National Intelligence Heads Lead Discussion at Hacker Conference

Here are Lawbot's top picks for hacker talks this week at DEF CON 19 in Las Vegas. Consider the level of the speakers, like the business, military, and intelligence heads on the panel discussion between former keynote speakers, or Shane Lawson’s talk on emergency data destruction (blowing up computers), or Marc Webber Tobias’ talk on the vulnerability of locks on commercial and government facilities. The talk on hacking poker sites offers an allegory for the gaming of trusted sites and communications all over the web. And the bit-squatting talk offers a discussion of a hard to quash vulnerability to even the most heavily funded sites. Consider also, the presentation on the rapidly growing non-governmental currency, Bitcoin. Look down, the ground is moving under your feet.

Here are links to our top picks for discussions at DEF CON 19 on: breaking the cloud, cell phone hacking, automated key-word search of phone conversations, cloud credential compromise, security gaps in high-speed financial trading, securing online crisis maps of global disaster areas, hacking poker sites, insider view of weird and amazing hacks, algorithmic social trend prediction, bit squatting, the how-to’s of massive data theft, attack/defense of the smart grid, insiders guide to the cyber-war, hacking doors and safes, inside debriefing of high-risk hacking engagements, and yes, building your own radar.

Plus: EFF panel on The Year in Civil Liberties, Net Neutrality Panel, Former Key-notes Panel on the future of the Net, hacking inside through power lines, handy ways to secure your data, building your own secure storage space, emergency data destruction, tracking and the loss of anonymity on the net, Bitcoin and alternate currencies, the wireless surveillance hobby-plane, legal problems with evading where you are at all times (geolocation), plus getting your message out when your government shuts down the net.