MSM gets 0wN3D at DefCon. by Fremdfirma

REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

MSM gets 0wN3D at DefCon.

POSTED BY: FREMDFIRMA
UPDATED: Wednesday, August 8, 2007 05:56
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Wednesday, August 8, 2007 3:45 AM

Original URL - http://blogs.pcworld.com/staffblog/archives/005078.html

The DefCon security conference is buzzing after an undercover NBC "Dateline" reporter fled the building after being publicly exposed for using a spy camera to film attendees.

DefCon organizer Jeff Moss called out Michelle Madigan, an Associate Producer for NBC-Universal, from stage during the "Tactical Exploitation" session.

"It came to our attention that a reporter might be here with a hidden pinhole camera," Moss told the crowd, which he said left two options. One was to let her corner some 13-year-old kid and get him to admit to hacking. The other was to escort her away.

Amidst clapping and jeering from the crowd, Madigan quickly left, followed by a good-sized crowd of reporters and attendees. And ironically, became the big story she had hoped to capture.

According to a senior security staff member who goes by the name Priest, a number of unnamed attendees tipped off conference staff about Michelle Madigan's plans to use a hidden camera at the conference. All of us press signed an agreement to not take photos or video without express permission, so using a hidden camera is a major rule-breaker.

"We knew from the moment she took off," Priest said.

Another Defcon 'goon,' or security person, who wants to stay anonymous says he asked Madigan if she wanted press credentials when she arrived, but she turned him down. He asked if she wanted to see the press rules and regulations, and she again said no. Amazingly, he says Madigan then said she had to go to the bathroom and put on a hidden camera.

Not the most adept attempt at going undercover. Her hidden camera was inside a black bag Madigan carried over her shoulder, the security person says. The bag is visible in the image above.

According to the security person, it was "painfully obvious that [Madigan] was panning her purse around the room."

Basically, Madigan badly screwed up here. She didn't only violate DefCon's clear rules - she crossed the line for journalistic ethics. She's got no sympathy here in the press room as I write this.

Ironically, the drama may bring to light some similarities between the hackers and the reporters here to cover them.

"Ten percent of you guys, just like ten percent of us, have given you all a bad name," says Priest. "The criminal element is a very small element of this community."

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Wednesday, August 8, 2007 5:27 AM

KANEMAN

The video is hilarious....they chase her out giving her some of her own medicine.....it is a riot.....

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Wednesday, August 8, 2007 5:56 AM

MAL4PREZ

I read in the news that she was actually there to hunt out FBI agents, and the FBI folks turned her in to get rid of her. I'm not saying I believe that, just wondering if anyone else has heard this...

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hmm-burble-blah, blah-blah-blah, take a left

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