DefCon Coverage from MakeZine.com

Phillip Torrone from MAKE Magazine covered the annual hacker conference DefCon in Las Vegas July 29-31, 2005. We put together an iPod notes version of the schedule for all three days of DEFCON as well the complete speaker list. Download this zip for the schedule and this zip for the speakers. Unzip the files and place the folder(s) in the notes folder on your iPod.

"Live" audio and video coverage from DEFCON was provided via click this iTunes link.

DefCon Posts

Defconbots autonomous sentry gun

Posted by Gareth Branwyn | September 06, 2007 at 16:00 PST | Discuss (6)

Defcon 15 round up

Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 05, 2007 at 20:00 PST | Discuss (1)

DEFCON badge hacking contest (pictures)

Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 10, 2006 at 07:07 PST | Discuss (0)

Spotted at DEFCON - Super 44 IR LED TV-B-Gone

Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 05, 2006 at 20:50 PST | Discuss (0)

Photos from DEFCON 14

Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 04, 2006 at 23:50 PST | Discuss (0)

Joe Grand LED DEFCON badges

Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 04, 2006 at 15:29 PST | Discuss (0)

5 new MAKE AUDIO shows
iTunes just updated, so now you can get 5 new interviews from our DEFCON coverage. There's an interview with Jason Scott, of Textfiles.com and who is also the director of the amazing new film THE BBS DOCUMENTARY. There's an interview with Flexilis, a world record attempt on reading RFID tags from a distance. (The end result was a bit over 69 feet on top of the roof of DEFCON.) There's an interview with one of the MAKERs of the "Bloodhound" gun, a low cost "gun" made from a Pocket PC and some off the shelf parts that can find rouge Wireless access points. There's also an interview with one of the MAKERs who created the KegBot! It's a linux-based beer dispensing / tracking system. And there's an interview with Janus wireless and their 5 Wi-Fi card packet capturing Linux box. These are all "enhanced podcasts" with images and URLs! Click here and click SUBSCRIBE.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 02, 2005 at 10:28 PST | Discuss (7)

MAKE DEFCON 13 coverage is complete!
We now conclude the MAKE Magazine DEFCON coverage. We have a special spot on MAKE with all the enhanced audio podcasts, images, posts and more. It was a logistically challenging event to cover, but it worked out and best of all we met so many MAKERs, new friends, old friends and had a wonderful time- see you there next year! Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 09:07 PST | Discuss (7)

Interview THE BBS DOCUMENTARY - MAKE AUDIO
Interview with Jason Scott, of Textfiles.com and who is also the director of the amazing new film THE BBS DOCUMENTARY "live" from DEFCON. This is a special enhanced podcast (this file plays images and links in iTunes and on iPod color devices). Right click or Control + click to download this M4B to your local system. iTunes: Click this link and click SUBSCRIBE. ODEO: click here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 08:58 PST | Discuss (10)

World RFID reading attempt - MAKE AUDIO
Interview with Flexilis, a world record attempt on reading RFID tags from a distance. The end result was a bit over 69 feet on top of the roof of DEFCON. This is a special enhanced podcast (this file plays images and links in iTunes and on iPod color devices). Right click or Control + click to download this M4B to your local system. iTunes: Click this link and click SUBSCRIBE. ODEO: click here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 07:53 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - lockpicking interview and HOW TO
MAKE pal Jason Striegel has a great interview and HOW TO from DEFCON on picking a dead-bolt...Here's a quick and dirty deadbolt lock picking howto that'll give you and your friends some cheap entertainment on a slow weekend afternoon. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 03:22 PST | Discuss (3)

Interview with Bloodhound Wi-Fu gun MAKERs : MAKE AUDIO
Interview with one of the MAKERs of the "Bloodhound" gun "live" from DEFCON. It's a low cost "gun" made from a Pocket PC and some off the shelf parts that can find rouge Wireless access points. This is a special enhanced podcast (this file plays images and links in iTunes and on iPod color devices). Right click or Control + click to download this M4B to your local system. iTunes: Click this link and click SUBSCRIBE. ODEO: click here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 02:26 PST | Discuss (0)

