Why ZaCon ?people@zacon.org.za

Where this came from?

4 Conferences we spoke at last year..

Cool speakers, Great setup!

Sponsors && Vendors!

A chance for us to act academic..

We love ISSA.. (its good fun)

other guys.. not so much

We love Defcon (8 years in a row)

The commute is a pain..

Blackhat USA is cool..

The commute is a pain..And Expensive!!

Primary Aims..

1) Local

2) Non Vendor Aligned

3) Not pure Academia

4) Not hellishly expensive

but wait.. theres more!

National Pride..Australia and New Zealand were as isolated as we were..

They managed to produce:

• Brett Moore • Mark Dowd • Chris Spencer• Shaun Clowes • AndrewG • Nemo• Mercy • MettleStorm • Justine Aitel• Ben Nagy • Paul Craig • Peter Guttman• Ben Hawkes • Kuza55 • Silvio• Michael Howard • Steve Micallef • ...

Win at buzz-word bingo!

Actually.. thats back asswards..

“smashing the stack”

“1997 vs 2009”

So the conundrum is..

• the problems are getting harder..

• new entrants find it harder to cut their teeth..

• old guys are.. well.. getting older..

• this is very very chicken or egg...

but on the bright side..

oct 98 olaf kirch null byte in bugtraq

we just need (more)people to be un-afraid

to give it a shot..

this is ur vehicle.. talk about whats cool for u..

ignore those who think its lame..

and if u one of the leet guys who think that its lame.. come do better..

More Aims..

5) For sec geeks by sec geeks..

6) Grow the Pool

a) Lower barriers to entry

7) have some fun :)

non pros

tech over process

Lastly.. (phew)• ZaCon #1 was the beginning..

• There are no plans to make money of this..

• Use the feedback forms..

• Use the feedback forms (wisely)..

• Thank the speakers..

• Thanks for coming..1) Local 2) Non Vendor Aligned 3) Not pure Academia4) Not hellishly expensive5) For sec geeks by sec geeks.. 6) Grow the Pool 7) have some fun :)