The DEF CON panel is the place to go to learn about the many facets of DEF CON and to begin your DEF CONian Adventure. Here you will begin your adventure that will include more than just listening in the talk tracks. You can get hands-on experience in the Villages and witness amazing feats of programming in Demo Labs. You may even display your own powers by participating in a contest or two in the Events and Contest Area. The panel will give you what you need to know to navigate DEF CON to your best advantage. We have speakers who will regale you with tales of how they came to be at DEF CON and (hopefully) inspire you with their personal experiences. Oh yeah, there is the time honored "Name the Noob", with lots of laughs and even some prizes.
Born of glitter and moon beams, HighWiz is the things that dreams are made of and nightmares long to be... Years ago, with the help of some very awesome people, he set about to create an event that would give the n00bs of DEF CON a place to feel welcomed and further their own pursuit of knowledge. HighWiz is the fabled Man on the Mountain whom people seek to gain a taste of his forbidden knowledge. He is a rare sighting at DEF CON only to be glimpsed by those lucky few.
As a girl growing up, she was told she could be anything so she decided to be a unicorn. Ever since, she has made it her mission to ensure the truth is out there. Do not attempt to use malware pickup lines on her as she will pull them apart and you risk having your face impaled. Though she is fierce, she is also graceful, peaceful and determined. She is also an awesome artist.
There is truly only one sorceress that ensures the machinations of Def Con continue to move. She is both in tune with the magic and digital functions and is the power behind the CFP board from start to finish as well as the coordination of so many other activities behind the curtain. She works tirelessly year-round to make sure everything runs smoothly. Also, she is fun at parties and awesome AF. @niki7a
Appearing in a cloud of (cigarette) smoke, Roamer is a man full of whiskey and ideas. He has appeared at DEF CON since before (almost) the beginning. He is a renown author, speaker, pontificator and is famous for giving the most entertaining Worldwide Wardrive talk. He is also the Grand Vizier of All Things Vendor - you are welcome.
Wiseacre was introduced to DEF CON by Roamer. Though he appeared at his first DEF CON because of the Capture the Flag contest, Roamer and HighWiz showed him how to make DEF CON so much more than simply attending the talks. From then on he made a point to participate in as much as he could. Of course, this was all within the limits of social anxiety so, if it allowed participation as a wallflower, he was in! Now, he wants to make sure everyone else gets to know as much as possible about this year's conference. In his private life, Mike hacks managers and is happy anyone listens to him at all. Mike would like to thank Highwiz for everything.
Shaggy has the Voice of Barry White, the brains of Albert Einstein and the soul of Bea Arthur. He has a few philosophies on life: He believes that while the righteous keep moving forward, those with clean hands become stronger and stronger . That the field of battle between God and Satan is the human soul. It is in the soul that the battle rages every moment of life. He also believes that one should Start by doing what's necessary; then do what's possible; and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Because You learn to speak by speaking, to study by studying, to run by running, to work by working, and just so, you learn to love by loving. All those who think to learn in any other way deceive themselves.