- DEF CON Singapore was launched by HTX and DEF CON founder Jeff Moss, marking the event’s debut in Southeast Asia. - Speakers emphasised hands-on learning, collaboration and critical thinking as essential to staying ahead of rapidly evolving cyber threats. - The event featured 11 villages and 19 communities, with immersive challenges across various cybersecurity areas. - The HTX Capture the Flag finals showcased cybersecurity talent tackling AI and IoT challenges, highlighting the need for continuous defence. “For systems and solutions to work in the real world, there’s no better way than to test them.” With that key message, HTX’s Chief Executive (CE) Chan Tsan launched the inaugural DEF CON Singapore (SG) together with Jeff Moss, the founder of international cybersecurity and hacking conference DEF CON. Born from a partnership between HTX and DEF CON, with the Centre for Strategic Infocomm Technologies (CSIT) as a strategic partner, the event is part of HTX’s efforts to cultivate and grow the cybersecurity community, ecosystem and talent pool in Singapore and the region. Marking DEF CON’s debut in South-east Asia, Jeff emphasised in his opening speech that what sets the conference apart is not just the technologies showcased, but also the people and experiences that shape them. He underscored the importance of continuously staying ahead through collaboration and adaptation, in the face of rapidly evolving security threats. DEF CON SG plays host to 11 villages and 19 communities dedicated to cybersecurity, including the inaugural Public Safety Village (PSV) by HTX which comprises three immersive zones, each centred on real-world cybersecurity challenges. In one section, a crowd buzzed around an autonomous robotic dog, with participants attempting to hack its network and disrupt communication between the robot and its control app. DEF CON first-timer Gaurav Manek, the founder of a Singapore med-tech start-up, lauded the