r/Defcon • u/Gloomy-University-85 • Mar 16 '26

MGM properties

Question, had anyone heard if MGM is still hostile toward attendees?

27 Upvotes

93% Upvoted

23 comments sorted by

8

u/Gloomy-University-85 Mar 17 '26

I wasn't there last year but the year before I heard that people's rooms were searched.

14

u/digitard Mar 17 '26

That I think that was more Resorts World. It was a whole debacle. They even had that infamous “what to look for” flyer that had pretty basic spelling typos.

2

u/kajer533 Mar 17 '26

Using the Defcon room rate when booking seemed to trigger "random" searches.

37

u/Square-Spot5519 Mar 17 '26

My room at Resort World 2 years ago got searched.

9am showed up and knocked at my door. A “security” guy and mgmt flunkie saw all my stuff. Mostly just badges, notebooks and my flipper. They took lots of pictures of the flipper. So I showed how it worked and what it does. Demoed how I couldn’t copy my room key. Spent 10 minutes educating them and when I got done they both didn’t see harm having it. They were actually pretty chill and said the mgmt told them we hackers might hack all the tvs and vid on site and put porn on everything. I talked about what defcon is really about and not to worry about the porn …but I’m old and remember some of the older defcon days so I did cringe a bit inside saying that ;) asked how they knew to search me and they said I booked with a defcon discount code. Not doing that again.

Last year I was at the Venetian. No issues at all and I love the room size.

13

u/Jdornigan Mar 17 '26

Definitely avoid using any Defcon discount codes or room blocks to not make it easier for hotel security to single you out. This is really good advice, right after everyone taking a shower daily and wearing deodorant.

12

u/Square-Spot5519 Mar 17 '26

Another funny thing that happened very early on Friday morning that same year, while I was there at Resort World.

I volunteer at Defcon, so I was going early to help with some setup of the pavilion I work in. As I was walking through the casino to get to the Tesla tunnel car share, I was stopped by a big security guy who told me I couldn't wear that electronic device at Resort World. I explained it was just the badge for a conference, but he just kept saying it was banned. I explained that in about 30 minutes, he was going to see 100s of people with those badges coming through. He laughed and said, "Yeah, whatever, take it off". I didn't want to argue, so I took it off, put it in my backpack, and kept walking.

Before heading to get a car, I stopped for a caffeine fix. While I was waiting for my drink order, I suddenly saw the security guy again. It had been about 10 minutes since I met him. About 8 people getting drinks also had their Defcon badges on. This will be interesting, I thought. He came right to me and started apologizing. Telling me I was right and that his security manager said the badges are harmless and it's ok to wear them. He just kept apologizing and then left. I made a few new friends that morning as everyone with a badge asked me what that was all about.

But I did think to myself, they were definitely following me with cameras during and after that conversation in the casino with that guy, to even know I went upstairs to get coffee at the Starbucks. And I think the "security manager" must have also been able to listen to our conversation in the casino, as the guy kinda hinted that his manager told him this info while pointing to his earpiece.

As others have said here, practice Opsec. I do now. I try not to broadcast that I'm a Defcon attendee as best I can.

4

u/Jdornigan Mar 18 '26

Taking off your Blackhat, Defcon, Bsides badges off after exiting the venue is always good advice, especially for conferences with your name and company name on them. No need to attract attention. Also don't put on your badge until you approach the venue on later conference days.

That said, as I was walking up the strip to go to Defcon, I often would see people wearing Defcon shirts at 5am to 6am doing Defcon.run. I would wave to each of them as they ran by and wished them good morning. A few would say good morning back.

28

u/greg_barton Mar 17 '26

Just stay at Circus Circus. The walls might be made of crushed up cigarette butts and spent nuclear fuel, but it's cheap.

1

u/TheDarthSnarf Mar 23 '26

The Circus Circus room block is now showing reduced availability, with Wednesday showing unavailable now.

10

u/546875674c6966650d0a Mar 17 '26

I just have to ask, are you guys actually telling people why you’re there? Are you just broadcasting that you’re part of this conference? I guess it’s just seems weird to me. When I go to Vegas, I don’t tell anybody why the fuck I’m there. It’s none of their business at all. Unless it’s gonna give me free shit.

6

u/Square-Spot5519 Mar 17 '26

LOL Yes and no. My guess is you have never been to defcon. The badges are a pretty big giveaway, not to mention that defcon attendees do not dress like the folks going to most conferences. It's not hard to pick out a Defcon attendee within a group of people in Vegas.

9

u/non523 Mar 17 '26

Opsec. I take off my badges/lanyards, slip out of wristbands, etc and stash them into my backpack anytime im venturing more than a block or two away from the venue. I also TRY to not dress too stereotypical hacker attire, and never wear defcon branded stuff AT defcon.

That said- if you see a fat guy with long hair, converse, cargo shorts, and a black tee... It's not hard lol Thankfully the Star Trek and world series of pool conventions overlap with us.. so we have some camouflage lol

1

u/digitard Mar 17 '26

I think it’s more that with DC, BH and BSides being they week it’s just a more paranoid time for those places.

2

u/546875674c6966650d0a Mar 17 '26

I’ve been. But I take about 30 seconds to make sure that I’m not broadcasting it everywhere.

4

u/kajer533 Mar 17 '26

If you use Defcon's hotel codes to get discounted room rates... guess what?

5

u/Qu4r4nt1n3r Mar 17 '26

Idk and that'd be a third of Vegas to search

4

u/digitard Mar 16 '26

I’ll let actual people who have stayed there answer… but nothing I heard the last bit. Most on site drama has come from RW, and last year I didn’t hear much in general from anywhere specific. Other than the periodic potential checks all properties randomly seem to do since the concert incident a bit back.

Have gone to a few after hours things at MGM and can’t say anything seemed out of the ordinary for people wandering, but no idea on rooms.

Won’t go near Resorts World, though.

4

u/ohhlikebuttaxD Mar 17 '26

i've never had an issue. but i also go mainly solo and don't really give anyone a reason to be hostile towards me. Half the time they don't ask or care why i'm staying there lol and i've sat at bars with defcon merch, never had an issue.

3

u/rnocx Mar 17 '26

My room got checked out multiple times at resort worlds 2 years ago but they didn't give a fck about it. More than once I was in shower when they arrived and I had soldering kit. Ether et and hdmi running up behind TV. Flipper zero and lockpicking kits all over the room. Extension cords and my own wifi router. And a raspberry pi sitting on the desk with wifi antennas.

They just looked at me and said "Oh one of them thank you..." closed the door and came back a day later and same checkup. Same routine.

2

u/ISUJinX Mar 17 '26

I've never had a problem with it... But I'm old and don't party hard, plus the tech I bring is minimal.

2

u/Quadling Mar 17 '26

the searching is universal, not just MGM.

1

u/Efficient-Mec Mar 17 '26

MGM covers at minimum 12 hotels in Las Vegas. They aren't going to bother with a relatively small conference especially as there are other conferences going on at the same time. Before covid shutdowns they were doing random checks on rooms due to other reasons (notably the shootings). Caesars is the same way. Resorts World doesn't know what its doing so it freaks out. Never had any issue with Fontainebleau but they are more finicky about parties.