The KegBot interview - MAKE AUDIO
Interview with one of the MAKERs who created the KegBot! A linux based beer dispensing / tracking system "live" from DEFCON. This is a special enhanced podcast (this file plays images and links in iTunes and on iPod color devices). Right click or Control + click to download this M4B to your local system. iTunes: Click this link and click SUBSCRIBE. ODEO: click here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 01:39 PST | Discuss (3)

The Janus 5 card packet capturing wireless box : MAKE AUDIO
Interview with Janus wireless and their 5 Wi-Fi card packet capturing Linux box. This is a special enhanced podcast (this file plays images and links in iTunes and on iPod color devices). Right click or Control + click to download this M4B to your local system. iTunes: Click this link and click SUBSCRIBE. ODEO: click here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | August 01, 2005 at 00:41 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - Hackers race to expose Cisco router flaw
Everyone at DEFCON went out of their way to get/learn/explore the Cisco flaw because of the way it was (poorly) handled...Angered and inspired by Cisco's attempts to suppress news of the flaw earlier in the week, several computer security experts at the Defcon computer-security conference worked past midnight Saturday to discover and map out the vulnerability. I saw the PDF(s) actually being handed out to random people all over Vegas too. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 22:33 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - The wall of sheep
At DEFCON there's a wall with a projection of username and passwords (some of the passwords, that is). When you use any wireless here, it's safe to assume that all the packets are being captured and if you're foolish, you logged in to webmail, pop, AIM, etc... DEFCON is reality concentrated into one spot -- when you see your friend's password on the wall, and a big sheep go by, it's a clever reminder. Here are some photos... Read more...
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 13:42 PST | Discuss (2)

@ DEFCON - The vendor room
The vendor room at DEFCON is always a real treat. From metric tons of old computers to how-to books on everything you should and should ever even consider. I also ran in to the folks from the BBS Documentary; the audio interview will be posted up shortly. Here are some photos of neat old computers and parts that were for sale...Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 13:25 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - Robotwarez!
RobotWarez is a contest that takes place at each DEFCON. Since the target audience is hackers, elegant approaches are rewarded, and simple brute force is not encouraged. When I was there, the robots were firing something with compressed air and doing a good job of knocking some cans over. Photos here and here.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 13:12 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - New World Record for Wi-Fi Distance: 125 Miles
...the world record holders for the longest distance for an unamplified Wi-Fi link (55.1 miles at 30mw) blasted through their own year old record today at the Defcon Wi-Fi Shootout. Team PAD shot their signal a distance of 125 miles from outside Las Vegas, Nevada to a location near St. George, Utah, winning them a new record in the "unamplified" category at the shootout. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 13:00 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - Joe Grand
I spotted MAKE author Joe Grand at DEFCON and he had a really interesting project around his neck. He makes these little devices in the classes he teaches- the skills build on many electronics concepts (LEDs, resistors, etc...) then he has the students hack it and reverse engineer it. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 12:55 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - The Janus 6 Wi-Fi card 0wning station...
The Janus wireless system is an A, B, G six card box that scans all the Wi-Fi channels and captures all the packets where it is deployed. At DEFCON if you use the wireless network, assume all your traffic will end up in this box or worse, the WALL OF SHEEP (passwords, usernames from pop, webmail, ftp, etc..). Here's the photo gallery with MAKERS.... Read more...
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 10:21 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON RFID World record attempt...
The fellows from Flexilis went for a world record attempt on reading RFID tags from a distance. The end result was a bit over 69 feet on top of the roof of DEFCON. Project details will be in our audio show, but for now, a photo gallery of the gear.... Read more...
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 31, 2005 at 10:07 PST | Discuss (1)

@ DEFCON - The shmoo bloodhound Wi-Fi gun
The fellows from the shmoo group really outdid themselves with a "Bloodhound" gun. It's a low cost "gun" made from a Pocket PC and some off the shelf parts that can find rouge Wireless access points. It's not only useful, it's incredibly cool looking, we're going to try and get a HOW TO on MAKE. Here's a photo gallery... Read more...
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 19:17 PST | Discuss (1)

