Security SIG (SecSIG) is here to harmonize your physical and cyber security Feng Shui.
To do this, we will be providing you with fun and challenging things to do, potentially at your next Mensa event.
This fall, we will be at the NTM RG with a whole room dedicated to fancy stuff like build your own computer, play some games, experience virtual reality, or learn to pick locks!
We are friendly to all ages and will have content for kids up through their grand parents. Grand parents do not need to have a child to attend.
So, there are some suggested prerequisites. You’ve taken a test or two, so listen up… here are your directions.
1) If you want to play games, bring a computer that is capable of playing games. We’ll provide you power and internet. We may also suggest a time to play certain games so we can get teams together. Who knows how many of you will want to do this, so best to email info@secsig.org to reserve your spot.
2) So you wanna build a computer? You’re gonna need some parts – and not just any parts. We’re talking a Raspberry PI 3B+. All in, you’re probably looking at about $65 if you go to our corporate overlords at Amazon. We are not Amazon. We do not have a 30 second shipping guarantee. That being said, we may have a few kits, but don’t plan on it. If you want to enjoy this activity, take action. Be proactive. On the other hand, we will be providing a monitor, keyboard, mouse, power and internet during workshops, so there is that.
3) Everything else is free. Free as in, there may be a line that you’re welcome to stand in if you want to use our stuff.1
This year, we will also be talking a lot. About what you ask? Well, about how to protect yourself online and probably something about blockchain, because everything is better with blockchain. Come see us in the main track for that.
There may also be a secret competition that were not allowed to talk about. See, I’ve said too much already.
So, come chat with us at the SecSIG room, bring your gaming computer and a frosty adult beverage, or check out our talks in the main track.
Here is the proposed agenda.
LANParty!
SecSIG Room
Want to try Virtual Reality or sit down for a great Fortnite Battle Royale with
some new friends? We hear ya. So, we will have a dedicated space with high
speed internet and plenty of power. Bring your best gaming rig and a six pack
of something. The SecSIG room will be open every day after lunch to way late
for all of your pwning noob needs.
Check the schedule in the room for the games we will be featuring, but we’re
sure to have PUBG, Fortnite, an Oculus Rift Virtual Reality Headset and an Xbox
One. We would like to have space for about 8 gamers with their rigs in addition
to our common equipment, so sign up early to reserve your space or come enjoys
ours.
Come see us after hours for a more competitive challenge. Beer, Vodka and Duct
Tape may be involved.
SecSIG Room
Still think that computer thing is just a fad? Have we got a deal for you. For
just $50 you can have your own modern computer, capable of running office
applications, surfing the internet and doing fancy things like programming.
Seriously, we want to get a computer into everyone’s hands. So much so that
we’re going to help you setup your own Raspberry PI. Sounds yummy right?
Raspberry PI comes to us from a non-profit foundation in the UK who has the
goal of getting modern, cheap and full featured computers into every child’s
hands. Fancy, right? So, the deal is we may have a limited number of these to
give away, or if you want to guarantee your ability to work through all of our
labs, buy yours now on Amazon. Either way, you should walk away with a
full-blown computer capable of doing school work, programming, playing some
games, surfing the internet and even hooking up wires and stuff to see what it
does!
The lab will run every day from 9:30 to noon in the SecSIG room. We’ll provide
a few monitors, keyboards and mice for the lab space as well as a coach to help
you get started. You bring your Raspberry PI and we’ll show you how to make it
from a kit, set it up and do crazy projects with it. This is perfect for kids
to not kids as there are absolutely no skills required. Just be curious and
willing to learn something new.
As mentioned, we may have a limited number of these available. If you want to
be sure to get one, order yours today from Amazon, or take a trip down to
Fry’s, Microcenter, etc. Here are the links of the two parts you’ll need.
Raspberry PI Kit (https://amzn.to/2MyeW9R)
Memory Card (https://amzn.to/2P1Xpnb)
And if you want to know more about the Raspberry PI Foundation, you can check
them out here.
Raspberry PI Foundation (http://bit.ly/2PAnlYa)
NOTE: I know we discussed the idea of NTM potentially
providing some RaspberryPIs. That’s perfect if possible. The two links I’ve
provided are for the kits and the memory cards. It is a little north of $50,
but less than $60. My preference, if you do this, is to receive the memory
cards so I can preload them and to have you provide any Raspberry Pi kits at the
time of the RG, if possible. If not, we can do the memory cards at the time of
the event, but it will take each card about 10 minutes (in serial) to be
programmed. So, if I have six people who need me to load cards, it will take a
full hour to just get them up and running before the last person begins.
I can provide monitors, keyboards and mice for 6 stations. If you want more
than that we should discuss staffing, space and resources.
SecSIG Room
Yeah, not kidding. Come by and we’ll teach you how to pick locks for fun. Now
some people look askance at us when we say that. Not to worry. This is actually
a well-recognized sport and were your gateway to hours of fun. Seriously, we
will have training locks and pick sets as well as some instructional
presentations to show you how it works. Think of it like a progressively
difficult puzzle you can do with your eyes closed. Do you have the hands to pop
our lock? We think so.
We will be doing this village in the SecSIG room every day after lunch to
whenever we close. Stop by and we’ll get you started.
Check out TOOOL, a great non-profit organization that supports amateur
locksport groups worldwide here.
The Open Organization of Lockpickers (http://toool.org)
Blockchain Explored
Main Track
Let’s discuss what blockchain really is, why it’s useful and what its
challenges are as it silently works its way into our economy. More
specifically, let’s talk about the strategy of implementing it, what are the
inflection points where the technology is likely to become more useful, and why
you should ignore the noise out there about Bitcoin.
This talk is a heads down, Mensa speed drive through the technology where we
will focus on some fundamentals, but mostly on what’s likely to be next in this
field. Plenty to discuss, disagree about and even go write some code in support
of. Bring your best arguments for or against the technology as there is plenty
of room for forward looking, grossly speculative and mostly unsupported
statements about where this train is going.
Did you miss the talk? Come see us in the SecSIG room where all Bitcoin
conversations can be had for token indulgences of Beer and Food.
Main Track
Ever feel utterly exposed as you go about your life online? Tired of wondering
if you cleared your browser history before leaving the house? We hear you. More
to the point, we see you – online.
So, let’s talk cybersecurity. Like basic hygiene, there are things that if you
just learn to do, everyone will like you more. You’ll have friends, and not
just the scary ones that want you to buy them gift cards to pay off your IRS
tax bill.
Cybersecurity is changing fast and the threats are real. This session will give
you some practical tools for protecting your online identity and securing your
personal information. We’re not going to scare you and talk about how your
identity is already owned by seriously well funded adversaries, but rather,
what you can do that is pragmatic, easy and will reduce your overall risk.