldn't do anyway.

Where did you get the info that you shouldnt do these things? I'm very curious.

 

Use standard precautions as @WelshBonde mentioned and you will be fine. They are not going to expose themselves to potential blowback by actively participating in credit card fraud. There will likely be other hijinks. Expect some digital menus to suddenly experience issues. Pay particular attention to anything utilizing a wireless signal.

 

Don't do anything stupid!

Stupid meaning using strange wifi hotspots, funny looking ATMs, or letting some d00d dressed in black "see your phone" for a minute.

 

Wifi - sure, that is possible.

Credit cards? I don't understand the issue there. Even if they do hack your card - there is no downside on your part.

 

https://www.reviewjournal.com/business/defcon-black-hat-bring-extra-cybersecurity-concerns-to-las-vegas/

There is other random postings on blogs etc on the internet as well. Just wasn't sure how much of a deal it is.

 

Never heard of black hat/def con... is Vegas openly hosting conventions of criminal hackers or something?

 

For quite a few years now. Since the early 90s. It has moved around hotels.

 

Your name is Anonymous. They may be more scared of you hacking them than you are of them

 

I have stayed multiple times at the convention hotel in past years. Did nothing different and never experienced any problems

 

Standard precautions should suffice. Well...
Maybe I'd upgrade from the value brand to Reynolds Wrap.
Better safe than sorry!



RICHARD

 

if they wanted your info, they would already have it. srs.

you have nothing to worry about.

 

They were all at Ballys a couple of years back when I was staying there. All the elevators stopped working except for a couple in the afternoon. Everybody blamed the hackers but it was never confirmed.

 

Surf here: https://www.vegasmessageboard.com/forums/index.php?threads/tonite-my-unconventional-conventionists-defcon-report-some-adult-language-lotsa-pics.154059/

 

Had a conversation about defconwith the Cyber abuse team lead at work a few weeks ago... the open WiFi network during defcon is a digital war zone - some of the best hackers in the world join the network as a challenge to hack each other. Stolen info is publicly displayed on the “wall of sheep”.

Don’t join the open network at any hotel and you should be fine.

 

Read a neat trick once to make sure you were on the REAL hotel network. This only works in some cases. If your hotel requires you to enter your name and room number, do this. Enter your name, but a different room number. If they system still validates you, then you are on a hacked or non-hotel network. Still possible that the hotel does not do a lookup match and it is okay.

Personally, I would stick with just using my phone and cell data. Guessing that can get hacked as well, but apparently it is much harder?

 

Just another reason I still use a BlackBerry.

 

What does a blackberry get you? Internet protocols don’t change with the make of your phone...

 

Makes you wonder how many alphabet agencies have people there gathering info.

 

I’m half jesting, I really like the keyboard. The 4 other phones on my plan are Apple. But the Blackberry Classic uses its own BB10 OS. When Angela Merkel found out the NSA was hacking her phone, she got a BlackBerry. https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/gadgets/a10966/germans-we-can-trust-only-blackberry-17041002/