This year, BlackHat USA was held on the 6th and 7th of August 2025, directly followed by DEFCON from the 8th through the 10th of August. On the morning of Saturday the 9th, I gave my DEFCON workshop. I represented Trellix during the conferences.
Unlike other years, I did not talk at the BlackHat (Arsenal), but it was great to see Lisa Hatley-Nasr, Dr. Bramwell Brizendine, and NJ, along with many others! My Ghidra tshirt was a great conversation opener, while also matching my Ghidra-related workshop that was yet to come.
The organisation of the conference was, once again, excellent. The experience goes from start to finish: when checking-in, going to talks, interacting in the business hall, and while visiting the Arsenal space. BlackHat is, like many of the summercamp conference, a place where you have a goal, but rarely ever make it to your destination on time because you bump into a dozen or so people who strike up an interesting conversation. Some of them you might already know, some of them you do not. But by the time you leave, you have made new friends along the way. This edition was no different.
DEFCON is adjusting itself to the convention center as its location, meaning that floor plans tends to shift over time and aren’t as ironed out as they used to be in the previous location(s). The larger space (both in area but also in height of the venue itself) is something I see as an advantage. The dimly lit casino floors might bring back memories for those who are used to the previous locations, but I feel that the convention center provides a better experience to connect with like-minded folks. Additionally, the queues seem to be shorter in the new venue. Lastly, I feel as if the temperature within the convention center is more controllable than the one within the second floor casino hallways and meeting rooms. This makes the experience indoors more enjoyable, as the outdoor temperature is already sufficiently hot regardless.
My four hour workshop regarding Ghidra automation went well. I’ve had several people come to me later on who expressed their gratitude, which made me really happy. The difficulty of the exercises within the workshop rose gradually throughout the four hours. There were aspiring reverse engineers as well as seasoned veterans in attendance, who all walked away with new tidbits of knowledge as well as improved skills.
The workshop location was in the North Hall, which meant you could stay indoors when moving from the main DEFCON area to the workshop area! It also meant that the rooms were different! This year, the rooms were larger and could easily fit 30 people. I think there was room for nearly 70 people, but there is no way to help 70 attendees when running a workshop alone. This made it easy for people to have sufficient room, power outlets, and fresh cool air.
I hope to return in 2026 and see you all once again!
To contact me, you can e-mail me at [info][at][maxkersten][dot][nl], or DM me on BlueSky @maxkersten.nl.