A Tale of Two Cons: Black Hat’s AI Hype vs. DEF CON’s Wi-Fi Reality

Black Hat and DEF CON. Held in the same city, back-to-back, these two conferences are a world apart in their focus. While Black Hat USA 2025 was a sea of “AI-powered” solutions, cloud security, and vulnerability management, DEF CON 33 was a testament to the fundamentals—a playground where insecure networks are still ripe for the picking. 

For those of us with a background in network access and identity, it’s a telling and somewhat frustrating observation. The industry’s gaze has shifted so intensely toward the latest buzzwords that we’ve seemed to forget the foundational layers of security. This isn’t the first time we’ve seen this happen. 

The Wi-Fi Security Conversation We Forgot 

There was a time when Wi-Fi security was a hot topic. The introduction of the WEP protocol and the subsequent revelation of its fundamental flaws made headlines. This led to WPA and WPA2, each hailed as a solution that would finally put the problem to rest. Yet, as each new protocol emerged, so did new attack vectors. 

Around the early 2010s, Wi-Fi security discussions started to fade from the main stage. The reasons are a complex blend of factors. State-sponsored attacks like Stuxnet changed the conversation, making supply chain security a major concern. The rise of cloud computing meant that application security and protecting cloud environments became the new priorities. Perhaps most significantly, the proliferation of mobile devices and the Internet of Things (IoT) created a whole new category of devices to secure, shifting our focus away from the network itself. 

The result was a slow but steady drop in the industry’s focus on Wi-Fi security. Now, in 2025, that spotlight is squarely on AI. 

The Simple Attacks We’re Ignoring 

What the industry’s distraction overlooks is how easily attackers can still compromise wireless networks with inexpensive, off-the-shelf tools. This is something I got to see firsthand at DEF CON. 

I joined the “Hard Hat Brigade,” a project where you build a wearable computer system into a hardhat. I loaded mine with Kismet, a tool for scanning and identifying wireless networks, and set out to perform some “wardriving”—the act of scanning for Wi-Fi while on the move. What I found was a sobering reminder of the sad state of Wi-Fi security. 

My scans revealed that insecure Wi-Fi was widespread, with most vulnerable networks using older authentication protocols mentioned earlier like WEP and WPA. A notable exception was the local casinos, which, unsurprisingly, demonstrated robust security practices, likely in response to recent industry breaches. This hands-on experience perfectly illustrates a critical vulnerability: the use of these obsolete protocols makes a network an easy target for readily available tools like Aircrack-ng, which can be used to steal passwords. 

These aren’t sophisticated, state-sponsored attacks. They are simple, easily executed exploits that require minimal technical skill. Devices like the Hak5 Wi-Fi Pineapple can act as rogue access points, tricking your phone into connecting to a fake network so an attacker can intercept your traffic. Tools like the Flipper Zero can perform Wi-Fi deauthentication attacks, which kick a device off a legitimate network so it can be lured onto the attacker’s fake one. 

It’s a low-effort, high-reward approach for an attacker. The prevalence of insecure Wi-Fi at DEF CON, despite the attendees being some of the most security-conscious people in the world, is a powerful reminder that our collective complacency has created a persistent and significant vulnerability. 

The Problem with Passwords 

This is where the rubber meets the road. While open networks are the most vulnerable, even networks that rely on a single, shared password can be easily compromised. 

While many view a password as a strong lock, it’s more like a shared key that is easily compromised by human error, reuse, or brute-force attacks. The only true defense is to eliminate passwords entirely. 

The best way to do this is with certificate-based authentication over 802.1x. This method completely removes the password from the equation. Instead of a shared secret, each device is assigned a unique, cryptographically secure digital certificate. This makes it impossible for an attacker to steal a shared password or forge a connection, ensuring that only trusted devices can access the network. 

The chasm between Black Hat’s AI-heavy agenda and the real-world insecurity demonstrated at DEF CON is a microcosm of a larger issue in cybersecurity. For all the talk of generative AI and the future of cybersecurity, a simple Wi-Fi deauthentication attack or a rogue access point can still reveal an ocean of insecure Wi-Fi networks just waiting to be exploited. It’s not a choice between securing AI and securing Wi-Fi; it’s a call for balance. We must continue to innovate against emerging threats while never forgetting to secure the basics that are still so often left exposed. 

Article written by: Garrett Gross, Vice President of Applied Engineering at Portnox.