Last updated at Thu, 30 Nov 2017 16:39:14 GMT
We recently had the pleasure of sponsoring and attending BSides DC. During the 3-day conference put together by security professionals, a few themes quickly arose.
It’s no surprise the first one was community, given that the BSides organization was founded as a community-driven framework for hyperlocal events. From presentations on getting into the infosec community, to sessions of deep knowledge share -- topics include PowerShell, machine learning, and Bro just to name a few -- BSides DC was a bustling weekend full of friendly people willing to share their time, expertise, and words for the betterment of others.
Stemming from that is the second theme I noticed: security for all. The cybersecurity industry can be a frenzy at times. The landscape is cavernous with intricacies that can be difficult to pick up on as a newcomer. But BSides DC helped lower the barrier to entry with sessions geared towards people of all skill levels (we loved the security analyst’s toolbox day-long session).
They even had a mini-conference for kids! Crypt Kids had sessions on lock picking, CTF, cryptanalysis, and more to get kids interested and skilled in cybersecurity early. At one point, a younger girl came to the Komand booth and saw our security architect, Jon, explain how our plugins are created. While watching Jon demo, she gleefully proclaimed, “That’s python!” Talk about starting them young!
But this is what made BSides DC such a great event. Everyone was welcome, and the environment was a thoughtful one geared towards inclusiveness in our community.
A wild Pikachu appeared...! #hack4photo #bsidesdc pic.twitter.com/ij4b9ly0Qj
— Komand (@komandsecurity) October 23, 2016
Security for all, even Pikachus
We also felt welcome as sponsors and exhibitors. We sponsored BSides because we truly do believe in community, but we also wanted to showcase our security orchestration and automation platform to the people that need it the most.
Attendees witnessed how quick and easy it is to add automation to their current workflows with Komand. From “wow, this would free up so much of my time” to “it looks so intuitive and easy to use”, reception couldn’t have been better. (Props to our security architect Jon for his killer demos, and to Jen, Cort, and Shani for their great convos with people.)
Of course, we can’t mention BSides DC without mentioning the Komand** Hacker Stock Photo Booth.** And let me tell you, the photos are golden. Call Getty right now, because these are some legit hacker stock photos!
You can check out the to see examples of super 1337 h4ck3rs. Here are a few of our faves:
Overall, BSides DC was a huge success. Those of us from Komand were happy to engage with the community and actually talk to people. We learned their challenges, what inspires them, and how we could perhaps help them.
I also commend the organizers and speakers for the fantastic work they did to bring together not only a community, but newcomers, as well. In an industry that is so expansive, events like BSides DC are a positive force that show the best in our community. Thanks for having us, and we hope to see you all again next year!
