Why are Hacking Conferences on the Decline?

And what's next for those trying to enter the field?

Warning: You might be mad at me by the end of this article, but I still like you anyway =)

Defcon, Blackhat and other hacking conferences appear to be on the decline, but what is the cause? The answer to this question is simple people have changed their approach to hacking. 

Let’s go through each of the three major hacking conferences for data on why hacking conferences appear to be in decline, and then at the end of the article we will be able to answer the question of: Why are hacking conferences on the decline? 

Blackhat

Black Hat has been a popular conference since its inception in 1997, and organizers expect to draw around 19,000 attendees this year. However, attendance is down from the pre-COVID total of 28,000.

Blackhat as an  event has become a popular destination for cyber experts, and has drawn thousands of security pros to the city of Las Vegas.

During the first day of the conference, attendees take in a number of briefings or trainings , including those aimed at preventing hacking in the fields that vary from medical to industrial control systems. Announcements of a public-private partnership to increase collaboration in the infosec industry are often announced, giving attendees a feeling of being “in the know.”

In addition to a number of briefings/trainings, attendees learn about a number of new vulnerabilities, often debuted for the first time at Blackhat. 

Cybersecurity researchers show off the many ways in which nontech industries have fallen behind in security. In particular, attacks on toys and embedded control devices on oil platforms.

Black Hat and Defcon are not the only conferences geared toward hackers and not without competition. CanSecWest is also an annual conference that is held in Vancouver, B.C., and is billed as the "world's most advanced conference on digital security."

Defcon

Defcon and other hacking conferences are on the decline...maybe. In the past, this conference was a place for hackers to poke at systems, often one of the only places to do so in a physical manner. However, the conference has grown into a more serious gathering for discussing security issues with a  network of 30 "villages" where attendees can participate in contests, workshops, and talks. The conference also includes an official "Safe Mode" online event now, for the past couple of years.There were also some interesting hacking controversies at the conference, including a pro-Chinese group that attacked government sites in Taiwan, and the unwritten rule of  "3-2-1 " which means that attendees must have three hours of sleep, two meals, and one shower.

The "Capture the Flag" competition, also known as CTF, is one of the most well known hacking competitions of all time. The contest involved 20 teams of hackers competing to break into other teams' computers.

Other contests at the conference included a scavenger hunt, a "coffee wars" contest, and a lockpicking contest. In the "Capture the Flag" competition, teams had to attack the other teams' computers while trying to avoid detection.

BSides

BSides is an information security and hacker conference. It is a community-based framework that allows for information security professionals to collaborate and share ideas with other local cyber friends. It is a two-day event that takes place yearly and open to most professionals.

BSides is a fun and informative event that's worth attending. The main event consists of sessions on information security and usually also features an after-party (which is a great place to connect with other local industry friends).In addition to the conference, there are also several workshops. These sessions are aimed at providing hands-on information for the information security community. These workshops are also intended to increase knowledge sharing.

One of the coolest features of BSides is the fact that it brings the conference format to the local community. This is something that isn't often done at large hacker conferences. It allows for an open environment for InfoSec infants and seasoned professionals alike.

The Bsides conference in Las Vegas also has the honor of putting on the largest hacker conference of its kind in the world. The event is held in every August and like Defcon and Blackhat, and attendees can engage in networking, workshops, and contests. The event's website boasts that tens of thousands of people attend the event.

Summary: Cause of Decline

So why are hacker conferences in decline? 

They aren’t! In fact the community might be the strongest it has ever been.

Now is a great time to get into the hacker/cybersecurity community. Go meet fellow industry peers, get experience, get training, and get hacking!