DEFCON Dive: Three Days of Tech, Tin Foil, and Total Chaos

Las Vegas, NV August 2025

Conference Overview

What an experience. What a vibe. What did I just live through?! This year, I had the absolute pleasure of attending DEFCON in Las Vegas, NV one of the most iconic hacker and cybersecurity conferences in the world. If you’ve never heard of it, imagine a place where every flavor of tech nerd gathers to learn, share, and occasionally try to hack a car. DEFCON is chaotic, brilliant, and unforgettable. Here’s how my three-day adventure unfolded.

Day 1: Welcome to Line-Con

I registered early, which meant I got to skip the infamous DEFCON mega-line but even the shorter queue was a scene. Some folks had camped out the night before just to pay cash at the door. That’s when I learned about “Line-Con,” DEFCON’s unofficial pre-party where waiting in line becomes its own social event.

• Met people from all over the world
• Played beach ball dodgeball
• Saw DJs with neck-mounted turntables
• Ripped Pokémon packs with strangers
• Showed off my tech hand implant
• Chatted with a mom supporting her son’s hacker dreams
• Bonded with prior-service folks over deployments

Side Events

• Toxic BBQ: DEFCON’s legendary outdoor cookout, where attendees gather for free food and drinks under the blazing Vegas sun. The organizers go all out to keep everyone hydrated and safe, and it’s a great place to meet people from all over the world. I even tried (unsuccessfully) to pull a Full Art Pokémon card with some new friends from Australia.
• Reddit Meetup: A gathering for those who participated in pre-con challenges on Reddit. The in-person meetup was a blast, with fun giveaways, wild stories, and a shared sense of nerdiness. It’s a great way to put faces to usernames and build new connections in the community.
• Vendor Meetups: Not just your typical expo booths—these were deep dives into the tools and minds shaping the cybersecurity industry. I got to chat with cofounders, sales engineers, and subject matter experts about real-world tech challenges, and learned about the latest innovations straight from the source.

Day 2: Villages, Badges, and RF Mayhem

• Red Team Village: Lockpicks, WiFi Pineapples, offensive security tools
• Blue Team Village: Defensive strategies and asset protection
• Data Duplication Village: Bring a hard drive, leave with datasets
• Hardware Hacking & RF Villages: Embedded systems, signal games, laser tag

One of the highlights of Day 2 was meeting some of my tech heroes: John Hammond, Network Chuck, and Jack Rhysider. I was able to talk with each of them about the things they do to help me grow, how we grow as a team at work, and the fun projects I do to keep learning new technologies. These conversations were inspiring and gave me new ideas for both personal and professional development. If you want to learn more, check out their YouTube channels and Jack's excellent podcast Darknet Diaries.

Highlights from the Floor

• Rivian Hack Challenge: DEFCON put a real Rivian truck on the line—if you could hack it, you won it! People camped out daily, trying to crack the challenge. The energy around this contest was wild, and it showcased the cutting edge of automotive security.
• Tin Foil Hat Contest: In true DEFCON fashion, someone handed out sheets of aluminum foil and launched a contest to build the best anti-surveillance headwear. The creativity was off the charts, with attendees sporting everything from classic cones to elaborate cyberpunk crowns. It was a hilarious and memorable way to highlight privacy concerns. For more, check out the Tin Foil Hat Contest on X (Twitter).
• Embedded Tech Everywhere: DEFCON attendees don’t mess around with privacy. Radios, signal jammers, lasers, WiFi scanners—people looked like walking cyberpunk prototypes. The sheer variety of DIY gadgets and hardware hacks on display was inspiring, and it was a great opportunity to see cutting-edge tech in action.

Day 3: Hacker VPN and Quantum Safe Encryption

• Post-quantum cryptography
• Building a custom VPN using C and VS Code
• Real-world applications for home and enterprise
• Why quantum-safe encryption matters now
• Special thanks and appreciation to Elijah and Ben from CodeSiren for hosting a hands-on, forward-thinking Hacker VPN workshop. Their expertise and teaching made the session truly valuable!

Why Future-Proofing Your VPN Matters:
As quantum computing advances, traditional encryption methods like RSA and ECC will become vulnerable to new types of attacks. Building a VPN that is future-proof means adopting quantum resistant algorithms such as lattice-based, hash-based, or code-based cryptography so your data remains secure even when quantum computers become mainstream. If your VPN relies on outdated encryption, it could be compromised in seconds by quantum-powered adversaries. For anyone serious about privacy and security, now is the time to start using or experimenting with quantum-safe protocols. The stakes are high: future-proofing your VPN isn’t just smart, it’s essential for protecting sensitive information in the years ahead.

Final Thoughts

DEFCON isn’t just a conference, it’s a culture. It’s where you can talk quantum encryption over BBQ, meet your tech heroes in a hallway, and learn more in three days than you might in three months. Whether you’re a seasoned hacker or just tech-curious, DEFCON has something for you. If you ever get overwhelmed? Just find the nearest line. Chances are, it’s Line-Con and it might be the best part of your day.


I want to say to my readers, do what you love. Find you a place that feeds your drive. I truely appreciate the fact I was able to attend this year because I work at a place that invests in their people.