How To Sneak In To a Security Conference 189
jfruh writes "You'd think that, of all events, security conferences would have tight security. But one anonymous human pen tester managed to sneak into the RSA conference without credentials, using tried and true techniques like waving a badge from another conference at security guards and slipping in through exits."
The RSA Conference isn't protecting secrets (Score:4, Informative)
The RSA conference, like most industry conferences, is in very large part a sales conference for industry products. There's no reason for it to be particularly secure (obviously, they want to maintain some security to maintain ticket prices and the marketing value of the information gathered along with those sales), a few extra people coming in without paying isn't a huge deal (whereas intrusive security measures that inconvenience legitimate ticketed attendees would be.)
Its not like the conference presents eyes-only sensitive material that only ticketed attendees are cleared for and that there is some danger to the conference sponsors if anyone outside gets wind of it. Just because its a conference about security practices and products doesn't mean that it somehow has any particular high-security needs.
Re:Body language is an effective tool (Score:0, Informative)
The important part is the union button.
I've been called out on job sites when I'm there legitimately.
Re:Why? (Score:5, Informative)
You'd think that, of all events, security conferences would have tight security.
Why?
I suspect the cost/hassle of doing more than basic security outweighs the benefit of catching a few people who didn't want to pay the $100 conference fee. I doubt the information being presented is secret and needs protecting. And I imagine of all conference organizers, the organizers of a security conference would have best grasp on this security cost/benefit.
Of course in many conference venues (like the moscone center where the RSA conference is held), you must use the approved contractors that use local union labor to handle things like setup, teardown, electrical, network installation, theatrical services, and security. You don't really get to customize stuff like this too much, so security is probably exactly the same as any other conference at the same venue.
Re:Body language is an effective tool (Score:5, Informative)
You said this as a joke but that you're actually right makes it even funnier. Sometimes I wouldn't bother taking off my lab coat on my way home from work, and you wouldn't believe how much authority that granted me to those I passed into on my way home. People always think the most ridiculous things when they see a lab coat. Was I a rocket scientist, a doctor? A nuclear physicist? Or was I just just a guy who had to wear a lab coat and didn't really do anything that important? Except no one except those that realize how normal lab coats are thinks the last one.