It’s that time of year—Summer Camp 2019 is just around the corner! Over the years, a mix of DomainTools security professionals, data scientists, engineers, and marketers have participated in Summer Camp. Based on our experience, we compiled a short list of things to remember before you go, so you can make the most of your Summer Camp experience.
USE A VPN WHEN ON A PUBLIC NETWORK: As a reminder, from DomainTools Security Engineer & Malware Engineer, Tarik Saleh: “when you’re using a public network, use a VPN to protect your traffic! If you don’t, you’re vulnerable to malicious individuals monitoring your traffic, potentially able to inject malicious code into it and compromise your privacy and security.”
ENSURE YOUR PHONE IS UP TO DATE WITH THE LATEST SOFTWARE: A best practice is to purchase a burner phone for Summer Camp. In addition, Tarik recommends that those attending Summer Camp “Make sure your smartphone has the latest operating system and application updates, especially with Android devices. According to Kaspersky, Android phones are the vast majority target for mobile malware.”
MAKE MULTIPLE RESERVATIONS: Vegas will be expecting thousands of people for BSides, Black Hat, and DEFCON which means restaurants will be packed. DomainTools Senior Security Advisor, Corin Imai, suggests booking more than enough reservations at multiple restaurants so you have options throughout the week.
CONSIDER MTTT (MEAN TIME TO TRAVEL): Although most events and activities may take place in the same building, that doesn’t mean you won’t have to hustle between sessions and parties. A good reminder from DomainTools Data Scientist, Sean McNee, is to “make sure to pay attention to where the bathrooms and water stations are because they are usually far away, especially when you are short for time.”
Last, be sure you pencil in time for yourself. Since there are endless sessions, games, and parties, you can easily burn yourself out in the first few days. Taking a break can help you recuperate and get your bearings back. Just remember, be kind (to yourself), unwind.
PACK LOTS OF LAYERS AND SOCKS: Since Summer Camp attendees will likely be traveling between hot, humid air to dry, air conditioned areas, it’s a good idea to bring multiple layers so you will be comfortable no matter where your camp adventure takes you. A good suggestion from one of our security researchers is to make sure you bring multiple pairs of socks in case things get a little too sweaty.
Pro Tip: vendors have been known to give away free socks if you stop by the expo hall.
ENJOY THE BENEFITS OF “NETWORK EFFECTS”: The sessions are a great place to learn new skills and concepts, but they are also an opportunity to network with fellow security professionals. DomainTools Senior Security Advisor, Corin Imai, says “Enjoy the sessions, but more so, enjoy the people and the great conversations. Our community is so amazing and growing, we have so much to offer in the way of advice, knowledge, and overall community.”
Here are a few suggested sessions worth attending at Black Hat
Detecting Deep Fakes with Mice with George Williams
- Time: 8/7, 10:30-11:00am
- Location: Lagoon GHI
*It’s Not What You Know, It’s What You Do: How Data Can Shape Security Engagement* with Masha Sedova and Aika Sengirbay
- Time: 8/7, 1:30-2:30pm
- Location: Jasmine
MITRE ATT&CK: The Play at Home Edition with Katie Nickels and Ryan Kovar
- Time: 8/7, 2:30-3:30pm
- Location: South Pacific
Flying a False Flag: Advanced C2, Trust Conflicts, and Domain Takeover with Nick Landers
- Time: 8/7, 4:00-5:00pm
- Location: Jasmine
Death to the IOC: What’s Next in Threat Intelligence with Bhavna Soman
- Time: 8/8, 9:00-9:30am
- Location: South Seas ABE
Women in Security: Building a Female Infosec Community in Korea, Japan, and Taiwan with Asuka Nakajima, Suhee Kang, and Hazel Yen
- Time: 8/8, 11:00am-12:00pm
- Location: Lagoon JKL
How to Detect that Your Domains are Being Abused for Phishing by Using DNS with Arnold Hölzel and Karl Lovink
- Time: 8/8, 5:00-6:00pm
- Location: South Pacific
HAVE FUN!:Feel free to stop by our party on Thurs, Aug 8th at 6:30pm at the House of Blues. See you there!
