The first time I attended the RSA Conference in 2005, I was overwhelmed. The show floor is massive and once you go in it can be hard to find the right door out. Vendor salespeople swamp you. The Tuesday-morning keynotes can be an assault on the eyes, with speakers standing in front of massive uber-resolution screens. . That year, Microsoft's Bill Gates announced the coming of Internet Explorer 7 and people were just starting to talk about spyware and a data security breach at Choicepoint. The keynotes were all newsworthy -- or so it seemed at the time. Fast-forward to 2010. Some major players in the industry are scheduled to give talks, including Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, White House Cybersecurity Coordinator Howard Schmidt and FBI Director Robert Mueller. But with Gates no longer delivering a Tuesday-morning keynote, the news-breaking potential isn't what it used to be. The exhibit floor is sure to be loud and crowded as always, with some vendors pulling various stunts to draw people in to their booths. Some examples are in this slideshow I made last year. All that might sound like criticism, but it's not meant as such. There's still a ton of value to get out of this show. You just have to know where to look. So let's see if I can help you sort this out with a few tips: 1. The vendor keynotes are not what they used to be No disrespect toward the vendor keynoters, but I've found their talks less noteworthy in recent years. Sure, it's good to hear their take on the latest industry trends, but if you're an IT practitioner with years of experience you already know what they're going to tell you. The link for this article located at CSO Online is no longer available. . Explore essential tips for navigating the RSA Conference, including vendor keynotes and memorable moments.. first, attended, conference, overwhelmed, floor, massive. . Anthony Pell
CSO Senior Editor Bill Brenner has been to enough Black Hat conferences to know it can be information overload. Here he offers a few suggestions for getting the most value out of the experience.. I won't be going to Black Hat/Defcon in Las Vegas this year because of a scheduling conflict, but I have been to several of them over the years. Since my mission at these events has been to find the big news stories and write them fast, I know how hard it can be to cut through all the noise and zero in on what's most important. And so, to prove I'll be there in spirit [CSO bloggers Robert McMillan, Steve Fox and Ivan Arce will be there to write about various points of interest], here's a guide to navigate the proceedings. Hopefully, it'll help attendees get the most bang out of the conference so they can leave Vegas with some knowledge that'll help them improve IT security back home. The link for this article located at CSO Online is no longer available. . Explore strategies to elevate your participation in cybersecurity gatherings like Black Hat and Defcon, enhancing your IT security expertise.. Black Hat Tips, IT Security Strategies, Defcon Insights, Conference Navigation. . Anthony Pell
Now that DefCon is upon all of us in an age where laptops flow free like wine, one still has to wonder - why would anyone jump on the "free public WiFi" offered at the event? It doesn't take a mastermind to sum up that 1. I'm at a hacker's conference, 2. I'm at a hacker's conference just teeming with BlackHats and 3. oh look, what's this "Wall of Sheep" I'm looking at? And why is my name on it??? Anyone wishing to attend the conference might want to take a quick review of this article just to make sure you won't be walking in with a huge bullseye over your forehead. If you do go, be sure to come back here and let us know of the best (and worst!) of DefCon by posting here! . The link for this article located at The Register is no longer available. . Experiencing DefCon is thrilling for tech and cybersecurity fans. Prioritize your security with these key precautions for a smooth visit at the event. defcon 2023, cyber security tips, hacker conference safety. . Brittany Day
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