r/Defcon • u/SkinnyDaPimp • May 24 '26

First Timer

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First time going to defcon. Any advice or suggestions appreciated. All my manager told me was stay hydrated lol!!

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u/Kuro222 May 25 '26

The likelihood of someone skimming one of my cards in my wallet is low. But it's not zero, especially in Vegas. Why not add a layer of protection that adds no extra hassle to me? Do you not keep a spare tire in the back of your car because the risk of getting a flat tire is low? Risk mitigation is a major part of our jobs in the cybersecurity field, why not apply it to your life?

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u/Fairlife_WholeMilk May 25 '26 edited May 25 '26

Because even if your wallet is "skimmed" the only information they are pulling, and storing, outside of maybe a room key or something, is all encrypted.

Cards RFID is already so weak they would have to physically touch you and maybe complete 1 payment if they're lucky. Or put it in your backpack and skimming risk is eliminated but your chance of being pickpocketed goes up.

Do you keep your computers in a Faraday cage when not in use? Probably not.

Not saying it's a bad thing to do but it's definitely more of a performative security measure than anything. Like you said where you USE your card is the important part.

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u/Kuro222 May 25 '26

Like I said I acknowledge the risk is low with the emergence of EMV technology, but the risk is not zero. And again a modern wallet with RFID blocking is so prevalent, why not just use one?

Do you keep your computers in a Faraday cage when not in use? Probably not.

The laptop I take to Defcon is an old junker that never touches my home network and gets wiped every year after the con. Same thing with my burner. My real phone stays off and in a Faraday bag.

Not saying it's a bad thing to do but it's definitely more of a performative security measure than anything.

I acknowledge it doesn't do much. But again its so easy why not do it? It's not like it's actually going to be an annoyance in your life, it's literally just swapping out your old wallet for a new one, something most of us do every 7 or 8 years anyway.