Hacker Summer Camp 2025

It's been a few weeks since I returned from the hacker summer camp in Vegas and went through the proper cool-down. So, as the tradition dictates, it's time to gather the highlights into a blog post.

In case you don't know, Black Hat and DEF CON are two of the world's most influential cybersecurity conferences, collectively known as "Hacker Summer Camp," held annually in Las Vegas. Black Hat, founded in 1997, is a premier technical conference that connects security professionals, researchers, and industry leaders. It features highly technical briefings, hands-on training, and the Arsenal showcase where researchers present new open-source security tools. Black Hat is well-regarded for spotlighting cutting-edge research and for bridging the gap between the hacker community and corporate or government defenders. DEF CON, first held in 1993, is one of the world’s largest and longest-running hacker conventions. Known for its informal atmosphere and vibrant culture, DEF CON hosts talks, workshops, hacking contests, Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions, and a wide range of community-driven events. Together with other conferences like BSidesLV and The Diana Initiative, Black Hat and DEF CON form a high-energy week—commonly called "Hacker Summer Camp"—fostering collaboration, the exchange of ideas, and the evolution of cybersecurity practices.

Talks

This year, I had the chance to present at Black Hat. My talk covered some of the vulnerabilities my team and I discovered and exploited in space systems. I decided to take the plunge and do a live demo—which, to my relief, went off without a hitch!

I also gave a talk at the DEF CON Aerospace Village. It covered similar topics, but was a bit shorter than my Black Hat presentation.

At both Black Hat and DEF CON, the audience was incredible! The energy and enthusiasm in the rooms made presenting a really unforgettable experience.

StarPWN CTF

Another big highlight at DEF CON was helping organize the StarPWN CTF with the Aerospace Village. We put together several pretty challenging space security puzzles, and while none of the teams managed to solve them all, people really enjoyed it—and there were at least two 0-days uncovered during the event! Over 100 teams jumped in to play this year, and I’d call that an absolute win. Keep an eye out—the write-ups are coming soon. Checkout more about the event here.

Swag

Hacker Summer Camp just wouldn’t be the same without all the wild slang and inside jokes flying around. And of course, the swag haul deserves a report of its own!

I already can’t wait for next year’s Hacker Summer Camp!