Behind the Scenes at First U.S. TOTA

by Todd (KE2AEQ) The first U.S. Toilets on the Air was a success! We made 336 FM, SSB, CW, and SSTV QSOs—52 of them “Toilet to Toilet”—with 13 operators being awarded the “Straigh…

Unfortunately, the ICEBlock app is activism theater

At this summer's HOPE conference, Joshua Aaron spoke about ICEBlock, his iPhone app that allows users to anonymously report ICE sightings within a 5 mile radius, and to get notifications when others report ICE sightings near them. You can see the full talk, and the lively/infuriating Q&A, here,

ATM Hacking: Past and Present HOPE_16

This talk explores the evolution of ATM hacking, from classic physical attacks to modern software exploits, using two real-world case studies. Roman will demonstrate how cybercriminals bypass security measures and why banks often stay silent. Attendees will see a live demo of a custom “flusher device” built for a tabletop coin dispenser (reverse-engineered from eBay), highlighting vulnerabilities in cash-handling systems.

How a Handful of Location Data Brokers Actively Track Millions, and How to Stop Them HOPE_16

In the past year, a number of investigations have revealed the outsized role of a few select companies in gathering, storing, and selling the location data of millions of devices - and by extension people - worldwide. These companies largely use technologies which power the online advertising industry in order to collect and disseminate this data. To make matters worse, this data has been both provided to private investigators on the mere assurance that they plan to work with law enforcement, and has been subject to data breaches which put the privacy of millions at risk. This talk will elaborate on the technologies, data flows, and industry players which comprise this complicated ecosystem. Most importantly, it will cover some basic steps you can perform to protect yourself against the wide array of location privacy harms your device subjects you to. The presenters will show tools and techniques they’ve developed to allow users to take back ownership of our devices, rather than our devices owning us.

Activism, Hactivism, and the Law HOPE_16

Protest has become more important and more dangerous in the U.S. It’s harder to know where the line is between safe, lawful protest and actions that can get you sanctioned, arrested, or deported. Alex will discuss how to assess the risks you face in online and in-person protests, ranging from pickets to dropping docs.

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