Tor: Spooky Internet for Everyday Criminals – February 2025

February 7, 2025 / roanokeinfosec

Happy New Year! We hope you had a fantastic holiday season and are ready to dive into a year of exciting infosec learning. Our first Roanoke Infosec Exchange (RISE) meeting of 2025 is scheduled for February 13th, and we’re kicking things off with a very serious presentation.

Schrodinger will be giving a talk titled “Tor: Spooky Internet for Everyday Criminals”. He’s provided the following (completely non-satirical) abstract:

“Tor is the darkweb. The darkweb is full of hackers, traffickers, thieves – bad people. The darkweb is a bad place. You are not a bad person. So you don’t go to the darkweb. Bad people hide from the government on the darkweb. You have nothing to hide, since the government takes care of good people like you.

In this talk, we will look into this bad place and learn why it is so bad. We will talk about the evil networking, cryptography, and software used by real criminals every single day. Last of all, I will instruct you on why you should never ever visit this terrible corner of the internet.

There will be no satire. This is all very serious.“

So, prepare yourselves for a very serious and informative evening as we delve into the dark (and apparently very serious) world of Tor. We look forward to seeing you there to start the year off right with some new infosec knowledge!

Meeting Details:

We will be meeting at Virginia Western Community College in the Hall Family Business/Science Building. Take the stairs to the left and go to the third floor and go to the CyberSecurity lab in room M302.

Meeting info:
Virginia Western Community College
Business/Science Building, Room M302
February 13th, 2024 @ 6PM
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ToJyoaMJ5BUy417QA

SANS Holiday Hack Challenge 2024 – December 2024

December 5, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

We’re excited to announce our December RISE meeting!

Calling all cybersecurity enthusiasts! Get ready to unleash your inner cyber sleuth as we explore SANS Holiday Hack Challenge 2024 with our very own Jared Register.

Mark your calendars!

Date: Thursday, December 12th, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Virginia Western, Business/Science Building, Room M302

What to Expect:

This session, much like our popular event last year, will offer a sneak peek into the exciting world of the SANS Holiday Hack Challenge. Jared will guide us through the festive challenges designed to test your cybersecurity skills in a fun and interactive way.

Why You Should Join:

SANS Holiday Hack Challenge is a fantastic game for anyone interested in cybersecurity, regardless of experience level. It’s a Capture the Flag (CTF) competition disguised as a holiday wonderland, brimming with puzzles and challenges that will put your security problem-solving skills to the test.

Remember: SANS Holiday Hack Challenge is not just about holiday cheer; it’s about learning new skills, keeping up with latest trends, and expanding your cybersecurity knowledge.

About the Speaker:

Jared Register is an IT enthusiast and cybersecurity practitioner with over 10 years of experience. He currently serves as a Cybersecurity Engineer at a hospital system and focuses on the “blue team” side of cybersecurity. Jared holds a CISSP and is pursuing his Master’s in Information Systems Security Engineering from SANS.

Meeting Details:

Meeting info:

Virginia Western Community College
Business/Science Building, Room M302
December 12th, 2024 @ 6PM
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ToJyoaMJ5BUy417QA

Online Session: This is an in-person only event! Perhaps next month?

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to level up your cybersecurity skills and embrace the holiday spirit!

See you there!

November 2024 – Connecting the Conference

November 1, 2024November 1, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

Get ready for a spine-tingling November RISE meeting on Thursday, November 14th at 6PM at VWCC (details below). We’ve got a chilling lineup of spooky good tech talks and announcements.

A Hauntingly Good Talk

First up, Ben, Aaron, and Mark of the BSides Roanoke Badge Team will be conjuring up a spellbinding presentation titled “Connecting the Conference”. Prepare to be amazed as they unveil the secrets behind their magical creations. They shared the following:

This presentation isn’t your typical tech talk – prepare to enter the whimsical world of electronic badge creation! We’ll journey through the entire process, from the initial spark of an idea to holding a fully functional, interactive badge in our hands. But this is no ordinary badge. It’s a pocketful of puzzles, a platform for playful hacking, and a testament to the fusion of creativity and technology. Imagine a badge that can communicate with its brethren, battling it out in a silent game of rock, paper, scissors, all thanks to the magic of near-field communication (NFC).

