Defcon Debrief 2024
A list of 15 things I learned from my first Defcon
Bring a laptop to the convention: Lots of the things to do are CTFS, Demos, and workshops and these require a laptop.
Bring a lightweight laptop: You will be doing a lot of walking, Hence a lot of carrying around of your laptop.
You cannot drink enough water: Vegas is really hot and you will be walking, alot of it with a heavy backpack. I made sure to drink an entire bottle of gatorade and water from the hotel vending machine before bed every night and it was not nearly enough.
Attend the defcon parties: The night time parties were a ton of fun, I look forward to attending them again next year.
Drop off your bag before going to the parties: There will not be a place to leave your bag at the convention unless you have a big party and table, don't be like me and try to dance with a big backpack, drop it off at your room before coming.
Be friendly and open: You never know who you might come across at the convention, from people on twitter to old friends. Be approachable and make the most of the social opportunity.
Get involved in the CTF’s and other contests: While some of the challenges require a large amount of technical skill, many function more as an ‘escape room puzzle’ and can be engaged with even if you're not an expert at the technology.
Listen to some talks and schedule them: I did not attend very many talks, choosing to instead focus on exploring the convention. I feel like I missed a lot of good content due to losing track of time though so I would recommend picking one or two talks a day and putting them on your calendar. Time can fly by at the convention when doing contests or talking to friends.
Get your merch ASAP: I was not able to get any Defcon merch for my first time attending and I rather regret that. Things will sell out VERY quickly, make it a point of obtaining the merch you want right away. It can always be dropped off back in your room and you're going to be carrying around a backpack anyways.
Get and use the Defcon app: The Defcon official app Hacker Tracker is amazing and should certainly be used. It has a map of the convention, integration to order merch etc. Most importantly it has a list of all the events, CTFs, talks, everything. A must have and a wonderful tool to use for planning ahead of time.
Utilize public transit: While I Ubered around Vegas the first couple days, I quickly discovered that between the Loop and the metro you can get around the strip just fine with walking. It's hot though, so be prepared and try to walk around and explore at night if possible.
Vendor tips: If you really want something, get it right away as the vendors carry limited stock. However, if you can afford to wait, many vendors give discounts near the end of the convention as they are trying to liquidate the rest of the items they brought to sell and you can find some pretty good deals.
Stickers: So many stickers, everyone is giving out stickers, stickers are everywhere. If you want stickers for any reason, you can certainly stock up on high quality stickers at Defcon.
Remember to eat: While it may seem silly, with so much going on it can be hard to remember to eat lunch and I found myself many days ending up with only one meal. The convention center had plenty of food so don't forget to make 30 minutes a day for lunch or you will be hobbling back to your room at 2am with a pizza like I did.
Network, approach people: everyone I came across was extremely friendly and excited to share details about their project, competition etc. It is a great opportunity to not just learn but also to do soft networking. You never know when you might come across someone you met briefly and remember their face, or more important, vice versa.
Explore Vegas: You're in Las Vegas, take advantage of the opportunity and check out the hotels and tourist attractions you might want to see. Defcon itself can keep you very busy, but be sure to get outside of the convention and get some fresh air as well. It's a global tourist hotspot for a reason.
Lastly and most importantly, PACE YOURSELF: The convention is a very stimulating environment, and that is to say nothing about the Vegas strip itself. There is a near infinite amount of things to do and you're going to want to do it all ASAP. The convention is 4 days, take full advantage of the four days and don't burn yourself out right away. Also make sure to pace yourself with booze (It's Vegas, it comes with the territory), sleep, and food. Sleep is hard because if you're anything like me you will be getting back to your room after 2am every night. It's okay to sleep in, don't sacrifice sleep, it will make the whole day worse.
Thank you for reading. Hopefully you found some of these tips helpful, I will certainly be going back over them myself before departing for Defcon next year!
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