The best hackers

[astcell]

Check out the best hackers ever. Makes you kind of wanna track these guys down at Defcon!

[TheCotMan]

Check out the best hackers ever. Makes you kind of wanna track these guys down at Defcon!

Question:
Assuming they attended, how would you detect them?

[Voltage Spike]

Assuming they attended, how would you detect them?

I hear a rumor that there is a Spot the Fed guide floating around somewhere. Perhaps that might help.

[TheCotMan]

I hear a rumor that there is a Spot the Fed guide floating around somewhere. Perhaps that might help.

Actually, that rumored list is pretty sucky for helping to detect the kinds of feds the article discusses.
Federal hackers, like those described, could easily pass at DefCon as any of the black badge holders, goons, speaker, press or humans. These kinds of feds may even get drunk and party, and could know where the ice machine are located.

So, how could they be detected? Also, if you detected one, would you use extortion (threaten to spot them as feds) to get them to talk?

[Dr. Z2A]

[Quote}Federal hackers, like those described, could easily pass at DefCon as any of the black badge holders, goons, speaker, press or humans. These kinds of feds may even get drunk and party, and could know where the ice machine are located.

So, how could they be detected? Also, if you detected one, would you use extortion (threaten to spot them as feds) to get them to talk?[/QUOTE]

U just said how, they get drunk and party. You just have to encourage them to drink a little too much. Nobody can hold their tongue when they're hammered

If this dick of a president we have makes a draft, thats the military branch I want to be in ;)

[TheCotMan]

... You just have to encourage them to drink a little too much. Nobody can hold their tongue when they're hammered.

Watching Hacker Jeopardy/Leetest Link, you can see drunk people do answer questions when asked, but they seem to get the answers wrong after having had too much booze.

Question: Give DefCon people enough booze and they may answer questions, but will they give you the correct answers?

After giving one person several beers at DefCon, he told me that he loved me and gave me a hug. I bet I could have asked him if he was a Fed and if he thought it would get him more beer, he might have said yes, even if it was not true. (heh-heh)

[erehwon]

Check out the best hackers ever. Makes you kind of wanna track these guys down at Defcon!

I know these guys, they aren't that hard to spot if you know what you are looking for, many of them have left military service, or have been sheep-dipped into 'private' infosec government contracting.

If this dick of a president we have makes a draft, thats the military branch I want to be in ;)

NOW NOW, that's no way to be talking about the POTUS!

While I am a Republican leaning Libertarian, the neocon-republican in office now is not a real representive of the Republican party of past presidents... (Bush Sr. Reagan, Nixon)

I love this line... "I love my country, but I am not fond of the management"

[erehwon]

Watching Hacker Jeopardy/Leetest Link, you can see drunk people do answer questions when asked, but they seem to get the answers wrong after having had too much booze.

I know the details on this, but I am sworn to secrecy, look into the Defcon attendee that poured a whole beer on Winn Schwartau during Hacker Jeopardy some years back, and find out who s/he worked for.

[hackajar]

/activating buzz kill routine

JFCCNW seems to be a name the government labeled this "crew" for congress. While this does sound super cool and all, I think they are enjoying the attention more then the job. For that matter, I would have to see these guys in action, before I concider them to be legit by any means.

Not trying to down play it, but unless the DOD made a lot of concessions, and allowed them to write a blank check on what this "crew" can and cannot do without repercussion (sp?) I don't their as cool as percived.

[TheCotMan]

...unless the DOD made a lot of concessions, and allowed them to write a blank check on what this "crew" can and cannot do without repercussion (sp?)...

Let me put on my tinfoil hat...
No need. Just find or create a reason to arrest the better players and allow them to work for the government instead of going to trial, or maybe as part of parole and community service.

[Floydr47]

I wonder if that 15 year old kid that broke into the Air Force computer network a few years ago made the posse? Seems like he would be a prime candidate. Just about military age now too. Military types are easy to spot, they walk around with crew cuts saying "I am the best of the best of the best, SIR!!!" (quote from MIB). It's the real Feds that are hard to spot.

[hackajar]

With this unit being absorbed into Stratcon, makes you wonder, where was it before? Then it accured to me. This program could have been started under the DARPA protcol. Which allows for larger budgets, less military overhead and flexablitiy to hire "questionable" types. After a program matures, it get absorbed into a real agancy (or creates one sometimes, see NASA).


Here's Darpa's Mission Overview

[allentrace]

Military types are easy to spot, they walk around with crew cuts saying "I am the best of the best of the best, SIR!!!" (quote from MIB). It's the real Feds that are hard to spot.

As a military brat for 19 years I find that comment ignorant even if you only used it to garner a chuckle. Also Fed = Federal and all military personnel are Federal employees grouped with all other members of the bureaucracy. I doubt you would be able to spot a Federal Agent at Defcon on your best day.

[hackajar]

I doubt you would be able to spot a Federal Agent at Defcon on your best day.

This is not true. There is a distinction that has not been made about Fed's at conferences. Seasoned Fed's vs. N00b's. It's hard to spot a seasoned Fed that WANTS to hide vs newer Fed's that have the Gomer Pile look about them.

[lil_freak]

It's hard to spot a seasoned Fed that WANTS to hide vs newer Fed's that have the Gomer Pile look about them.

I don't think this statement would apply to the female Fed's very well