NBC’s DefCon Mole ousted and stalked

Published by Jun | Filed under Conference, Defcon, Events, Hackers

I’m a DefCon fan since 1999 and one of my dreams is to attend this prestigious and biggest underground hackers conference. Going to Las Vegas is costly since im back here in the Southern Philippines. Someday i will attend.

Since this conference was attended by underground hackers that does and admit doing illegal activities some of the participants all over the world got arrested. Thats why filming in this event is not allowed to protect the identity of the hackers and no evidence in admitting a crime.

This year a Dateline NBC’s DefCon mole - Michelle Madigan armed with hidden camera, was trying to sneak in as a programmer and tape hackers admitting to illegal activity. Instead, DefCon’s NBC mole uncovered the plot.

DefCon staff lured her to a large hall telling her that the Spot the Fed contest was in session and that she could get a picture of an undercover federal agent at the contest. When she sat down, Jeff Moss, DefCon’s founder, announced that they were changing the game. Instead of Spot the Fed, they were going to play Spot the Undercover Reporter and then announced, “And there’s one in here right now.” Madigan, realizing she’d been had, jumped from her seat and bolted out the door with reporters carrying cameras chasing after her through the parking lot and to her car.

Journalists at DefCon have to comply by strict rules of engagement. Heres the Defcon FAQ List.

If you are a major network and plan on doing a two minute piece showing all the people with blue hair, you probably shouldn’t bother applying for a press pass - you won’t get one. If you are a security writer or from a real publication please submit, and someone will respond with an answer.

Madigan was last seen being chased by two dozen reporters hoping to interview her. Press eating the press. [Wired]

There are several resources that will give you an idea of what DEFCON is all about.

• DEFCON Press: through the prism of the media
• DEFCON Pics: visual evidence, thousands of pictures, some NSFW
• DEFCON Groups: Local groups that meet
• DEFCON Media archives: Speeches from DC 1 to the present, captured
• Google: always a good research starting point

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