A hacker's convention held annually in Las Vegas since 1993. Coined from "DEFCON" (DEFense CONdition), the term for the defense readiness of the U.S. Armed Forces, DEF CON includes lectures on cracking computers and networks and holds contests to see who can break a code the fastest.
The program schedule is reviewed by vendors and government entities, which have an interest in the information being divulged. In 2025, more than 25,000 people attended DEF CON at the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall. See
Black Hat USA.