For the uninitiated, cybersecurity extravaganza DEF CON may seem like any other conference heavy on handshakes and deal-making. If that’s what you think the inaugural Singapore edition of the event is going to be like, read this article. Till. The. End. Held annually in Las Vegas, DEF CON typically features thousands of hackers, many of whom are inclined to do what they do best (hack things, of course). And they will do so either via official channels like the popular Capture the Flag competitions or, well, whatever else they can get their hands on – including your laptop or mobile phone. DEF CON SG isn’t expected to be any different. So bear in mind the following DO NOTs before you head on down to the convention. 1. DO NOT trust any network That “Free DEFCON WiFi” network? Don’t even think about connecting to it, or any other seemingly official network that’s available. Connecting to random networks at DEF CON is a surefire way to get your devices compromised. After all, hackers tend to compete among themselves when it comes to intercepting, spoofing and just messing around with network traffic at DEF CON – but in the name of fun, of course. Still, harmless prank or not, it’s best to err on the side of caution. We’d suggest you use a Virtual Private Network (VPN) or a hotspot. Some people would even go to the extent of using burner phones at DEF CON. 2. DO NOT plug random USB drives into your laptop You wouldn’t stuff a random cookie you found lying around in your mouth (or would you?). So don’t stick a random USB stick you find lying around DEF CON into your laptop. At DEF CON, “free USB” is basically a guise for “please install malware on yourself”. Rule