ALL NEWS

Lawmakers embrace hackers in Vegas as 2020 election looms

Aug 10, 2019, 7:35 AM

Las Vegas hackers 2020...

A US senator, multiple members of Congress, and dozens of congressional staffers and members of the intelligence community will descend on Las Vegas this weekend to rub shoulders with hackers at Def Con, one of the world's largest hacking conferences. Photo: LPETTET/E+/Getty Images

(CNN) — A US Senator, multiple members of Congress, and dozens of congressional staffers and members of the intelligence community will descend on Las Vegas this weekend to rub shoulders with hackers at Def Con, one of the world’s largest hacking conferences.

Washington’s embrace of the hacking community comes amid heightened awareness of the threat of cyber attacks in the wake of the 2016 US presidential election and lawmakers realizing they need to get to grips with technology, Phil Stupak, one of the organizers of Def Con told CNN Business before the conference began.

Historically, Def Con has been a place where hackers poke and prod at flaws in systems — a practice that could cross the line into technically breaking the law. And while the conference has been welcoming to visitors from Washington, many Def Con attendees are at least a little skeptical of government.

A longstanding joke at the conference is a game of “spot the Fed,” where attendees see someone who moves a little too stiffly, or stares a little too intently, and might be either a government recruiter — or law enforcement. It’s not entirely a joke; the FBI has made arrests around Def Con, including British national Marcus Hutchins.

Hutchins, a cybersecurity researcher who gained notoriety for stopping the destructive worldwide virus WannaCry before being arrested after Def Con in Vegas in 2017, won’t face additional prison time, a judge ruled last month.

Despite the natural tension, Def Con organizers want to bridge the void and they say there will be more members of Congress as well as federal and state officials attending this year than ever before.

It will likely be the largest presence the government has had since before 2013, when, in the wake of NSA analyst Edward Snowden’s leaks, Def Con founder Jeff Moss formally requested “the feds call a ‘time-out’ and not attend Def Con this year.”

But that has since smoothed over. “I think the record presence of both representative and administration reflect the reality that technology and security are built into our society,” Moss told CNN Business.

“We are trying to breakdown the barriers between the people in tech who know what they’re doing and the people in Congress who know how to take that knowledge to make laws,” said Stupak, who is also a fellow at Cyber Policy Initiative at the University of Chicago.

Among the lawmakers slated to travel to Vegas for the event are Sen. Ron Wyden, Rep. Eric Swalwell and Rep. Ted Lieu.

Def Con will, as it has in years past, host a series of election-related events, including hackers demonstrating potential vulnerabilities in real voting machines.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2019 Cable News Network, Inc., a Time Warner Company. All rights reserved.

We want to hear from you.

Have a story idea or tip? Send it to the KSL NewsRadio team here.

All News

Sand mountain riding....

Adam Small

Staffing Little Sahara with emergency workers is costing Juab County hundreds of thousands

Little Sahara Recreation Area is expecting many visitors for Easter weekend. In the past, the area saw up to 50,000 visitors for the holiday.

2 minutes ago

SWAT...

Kennedy Camarena

Suspect arrested after standoff with SLCPD and SWAT team

SLCPD and SWAT arrested a 26-year-old man Thursday night for threatening a woman. He reportedly said he was going to kill her and then pulled out a knife.

33 minutes ago

political text messages...

Michael Camit

Dodging political scammers during election year

During elections years, political scammers will target voters to try to get their personal information warns the BBB.

1 hour ago

Left: Actor Tom Wilson performs onstage in May 2005, (Frazer Harrison, Getty Images) Right: Crispin...

Jeff Caplan

Jeff Caplan’s Minute of News: Do bullies grow up to make more money?

A new study from the University of Essex found that schoolyard bullies grow up to make more money.

2 hours ago

"Godzilla x Kong" could have gone without a number of special effects....

Steve Salles

KSL Movie Show review: ‘Godzilla x Kong’ would have been better with more story, less flash

The non-stop, splashy action of 'Godzilla x Kong' started to run together like a psychedelic, neon-tinted kaleidoscope.

3 hours ago

Louis Gosset Jr....

BETH HARRIS Associated Press

Louis Gossett Jr., 1st Black man to win supporting actor Oscar, dies at 87

Actor Louis Gossett Jr. has died at the age of 87. He won an Oscar and an Emmy winner for his role in the seminal TV miniseries "Roots".

3 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

Mother and cute toddler child in a little fancy wooden cottage, reading a book, drinking tea and en...

Visit Bear Lake

How to find the best winter lodging in Bear Lake, Utah

Winter lodging in Bear Lake can be more limited than in the summer, but with some careful planning you can easily book your next winter trip.

Happy family in winter clothing at the ski resort, winter time, watching at mountains in front of t...

Visit Bear Lake

Ski more for less: Affordable ski resorts near Bear Lake, Utah

Plan your perfect ski getaway in Bear Lake this winter, with pristine slopes, affordable tickets, and breathtaking scenery.

front of the Butch Cassidy museum with a man in a cowboy hat standing in the doorway...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

Looking Back: The History of Bear Lake

The history of Bear Lake is full of fascinating stories. At over 250,000 years old, the lake has seen generations of people visit its shores.

silhouette of a family looking over a lake with a bird in the top corner flying...

Bear Lake Convention and Visitors Bureau

8 Fun Activities To Do in Bear Lake Without Getting in the Water

Bear Lake offers plenty of activities for the whole family to enjoy without having to get in the water. Catch 8 of our favorite activities.

Wellsville Mountains in the spring with a pond in the foreground...

Wasatch Property Management

Advantages of Renting Over Owning a Home

Renting allows you to enjoy luxury amenities and low maintenance without the long-term commitment and responsibilities of owning a home.

Clouds over a red rock vista in Hurricane, Utah...

Wasatch Property Management

Why Southern Utah is a Retirement Paradise

Retirement in southern Utah offers plenty of cultural and recreational opportunities. Find out all that this region has to offer.

Lawmakers embrace hackers in Vegas as 2020 election looms