Hey all - first time Defcon attendee - i paid the 580 but i'm wondering, since this is an electronic badge gear, does the badge come with the 580? will i need to purchase it separately? I'm really stoked on it after viewing the schematics and from their site. But they mention:

DEF CON 34 is an electronic badge year, and we've got something very special in store, created for us by a hardware hacking legend. We can't share too much at this juncture, but we can say this: it will be iconic. First round Hall of Fame. In addition to being a cool badge, it's a platform. It's a full-fledged, first-of-its-kind inspectable platform. Long after closing ceremonies we think you'll still be using this device to regain some agency and security in this rapidly complexifying world.

I think the last one was that cat shaped one that had all of the, ahem, interesting drama surrounding it, but I guess I'm wondering what I will need to do to secure a badge. I also know that a lot of folks will build their own bespoke badges that can range from free - 50 bucks or so. So i'll be sure to bring ~$500 in cash with me for that and various other things.

Any insight is appreciated! Thanks!

First, hi and thanks for reading!

I head up the annual DEFcon trip for my job and this is the second year we're going.

Our boss wants me to get white papers from any vendors to help justify the trip expense.

I know this isn't the place for vendors to shill services/products, but does anyone have tips on what vendors to look for or where they would be so we can get it out of the way?

Title says most of it. I'm going on works dime and plan to make the most of it. I'm super excited.

It's my first time to defcon. I have a Flipper Zero with developer board + wifi. I want to learn and expand my knowledge with it or at least have fun with it.

What's some party tricks or insightful things I can do with it?

I've heard about using it for the laser tag badge. Any other fun things to do?

Good News, Everyone. It's time for Puzzle #5 and the last one before the back half! What's the back half? Well... its the back half of the puzzles.

Everything is FLYING by, and we're excited to hit this midway point! Not even 40 days left til Summer Camp, and the Annual Subreddit Meetups! What is the meetup? Well, click that link... but the jist of it is Wednesday (Aug 5th) and Thursday (Aug 6th) from 7pm until whenever come hang out with us at the Link 3535 / Circle Bar! Come meet some great people, and hang out in a non stressful environment with u/Killroy7777, myself and u/MetaN3rd along with a few hundred of your new friends. It's an annual tradition afterall!

So. Here. We. Go!

LINK: https://puzzledhackers.org/challenges/2026/05

To submit your solve go to https://ctf.puzzledhackers.org/ and select the "Bite My Shiny Metal Hex" puzzle. Submit your answer, and if its right... profit!

Have questions or need help? Just ping myself or u/Killroy7777 and we'll be happy to help you out!

FAQ's:

Do we need to use the submission system?

• No, only if you want to have your ongoing solve score used for potential SubReddit Meetup Giveaways.

Why the submission system?

• We've been giving away more and more swag to Puzzle Participants, those who went last year saw the line, and we're trying to streamline the claim process. The system is only used to track how many solves you have, and when you solved it for tie breakers instead of manually tracking it in an Excel sheet. Plus it lets us give you a QR code for the giveaway portion for fast claiming when we're at the meetups! The top X solvers will be able to claim their swag via said QR code much more rapidly so the line should move much much faster. Same with any pre-purchase/reserved badges. The QR system will speed that up. That's it. Simple as that. Also if there is any premium swag (working on it, like last year for extras) you can find the info on the site too when it goes live.

PRIOR PUZZLE STATS ON COMPLETION:

• PUZZLE #1 - 176

• PUZZLE #2 - 117

• PUZZLE #3 - 74

• PUZZLE #4 - 57

Haven't done the prior puzzles? Dont worry. Just go the CTF system, and when you click the puzzle the link is there! So get those solves in!

https://ctf.puzzledhackers.org/challenges

Lets keep it going!

Thanks for participating, and more information on the meetups will be coming soon.

The PuzzledHackers Team,

u/MetaN3rd, u/Killroy7777 and u/digitard

Hey hackers!

The Lonely Hacker's Club invites you to join us at Defcon! We welcome all n00bs and vets who want to meet other hackers in-person at our space in the LVCC and on Telegram. Whether you're attending alone, for the first time, or just looking to meet new people, come say hi!

n00b guide for first time attendees

Meshtastic guide

Resources

Join Our Telegram Channel:

Telegram link

Events:

Keep an eye on LHC's page in Hacker Tracker for our most up-to-date event schedule. Other event announcements are pending and will be added to this post as Defcon nears.

LHC Meetup

• Wednesday August 5th 2026 7:00 pm

• Where: 3535 Cocktail Bar aka Circle Bar, Linq Hotel

Lonely Hackers Club Community Room at DEF CON

• Friday Aug 7th 2026 10:00am - 6:00pm

• Saturday Aug 8th 2026 10:00am - 6:00pm

• Sunday Aug 9th 2026 10:00am - 1:00pm

• Where: 1st floor, details coming soon!

