The Black Hat Briefings are a series of highly technical information security conferences that bring together thought leaders from all facets of the infosec world – from the corporate and government sectors to academic and even underground researchers. The environment is strictly vendor-neutral and focused on the sharing of practical insights and timely, actionable knowledge. Black Hat remains the best and biggest event of its kind, unique in its ability to define tomorrow’s information security landscape.

In addition to the large number of short, topical presentations in the Briefings, Black Hat also provides hands-on, high-intensity, multi-day Trainings. The Training sessions are provided by some of the most respected experts in the world and many also provide formal certifications to qualifying attendees. Arrangements can also be made to bring Black Hat’s trainers to your location for private and customized training.

Black Hat’s decade of leadership attracts the most prestigious names from the full spectrum of security thinkers, and ensures that the conference stays on the leading edge of new security trends as they emerge. Our commitment to delegate feedback also helps keep our presentations aligned to the needs and desires of our delegates.

From its inception in 1997, Black Hat has grown from a single annual conference in Las Vegas to a global conference series with annual events in Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, Las Vegas and Washington DC. It has also become a premiere venue for elite security researchers and the best security trainers to find their audience.


Founder & Director
Jeff Moss, aka The Dark Tangent - Founder of Black Hat and DEFCON, Homeland Security Advisory Council Member

Jeff Moss has been a hacker for over twenty years. In 1992, Jeff founded DEFCON, the largest hacker community and gathering in the world. Five years later, he started Black Hat, a series of technical conferences featuring the latest security research. In 2009, Jeff was appointed to the Homeland Security Advisory Council, a group of subject matter experts providing advice to the Secretary. Jeff is also a contributing author to "Stealing the Network," a series of books combining stories that are fictional with technology that is real, and executive producer of a documentary film about the history of hacking to be released in late 2010.

Jeff is uniquely qualified with his ability to bridge the gap between the underground researcher community and law enforcement, between the worlds of pure research and responsible application. As such, he is a popular keynote speaker at events for the Air Force and DoD and regularly referenced in the Associated Press, CNN, New York Times, Reuters, and the Wall Street Journal.

Prior to Black Hat, Jeff was a director at Secure Computing Corporation where he helped establish the Professional Services Department in the United States, Asia, and Australia. He has also worked for Ernst & Young, LLP in their Information System Security division. Jeff graduated with a BA in Criminal Justice from Gonzaga University.