Information is crucial, especially when it's valid. You always need to keep up to date, especially if you work in an environment that evolves at the speed of light.
It's important to be part of the community, to take part in meetings, conferences, read blogs, websites, publications, give talks, basically to be everywhere. Even so, threat actors are always on the alert and one step ahead. They are always looking for new ways to reinvent themselves, changing their modus operandi in order to circumvent the security measures that cybersecurity teams put in place.
BlackHat USA 2023
Understanding how important it is to be up-to-date on the latest techniques and methods used by attack teams and threat actors, I managed to attend the BlackHat USA 2023 conference for the first time.
At this conference, it was possible to meet suppliers, talk to members of cybersecurity teams, developers, CISOs and others. More than 22,750 participants attended. The knowledge was all concentrated in one place over the course of a week. Who knows, maybe you'll get the chance to talk to someone you really idolize.
A huge Arsenal
At Arsenal, developers show off the latest tools they've been working on and how they can contribute to everyday life, especially for those who manage infrastructures supported by open source tools. Here I had the chance to see them in action and was able to experiment, ask questions, interact and socialize.
The Business Hall was home to the suppliers' stands, where it was possible to try out more developed software/hardware and get to know each other's products better. At the stands, you could buy incredible gifts.
By having these two spaces in the same place, the perfect place has been built to ask all the questions whose answers help to make structured and informed decisions regarding protection against threat agents.
Preparation is everything
Parallel sessions were also held during the conference. Each session featured an expert talking about the topics on the agenda. There were so many sessions and they were so pertinent that it was difficult to choose.
Prior to the conference, BlackHat offered so many interesting courses that it was difficult to choose just one.
I thoroughly recommend taking part. You'll have a great time, be surrounded by great minds and have the opportunity to talk to them. You have nothing to lose and they will share knowledge with you so that you are well informed and better prepared.
It's very important to do your homework, you don't want to get there without being prepared for what you want to do and see. Otherwise, you'll miss out on many of the best moments.
About the author
Pedro Silva is a computer engineer with over 17 years' experience. He strives daily to gain more visibility, training, certifications and experience in the cybersecurity and ethical hacking landscape. His knowledge allows him to play a crucial role in the cybersecurity team at FCCN, where he works as SecDevOps. He draws daily inspiration from his family and loves playing with his daughter. In his spare time, he enjoys traveling, organizing trips around the world, playing CTFs and looking for vulnerabilities that help others protect themselves against threat actors.
