📆 Next week is the annual Hacker Summer Camp, where tens of thousands of cybersecurity professionals, leaders and “hackers” come together for multiple events for gambling, learning, and networking!
🧳 This year, I’m packing my bags (and my dad jokes) for another busy week of BSides Las Vegas, Blackhat and DEFCON.
🎰 I will be in Las Vegas from August 4 to 10 visiting BSidesLV, Blackhat and DEFCON.
Two Stages, Twice the Fun
I’m thrilled to announce that I’ll be presenting at not one, but TWO fantastic events during this year’s summer camp extravaganza:
BSides Las Vegas – Public Speaking Workshop
When: Monday, August 4th, 10:30 AM – 2:30 PM
Where: Training Ground, Opal Room
What: A hands-on workshop where we will work to increase your confidence and improve your presentation skills with my colleague Erich Kron.
If you’ve ever felt your palms get sweaty at the thought of presenting to a room full of cybersecurity professionals, this workshop is for you! We’ll cover everything from conquering stage fright to crafting compelling narratives that keep your audience engaged. Between Erich and I we’ve accumulated over a 1000 hours of presentation delivery and we’ve learned a thing or two about what works and what doesn’t when it comes to communicating complex technical concepts. You must have a ticket to BSidesLV to attend, but you can sign up on their website. (https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bsideslv-2025-tickets-1330842107569)
DEFCON NOOB Village – “Pwn the PowerPoint”
When: Saturday, August 9th, 2:00 PM
Where: LVCC West Hall, Level 2, NOOB Village
What: A hacker’s guide to owning the stage
This is a shortened version of the workshop from BSidesLV, but I will share how we can apply the same methodical, systematic approach we use in cybersecurity to public speaking. Think of it as penetration testing, but instead of exploiting network vulnerabilities, we’re exploiting the weaknesses in boring presentations everywhere. You will need a ticket and be attending DEFCON to see this presentation.
🤖 Blackhat AI Summit
But wait, there’s more! (I promise that’s not a dad joke… yet.) In between the BSides and DEFCON festivities, there’s another incredible opportunity that I’m excited to attend, which is the second annual AI Summit at BlackHat USA on Tuesday, August 5th.
AI isn’t just a tool anymore; it’s become the cornerstone of both advanced cyber defense and, the latest weapon for cybercriminals.
The AI Summit brings together the brightest minds in AI and cybersecurity for what promises to be a day of cutting-edge insights. We’re talking about 500+ senior executives and thought leaders gathering to tackle the dual-edged nature of AI in our field.
What really excites me about this summit is how it addresses the three critical areas we’re all grappling with:
- The use of AI in cybersecurity products and solutions
- Securing AI applications and models within the enterprise
- The evolving threat landscape where attackers are weaponizing AI
As someone who regularly presents on AI topics (including my Dark Side of AI, Synthetic media and Agentic AI presentations), I can tell you that understanding how to leverage AI while defending against AI-powered attacks is crucial, but also essential for anyone working in cybersecurity.
🎉 Celebrating 15 Years of Fighting the Human Factor: KnowBe4’s Birthday Bash
↩️ Now, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention something else that’s got me particularly excited – KnowBe4 is celebrating our 15th anniversary during BlackHat! That’s 15 years of building stronger security cultures and helping organizations tackle the human side of cybersecurity.
We’ll be at booth #1661 with some incredible experiences planned. I’m talking about brand new swag, monogrammed luggage tags, and a chance to win Apple Air Tag bundles (because who doesn’t want to keep their luggage secure, just like their data?).
But here’s my favorite part – if you say “HRM” to any team member at our booth, you’ll get a special surprise gift. It’s our way of highlighting Human Risk Management, which is really what we’re all about. After all, you can have the most sophisticated AI-powered security stack in the world, but if your users are clicking on phishing emails or using “Password123!” for everything, you’re still vulnerable.
The celebration continues beyond the booth too. We’re partnering with some fantastic events including the Guidepoint Security party at Swingers Golf Lounge on August 5th from 6:30-8:30pm, and the Optiv party at Daylight Beach Club on Wednesday from 8-11pm. Because let’s face it, after a day of learning about the latest threats and defense strategies, we all need a chance to decompress and networking with friends and colleagues.
Stay Tuned
If you’re planning to attend Hacker Summer Camp this year, I hope you will stop by and say hi. I’ve also got new stickers for my Simply Secured podcast and if you’re a member of TeamSC (IYKYK), tell me you “spotted” me and I will have another cool sticker to share with you!
See you in Vegas! 🎰
P.S. – Yes, I’m already working on some new dad jokes for these presentations. You’ve been warned! 😄
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