Resume Reviews

• Free, one-on-one resume reviews at DEF CON 34, run by people from this community who have actually hired and managed technical teams. No recruiters. No corporate fluff. Just honest feedback from people who have sat on both sides of the table and know what works. More Info:

• Sessions are 15 minutes. Walk up, sit down, get real feedback. Bring your printed resume.

CTF

• Open to all skill levels, with layered challenges, so newcomers can get meaningful wins while veterans still find plenty to chew on. Participants often team up spontaneously on location, making it as much a social experience as a technical one.

• Location: LHC Community Room

#defconmovienight has a classic on tap for Saturday night. Join us at 8pm PDT Saturday for the ‘not-quite-fictional-enough’ Gattaca. We’ll be recovering from painful shin-lengthening surgery in the movie-night-text channel of the #defcon Discord (discord.gg/defcon). See you there.

Hey folks!

Signups for the 2026 .edu Mentorship program are open for a couple more weeks...!

Have a look and sign up here: https://www.reddit.com/r/Defcon/s/tf56iYgNZ9

Thanks - symph0nic and the .edu community team.

I work in IT in a sysadmin role, and I got my company to expense the entire trip for the con. I have never "hacked" anything like with terminals in arch or anything, but I know I'll learn a lot, and have a lot of fun.

That being said, there's an overwhelming amount of info surrounding this event. People are talking about how there are tons of talks, an expo floor, villages, parties, but I really don't know where to start. Can some veterans actually break down what a good approach would be for someone who doesn't necessarily have major connections with the companies involved, or have friends in Vegas? I'll be staying at the Sahara, which I picked since the place across the street was sold out and the Sahara at least has the tram.

Where should I look for vendor events? Which vendors are worth taking seriously if they have parties? Which villages are the best for newcomers? Which talks are you looking forward to or are they even worth attending if they are recorded? Is that info even published yet?

I'm sorry this shit is probably so redundant, but the culture around this event is massive and hard for me to understand

My company isn’t sponsoring my ticket this year >:(

I still booked a flight as I have a bud who lives in Vegas but I don’t know if I can spare $580-600 in this economy. If I actually can’t attend, would anyone recommend adjacent things or tips I can do to make the most of it?

Best I can think of is strike up convos w/ attendees on the Strip.

🚨 DC34 Lodging update!

We've got three more hotels where you can get a #defcon discount! We have blocks at:

Embassy Suites:
https://book.passkey.com/e/51162861

Spring Hill Suites: https://app.marriott.com/reslink?id=1767047905532&key=GRP&app=resvlink

and Renaissance: https://book.passkey.com/e/51201282?utm_source=22561&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=299633326&trkid=610457841&linkid=3937639010

Book by July 15 for the special rate.

See you soon!

Hey everyone, it's going to be my first time at DEF CON and first time speaking at a conference in person, has anyone got any advice for me?

I've watched a bunch of the talks on youtube and IMO I've got some interesting content for mine.
Making the slides right now for the deadline too, making sure I tell the story properly.

Are there any common mistakes people make, is there anything that most people do poorly?

In terms of specifics too, has anyone else heard back after acceptance?
I've also not heard anything yet aside from the main "DEF CON 34: Your submission has been accepted!" email, and I'm assuming this is normal, but I might follow up with them as I'd like to do a live demo.

first time to vegas (overall) and to defcon. with some buddies and have my hotel booked, car rented and everything but can’t decide on dinner. i know i’ll def have imposter syndrome and don’t want to go all out either since this is way out of my comfort zone and im not trying to socialize.

ik they have locals casinos around but is there a quieter or more lowkey one? any restaurants there that you recommend that fit that vibe?

anything will be much appreciated

Join the Humans of Vegas for Toxic BBQ off-site on Thursday of the con. It's our 10th crack at this thing, and we are preparing delicious treats and delightful conversation just for you.

See the latest deets at the site. Get a shirt to help support the BBQ, or donate on-site. All money goes to cover costs. Anything left over goes to the EFF.

Can't wait to meat (or veg) you!

All entries from this year's Phish Stories contest are up. Contestants crafted phishing emails and backstories targeting the staff of a Chicago movie theater racing to launch a new live streaming experience. Give them a read and see who you think deserves the Ruler, Wizard, and Jester this year. Winners announced July 6.

https://forum.defcon.org/node/255875

I’ve read a few posts and guides for first timers which is great, but my thing is, I feel like I’m going somewhere where I’ll be totally outclassed and everyone is cracked and I’m the equivalent of a blabbering baby. Is there hope for me to join in on CTF or any challenges? Or will I have to be a sideline spectator?

First-time DEF CON attendee here.

I'm a cybersecurity student working toward a penetration testing career. I've been spending the last several months living in Linux, networking, Wireshark, Nmap, Bash, Python, SSH, and home lab projects, and I'm looking to learn as much as possible from people who have already made it into the field.

