Cactus Con 2019 – Hacking and Data Protection

For the first time this year I attended a hacker convention…well, I attended TWO hacker cons but Cactus Con was special because I was accepted as a professional SPEAKER. For those unfamiliar with the idea of hacking conventions a BUNCH of IT Professionals get together to present new ideas, hash on old ideas and teach people new skills/techniques. Some of these discussions are presentation style, others are workshops and more still are “villages”. So, without further adieu, let me tell you about Cactus Con 2019!

About Cactus Con

This event is held in late November or early December every year. It’s currently hosted at the Mesa Convention Center in Mesa, Arizona. Speakers from the world round attend this event to touch base on emerging technologies and to help people focus on ethical hacking. It is also a place for IT Professionals to network and collaborate on new ideas OR to seek help with complicated technological problems. In addition, Cactus Con has one day dedicated each year to the YOUTH of technology. Cactus Con kids hosts workshops, presentations and events that cater to the younger generations and their families.
You can learn more about this event at: https://www.cactuscon.com/

My Experience

I am a professional IT Security Analyst. My focus is on Governance, Risk and Compliance. This year I was accepted to speak about The Impact and Standards of Data Protection Regulations at Cactus Con. As someone who regularly speaks/presents at conventions I was profoundly worried about this talk. I have NEVER presented in front of IT Security Pros on such a level and it wreaked havoc on my nerves. Thanks to the support from some awesome co-workers I persevered and had an AMAZING presentation at this event. It truly astonished me how little so many people know about the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) by the EU or CCPA (California Consumer Privacy Act). There was even confusion around local legislature and future data breach/privacy acts.

I work hard to research upcoming legislation and I understand how tedious the requirements of these acts/laws can be. Post presentation I was asked for my powerpoint by University Faculty, I was interviewed by a local magazine and one of my DISTRICT LAW MAKERS approached me as a SME (Subject Matter Expert) for the new data protection law under development in my state. I was so humbled and honored by the experience. The staff and attendees were fascinating, kind and incredible.

Why YOU Should Attend

If you don’t know about data protection, hacking or IT I HIGHLY recommend this convention. It caters to learning and the speakers are generally very excited to educate others on their experiences. If you are an IT Professional I recommend this event EVEN MORE. Your company could submit a presentation to Cactus Con 2020 and help lead others towards ethical technological methodology.