Googler Gets Into Trouble After Joking About 'Attacking' Cyber Security Conference

A humorous tweet most the lack of coin in white-lid hacking and cyber-security research nearly stopped a Googler from attending the ongoing DEF CON hacking conference in Las Vegas, Nevada. According to reports, Google Engineer Matt Linto was kicked out of the iconic Caesars Palace hotel in sin city after jokingly tweeting about wanting to 'attack' the wealthy attendees of BlackHat, a more than commercial cyber-security conference that takes identify correct before DEF CON.

If I had the time, budget, and motive to launch really good attacks in Vegas, I would:

❌ Attack random Defcon nerds who are probably mostly broke and powerless

✔️ Attack ppl at BlackHat who are mode more than likely to be in positions of ability somewhere with 💰 to driblet on tickets

— 💉💉🎉 Ane Matt amidst many (@0xMatt) August 8, 2018

The 'attack' here seemingly referred to cyber-attack/hacking, and not a violent physical deadfall against unsuspecting victims in the existent world. The tweet was posted in response to a fellow DEF CON attendee who tweeted nearly the questionable security of the Wi-Fi network at the venue, given that more than than twenty grand hackers were expected to be present at the event.

Still, Linton got into trouble considering the person he was replying to had a 'protected business relationship', which ways that user's tweets were private and inaccessible to people who were non following them. In the absence of context, his tweet about launching an 'attack' didn't go down well with either the hotel or the city'southward law-enforcement. He was questioned by the constabulary, and had to clarify that he was talking about the "theoretical take chances of having one's phone hacked past DEF CON attendees", rather than mounting an really assail either in the real or in the virtual world.

For more than context, here's the tweet I was replying to. I didn't realize it was a protected tweet & wouldn't evidence for most people, leaving my tweet looking pretty odd hanging out there by itself. That's my error & I definitely regret my careless verb choice! picture show.twitter.com/N09pSnyQrI

— 💉💉🎉 Ane Matt among many (@0xMatt) Baronial 10, 2018

Yet, the damage had been done, and the word 'attack' automatically triggered a flurry of activity from those in accuse of the hotel'south security. With final year'due south tragic massacre at the nearby Mandalay Bay Hotel still fresh in anybody's memory, Ceasars Palace apparently was taking no chances, and before throwing Linton out of their property, gave him a written warning that he'd exist prosecuted if he stepped foot in the hotel always over again.

A clarification for the nice @LVMPD officers who came to discuss this tweet with me:

"Attack" in this context refers to the theoretical risk of having ones _phone hacked_ by #DEFCON attendees. It'due south hacker lingo.

I've spent decades training to salvage lives. I don't take them. https://t.co/K3uGLGGxbW

— 💉💉🎉 Ane Matt among many (@0xMatt) Baronial nine, 2018

Thankfully, though, the confusion was eventually cleared up, and Linton was cleared of any wrongdoing. He was too eventually allowed to return to the hotel, and was able to attend the briefing.