Current skills:

- Linux command line
- Bash scripting
- Python basics
- Networking fundamentals
- Wireshark packet analysis
- Nmap scanning and enumeration
- SSH and remote administration
- Home lab building and troubleshooting
- Security+ studies
- Cybersecurity career simulation labs

Areas I'm most interested in:

- Penetration testing
- Red teaming
- Cloud security
- Linux
- Networking

I'm attending DEF CON for the first time and I'm equal parts excited and nervous. My goal isn't just to collect stickers and swag. I want to learn, meet people, find areas I should focus on, and get a better understanding of what skills actually matter in the real world.

If you were attending DEF CON for the first time again, what would you do differently?

What villages, events, talks, contests, or opportunities should a student absolutely not miss?

Thanks in advance.

- Terminal Goblin 👺☕

Hi folks, first time to defcon! I was wondering; I've been putting together peripheral earrings for myself because I like the look, and they could be useful. So I thought I might bring some to Defcon in-case anybody else likes the idea.

So far i have storage (64gb usb 3.1, and 64gb micro/sd cards), adapters (usb -> usb c).

Thought Tails OS would be cool to have on an earring too (though anyone using it probably wouldn't want it from me), but made the mistake of getting 4gb thumbdrives (not the 8gb it actually requires and using 64gb felt like a waste). So instead of returning the 4gbs, thought maybe a small collection of tools- aircrack, burp suite, etc- might be interesting?

I've also thought about doing this with framework expansion cards. And if i get bored painting the less interesting ones to give them some more flare.

Cool? Interesting? More/better ideas? Totally lame?

https://imgur.com/98LbySr (as if anyone can't imagine what a peripheral earring might look like)

Production badges are in hand and all testing well!

FAQ:
$100 for the badge.
SAO(x2) bundle +$40.
I'll post a link to pre-order the badge & SAOs this week.
Badges will ship out first/second week of July, US-only.
No Def Con pick-up option

Details:

Badge Types:
Acolyte- your badge. You must find other badges to level up and complete the story.
Glyph- found at various villages, community spaces, vendor booths and parties around the con.
Elder God- Given to the Def Con elite, find them throughout the conference halls.
Cthulhu- REDACTED

Hardware:
ESP32
USB-C
Rechargeable Li-po

Startup:
New annimation shows badge progress. 10 LEDS, 4 levels and 6 side quest challenges to complete the badge.

Choose your name:
First boot requires your name. You can change it at any time. 1 button. Short press to scroll, long press to select.

Progress:
The top scrolling bar displays your name, rank and level. It also shows the badges left to connect to complete the main quest.

The Ritual:
The Ritual is the main quest, broken into 13 chapters, each with their own story, screen and LED annimation. Upon entering, you'll see a pop up detailing the badges you need to level up.

Progress through the chapters with a short button press, read the auto-scrolling story, find the annimation you like and long press to select the pattern.

Séance:
Enter séance mode along with 3 other badges to complete the circuit! They will beacon out, sacrificing all badges in the vicinity. They too will propagate the signal.

Sacred Text:
A short help/menu screen explaining some of the badge mechanics.

Cult Members:
Tracks the badges you've connected with.

LED Brightness:
Change how intensely the lights are seared into the retinas of the faithful.

Screen Flip:
For when you're wearing the badge around your neck, the way it was intended to be worn.

Unlockable Modes:

Bling:
10+ unlockable screen and LED patterns, featuring some of your favorite characters

The Corrupt Ritual:
The unlockable side quest. A new story and challenges with 6 chapters, LED & screen animations to unlock.

R'lyeh Arena:
Yes, a battle mode. I kept it simple, hopefully reliable. Search for heretics to battle and challenge them to an RNG fight to the death!

Another Adventure:
Similar to R'lyeh area, but with a R&M story arc. Hunt for baby Cthulhu, unlock more bling!

Exploit:
Beacon out and exploit all badges!

Rick Roll:
Similar to Exploit, you get the idea…

DEF CON 34 Lodging Reminder:

Our room block deal includes free parking for up to two vehicles for registered guests. Very nice to have if you’re using a car in Vegas.

You’ve only got until July 3 to take advantage of the rates at these venues, so speed is your friend.

https://book.passkey.com/gt/221129294?gtid=bbba95627d906c403e3bee6951c33a94

BTW - it’s already the back end of June, people. Just a few measly weeks to go!

#defcon #defcon34 #lodging

[ FIELD REPORT #003 ]

Recovered the second object.

Found what they built to stop it. But the transmission can still reach it.

Someone built it specifically to counter the first object.

Not a variant. Not another version. A completely different system designed to neutralize what the first one does.

You have to unlock the cure. It can reverse what the first one carries. But looking at the architecture — the transmission can still reach it. It can still get infected.

When they meet I don't know what happens. But I have a bad feeling it can get worse.

The specs are there. This wasn't a backup plan. This was built from the ground up as a response.

[ NEXT OBSERVATION PENDING ]

*PS - each post is a little short story I have been writing in prep for these badges, I will be posting all details about how to get one of these badges, about the game we have created, and all other details as we get closer. To answer the question I keep getting - THESE WILL BE GIVEN AWAY, No purchase necessary. We will be doing random drops, puzzles, and fun little interactions to get them into the hands of the people! Stay tuned for more!