Part 1: Our hacker brains are pre-wired to find alternate uses for many devices, but most often we're "on the grid" and close to our precious electronics and high speed internet. What would happen if you find yourself stranded in the middle of nowhere, become lost during a simple daytime hike, or wake up in the midst of a natural disaster? Over the past year, I have gone to "the middle of nowhere" armed with my video camera, a la survivorman, to demonstrate how your hacker skills are largely compatible with the skills necessary to survive in the wilderness or during a natural disaster. Using demonstrations of simple techniques, some ancient and others more modern, this presentation will show you that your hacker ingenuity is well-suited to helping you survive the worst.
Part 2: Large scale emergency and disaster survival (RenderMan) Introduction: We as hackers are a unique breed of human. We look at the world as a puzzle to solve in everything we do. We can come up with the most extraordinary solutions to problems under the most extraordinary circumstances. However though, we are the first to admit that without technology, many of us are rather useless. Do we have what it takes to think outside the box if the internet and technology suddenly went away? Society in general is becoming more and more dependent on technology, what skills are likely to be missing or forgotten in the event of a major cataclysm? Many of us could survive for short term disasters, but what about long term, society rebooting events? Could we be useful in rebuilding society by taking steps to preserve useful knowledge?
<strong>RenderMan</strong> is a Canadian born and raised hacker who spends way too much time figuring out ways of inserting electronics into treasured childhood toys. A frequent speaker at hacker and security cons around the world, he has also help author 2 books, RFID security and Kismet Hacking, both from Syngress. Consultant by trade, hacker by birth, fedora by fashion.<br /><br /> As co-refounder of the Church of Wifi and recent member of the NMRC, he spends his time adding to his expansive collection of con badges and thinking of new ways to subvert wireless networks and childhood memories.
<strong>Michael "theprez98" Schearer</strong> spent nearly nine years in the United States Navy as an EA-6B Prowler Electronic Countermeasures Officer. His military experience includes aerial combat missions over both Afghanistan and Iraq and 9 months on the ground doing counter-IED work with the U.S. Army. He is a graduate of the Department of Defense's Survival, Evasion, Resistance and Escape (SERE) School as well as other survival and outdoor training. Michael is a licensed amateur radio operator, an active member of the Church of WiFi, and enjoys spending time outdoors. He lives in Maryland with his wife and four children.