Get ready to explore the fascinating world of microcontrollers, firmware, and the intricate dance of bits and bytes. We’ll unravel the mysteries of crafting a custom circuit board, breathing life into LEDs that blink in Morse code, and even constructing a central “kiosk” that acts as the beating heart of our badge ecosystem. Brace yourself for tales of coding triumphs and troubleshooting tribulations, all seasoned with a dash of humor. We’ll share the secrets of designing puzzles that range from deciphering flashing lights to cracking codes hidden in a “wacky font.” Oh, and be warned, you might even encounter a riddle about an “army of the undead.” By the end, you’ll leave not only with a newfound appreciation for the art of electronic badge building but also be armed with the knowledge to embark on your own badge building adventure.

Call for Dark Arts Demonstrations

Are you a wizard of the digital realm? Do you possess the power to thwart the forces of darkness? We’re seeking skilled practitioners to showcase their abilities in RBTC’s Defense Against the Dark Arts session. Submit your proposal to unleash your arcane knowledge at https://go.vacr.io/2024-dark-arts-rfp.

Don’t miss this opportunity to gather with fellow tech enthusiasts and delve into the shadowy corners of the digital world.

See you there, if you dare!

November 14th Meeting Details

Meeting info:

Virginia Western Community College
Business/Science Building, Room M302
November 14th, 2024 @ 6PM
https://maps.app.goo.gl/ToJyoaMJ5BUy417QA

Online Session: Sign up for the mailing list to get the online session!

October 2024 – Social

October 9, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

We’re a little bummed to share that we couldn’t find a suitable spot for the BSides Badge talk. We apologize for the late notice! We were holding out on some possibilities for a room, but they unfortunately fell through.

But fear not! The awesome speakers are still fired up and ready to dive deep next month. Mark your calendars for November 14th when we’ll finally get to hear all about the BSides Badge. We promise it’ll be worth the wait!

In the meantime, join us for our regular meetup on Thursday, October 10th at 6pm at Starr Hill Pilot Brewery. Let’s grab a drink and chat about all things infosec.

See you there!

September 2024 – No Meeting

September 12, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

Just a quick heads up that there won’t be a RISE meeting tomorrow, September 12th.

We’ll resume our regular meetings in October, and we’ve got a special treat lined up for you! The designers of the BSides Roanoke badge will be joining us to share the process and inspiration behind their creation.Stay tuned for more details on the October 10th meeting!

UPDATE For RISE August 2024 – Canceled

August 7, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

As I’m sure you are aware, the remnants of Hurricane Debby is bringing a sizable amount of rain to Roanoke during our planned meetup. To ensure the safety of everyone, we are going to cancel the social and plan to meet on September 12th.

Be safe and stay dry.

August 2024 – Social @ Starr Hill

August 6, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

It’s been a whirlwind since BSides Roanoke! Now, let’s take a moment to unwind and celebrate with fellow RISE members.

RISE Social at Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage

Join us for a casual social gathering at Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage this Thursday, August 8th! This is a great opportunity to decompress from BSides, share your favorite conference moments, and network with the RISE community in a relaxed setting.

Date: Thursday, August 8th
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Starr Hill Pilot Brewery & Side Stage, 6 Old Whitmore Ave, Roanoke, VA 24016
Location Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/8WDqbytB2AbFiDh77

BSides Feedback Survey

Before we move on, your feedback is crucial! We’d greatly appreciate it if you could take a few minutes to fill out our BSides Roanoke survey! Even if you didn’t attend, your feedback matters to future events. You can find the survey at: https://forms.gle/pWUw4HT5FDUYTjzB8

“Left of Boom: Proactive Strategies on Disaster Recovery” by Rob Garbee with RBTC

Expand your disaster recovery knowledge with RBTC’s upcoming presentation, “Left of Boom: Proactive Strategies on Disaster Recovery.” RISE’s Rob Garbee will share valuable insights on proactive strategies to safeguard your systems and data in the event of an outage. Don’t miss this informative session!