@ DEFCON - lock picking
The 3rd annual lock picking contest went on at DEFCON. It's pretty amazing to see the wide variety of tools, locks and lock pickers all in one spot and all handily dispensing of most locks in record time. Here are some photos of the lock picking in action (I was able to liberate a couple locks, but there was this young kid who schooled me and did it with his eyes closed, the show off)... Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 18:56 PST | Discuss (1)

@ DEFCON - Hotel room hacking
I was going to write up the IR hacking talk, but Wired news online got to it before I had access so here ya go. A vulnerability in many hotel television infrared systems can allow a hacker to obtain guests' names and their room numbers from the billing system. It can also let someone read the e-mail of guests who use web mail through the TV, putting business travelers at risk of corporate espionage. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 18:14 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - Mike Lynn presentation mirrors and legal fund
BoingBoing has the latest list of the "many, many mirrors for Mike Lynn's controversial Black Hat presentation in which he quit his job, described critical vulnerabilities in Cisco equipment and got sued by his employer"...I'm getting slammed with emails and IMs about this, so here ya go...Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 18:00 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON - The Kegbot project
Friday night at DEFCON the from the shadows crew gave MAKE the exclusive scoop on the Kegbot. A linux-based Keg system that tracks users, tallies calories and more. We interviewed one of the MAKERS as well as getting a lot of photos of the construction to completion. Read more...
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 07:51 PST | Discuss (2)

@ DEFCON - Encrypted VoIP
Phil Zimmerman showed off his "new project" a encrypted VoIP shtoom application. Right now, if you're using VoIP, there really isn't any real security, but soon, that might change. Here are a couple photos of the app in action. Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 30, 2005 at 06:59 PST | Discuss (0)

@ DEFCON- Flaw researcher settles dispute with Cisco
"Security researcher Michael Lynn has settled a dispute with Cisco over his presentation on hacking the company's routers, which was given at the Black Hat security conference in Las Vegas this week. The two parties and Black Hat organisers have agreed not to further discuss the presentation, which contained techniques Lynn said could bring the Internet to its knees." [via] [BoingBoing round up] Link.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 29, 2005 at 19:04 PST | Discuss (1)

@ DEFCON - Laptops need power
So far I've learned one important thing: laptops need power. I secured a new power adaptor, but it's a drag when this happens. Turns out you can indeed get anything in Vegas. The coverage will now resume.
Posted by Phillip Torrone | July 29, 2005 at 19:00 PST | Discuss (0)

Void your warranty, violate a user agreement, fry a circuit, blow a fuse, poke an eye out. Make: The risk-takers, the doers, the makers of things... Welcome to Make: Online!

Check out all of the episodes of Make: television

Connect with MAKE

	MAKE on Facebook Visit our Facebook page and become a fan of MAKE!
	MAKE on Twitter Follow our MAKE tweets!
	MAKE on Flickr Join our MAKE Flickr Pool!

MAKE's RSS feed is here.
Add MAKE to iGoogle - GoogleGoogle.
How to add MAKE to your RSS reader - Real simple.
Add MAKE on FriendFeed

Why advertise on MAKE?
Read what folks are saying about us!

Click here to advertise on MAKE!

Make: Online authors!

More contributors: Mark Frauenfelder (Editor-in-Chief, MAKE magazine), Kipp Bradford (Technical Consultant/Writer), Chris Connors (Education), Diana Eng (Guest Author), Peter Horvath (Intern), Brian Jepson (O'Reilly Media), Robert Bruce Thompson (Science Room)

Suggest a Site!

Current Podcast

Weekend Project: Making Char Cloth Learn how to make a cheap and effective fire starter made from an old t-shirt. To download The Char Cloth video click here and subscribe in iTunes. See Char Cloth in action with the Fire Piston from William Gurstelle.... More...

Enter your email to receive Make: Online each day:

Recent Posts from the Craft: Blog

• Bone China Spoon Set
• Brooches as Gift Toppers
• How-To: Apple Cider Donuts
• Paper Box Drawer Dividers
• Glamourpuss Book Giveaway Winners
• Gomistyle's Urban Window Garden