Black Hat Briefings facts for kids
Black Hat Briefings, often called Black Hat, is a major meeting about computer security. It teaches people how to protect computers and information from online threats. Black Hat brings together many different people. This includes computer experts, business leaders, and even people who are just starting to learn about online safety. The conference happens regularly in cities around the world, like Las Vegas, Barcelona, London, and Abu Dhabi. It has also been held in places like Amsterdam and Tokyo.
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The History of Black Hat
The very first Black Hat meeting took place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from July 7 to 10, 1997. It happened just before another big computer conference called DEF CON. The idea behind Black Hat was to help computer companies understand how hackers think. This way, they could better protect their own computer systems.
Black Hat was started by a person named Jeff Moss. He also started the DEF CON conference. Today, Jeff Moss helps guide the Black Hat meetings. What started as one yearly meeting in Las Vegas has now grown into many events held all over the world.
Understanding Black Hat Culture
Black Hat meetings are usually scheduled right before the DEF CON conference. Many people who attend Black Hat also go to DEF CON. People in the computer security world often see Black Hat as a more formal event, focused on businesses and corporations. In contrast, DEF CON is known for being a more relaxed and informal gathering.
What Happens at Black Hat?
The Black Hat conference has three main parts: the Black Hat Briefings, Black Hat Trainings, and Black Hat Arsenal.
Black Hat Briefings: Learning from Experts
The Briefings are like talks or presentations. They cover many different topics related to computer security. For example, you can learn about how software works backward (called reverse engineering) or how to keep your online identity safe. Important leaders in the computer security field also give speeches here. These speakers have included top security officers from government groups and other experts.
Black Hat Trainings: Hands-on Learning
Trainings at Black Hat are courses taught by various computer security companies and individual experts. These courses help people learn practical skills in cybersecurity. For example, past trainings have included courses from the National Security Agency and companies like Cisco Systems.
Black Hat Arsenal: Showing Off New Tools
Arsenal is a special part of the conference. It's a place where researchers and people who create open-source software can show off their newest computer security tools. Open-source means the software's code is available for anyone to see and use. At Arsenal, people give live demonstrations of their tools. Attendees can ask questions and sometimes even try out the tools themselves. This part of Black Hat was added in 2010.
Challenges and Discoveries at Black Hat
Black Hat is known for interesting discussions and new discoveries. Sometimes, attendees have found ways to test the security of hotel systems, like Wi-Fi or TV billing. In 2009, some security researchers' websites were attacked, and their private information was shared online just before the conference. Also in 2009, a USB drive passed around at Black Hat USA was found to have a computer virus.
In the past, some companies tried to stop researchers from sharing important information about problems in their products. For example, in 2005, Cisco Systems tried to prevent a researcher named Michael Lynn from talking about a problem he found. This problem could have caused big issues for the internet. However, more recently, researchers and companies often work together. They try to fix problems before they are publicly discussed. Some companies even challenge experts to find weaknesses in their products, which helps make them safer.
See also
In Spanish: Black Hat Briefings para niños