Date: August 15th
Time: 5:30PM
Location: Virginia Western Business Science Building, Room M302
Location Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/VDFTN4kBdDsuSgQK9
Register Here: https://www.rbtc.tech/event/left-of-boom-proactive-strategies-on-disaster-recovery-with-rise/

Upcoming RISE/RBTC Event: Hands-on Security Capture the Flag (CTF) Event

Calling all cybersecurity enthusiasts! Get ready to test your skills and gain practical experience at a co-hosted RISE/RBTC Hands-on Security Capture the Flag (CTF) event. This exciting event promises a fun and challenging competition.

Date: September 10th
Time: 5:00PM – 10PM
Location: VTCRC Training and Events Center, 1691 Innovation Drive, Blacksburg, Virginia 24060
Location Link: https://maps.app.goo.gl/iJRDxhVvGwLip3Zm6
Register Here: https://www.rbtc.tech/event/hands-on-security-capture-the-flag-event-2/

We look forward to seeing you at these upcoming events!

June 2024 – Pivot!!!

June 13, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

Due to unforeseen circumstances, we will not be meeting at Virginia Western Community College as previously scheduled.

Instead, we are excited to announce that we will be gathering at Twisted Track Brewery for a social event. The meeting will commence at 5:30 PM on June 13th at Twisted Track, located at 523 Shenandoah Ave NW, Roanoke, VA 24016. This change in venue promises to offer a relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere for us to connect and unwind together and get ready for BSides Roanoke next month.

Furthermore, I am thrilled to share some exciting news about BSides Roanoke. Our very own Mr. G. and Kontrabear recently had the opportunity to promote the event on WDBJ7. You can watch the segment and learn more about the conference by visiting this link.

BSides Roanoke, which will be taking place on July 12th, promises to be an enriching experience, featuring insightful talks, engaging workshops, and ample networking opportunities. This year’s conference is shaping up to be one of the best yet, and we encourage all members to participate.

To ensure your attendance, please remember to sign up soon. You can find more information and register at bsidesroa.org.

June 2024 – Left of Boom

June 3, 2024 / roanokeinfosec

Hey there! Get ready for an action-packed couple of months!

First things first, let’s talk about our June RISE meeting on June 13th. It’s called “Left of Boom,” a fantastic collaboration between RISE and RBTC. We’re diving deep into proactive IT security strategies. We’ll delve into disaster recovery and business continuity from an IT security perspective, exploring how to identify and mitigate potential risks before they escalate into major security incidents. Our very own Rob Garbee will kick things off with a concise presentation, followed by an interactive discussion on best practices for enhancing IT security resilience.

So, join us at Virginia Western Community College in Room M302 for an evening of knowledge-sharing and networking. Note: there will be a nominal fee of $10 to cover the cost of food and drinks.

Secure your spot by registering here: Link to Register

Secondly, don’t miss out on registering for BSides Roanoke 2024! This event will be held at Virginia Western Community College in the Whitman Theater on July 12th. This is a great opportunity to learn and collaborate with others in the Information Security community. We will have a wide range of talks and workshops that are sure to meet you where you are in your information security journey. From badge hacks, CTF’s or engaging talks about ready-to-use Jupyter Notebooks for large-scale threat hunting, this conference has it all. Check it out and get your ticket now at Link to register

Additional event details can be found at BSidesroa.org.

That’s about all I have for this month. See you on June 13^th and then later at BSides Roanoke 2024!

Directions to Virginia Western Community College
3094 Colonial Ave SW, Roanoke, VA 24015

RISE – Roanoke InfoSec Exchange

The premier InfoSec group in the Roanoke, VA region!