The annual pilgrimage to Las Vegas for Black Hat USA 2024 has concluded, and as always, it did not disappoint. From August 3 to August 8, the Mandalay Bay Convention Center was abuzz with the latest in cybersecurity trends, research, and discussions that are sure to influence the industry in the coming year. With keynotes that tackled global challenges, briefings that dived into the depths of emerging threats, and an undeniable focus on data breaches, Black Hat USA 2024 provided attendees with invaluable insights and strategies to strengthen their environment for the year ahead.
One of the most anticipated events of the conference was the opening keynote on August 7, “Democracy’s Biggest Year: The Fight for Secure Elections Around the World.” Delivered by an esteemed panel that included Jen Easterly, Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and Hans de Vries, Chief Cybersecurity and Operations Officer at the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), this session explored the criticality of protecting democratic processes. With elections looming in several major countries, the discussion highlighted how international cooperation is key to ensuring the integrity of electoral systems.
Equally engaging was the Fireside Chat on August 8 with Moxie Marlinspike, founder of Signal, and Jeff Moss, the visionary behind Black Hat and DEF CON. The conversation provided a deep dive into the ethical challenges and prospects of encrypted communications, especially in an era where data breaches and surveillance are rampant. Their dialogue not only covered the technical aspects but also the societal implications of encryption, privacy, and the role of secure communications in maintaining personal freedoms.
This year, the software supply chain was a dominant theme, reflecting the industry’s growing concern over vulnerabilities in both open-source and proprietary software. The shadow of recent high-profile disruptions, such as the CrowdStrike update issue that led to widespread outages, loomed large over many sessions. While this incident wasn’t a cyberattack, it highlighted just how fragile the software supply chain can be and the potential for catastrophic impacts if these systems are compromised. CrowdStrike’s prompt and effective resolution of the outage was met with praise, as they minimized the disruption and reinforced community trust in their capability to manage unexpected challenges.
A particularly insightful session was Danny Jenkins’ talk on “Understanding and Reducing Supply Chain and Software Vulnerability Risks.” Jenkins, the CEO of ThreatLocker, explored the intricate web of dependencies in modern software development and the myriad ways in which these can be exploited. He emphasized the urgent need for organizations to adopt more stringent security practices, such as continuous monitoring and supply chain audits, to mitigate the risks posed by third-party software components.
The discussion around supply chain security was further enriched by presentations like “Secure Shell in Shambles” by HD Moore and Rob King, which dissected the aging Secure Shell protocol. They revealed how vulnerabilities in this ubiquitous technology could be exploited, providing a stark reminder that even out most trusted tools can become liabilities if not properly maintained.
AI was another focal point at Black Hat 2024, with discussions oscillating between its potential as a transformative tool for cybersecurity and the risks it introduces. The initial enthusiasm around AI’s capabilities has matured into a more nuanced understanding of how it can be effectively integrated into security operations, and what dangers it may bring.
Chris Wysopal’s session, “From HAL to HALT: Thwarting Skynet’s Siblings in the GenAI Coding Era,” was particularly thought-provoking. Wysopal, a co-founder of Veracode, discussed the vulnerabilities inherent in AI-generated code and the new challenges posed by AI-driven development tools like GitHub Copilot. He warned that these tools, while increasing coding efficiency, could also introduce subtle, hard-to-detect flaws into software systems, potentially leading to widespread vulnerabilities.
Another standout was the presentation by Liv Matan from Tenable, titled “Jenga Tower: The Precarious Nature of Cloud Security in the AI Era.” Matan highlighted a critical remote code execution vulnerability in Google Cloud Platform (GCP), dubbed ‘CloudImposer.’ This session served as a reminder that while cloud platforms offer tremendous benefits, they also magnify the impact of any security flaw, making proactive security more important than ever.
Black Hat is renowned for its hands-on training sessions, and 2024 was no different. The training courses offered at the conference were more popular than ever, covering a wide range of topics from cloud security to ethical hacking. These sessions provided attendees with practical skills and knowledge that they can immediately apply in their work environments.
One training that stood out was the deep dive into cloud security, reflecting the growing reliance on cloud-based services in enterprises today. With cloud environments being a prime target for cyber attackers, these sessions provided invaluable insights into securing cloud infrastructure, implementing zero-trust architectures, and responding to cloud-specific threats.
The Black Hat Business Hall was a hive of activity, where vendors showcase their latest tools. Many vendors, such as CrowdStrike and Trend, had interactive kiosks where attendees could try their products for themselves. This year, the emphasis was on practical solutions to emerging threats, with many vendors highlighting tools designed to enhance AI-driven security operations and improve supply chain security. In startup alley, emerging companies and innovations such as VulnCheck had their own section of the business hall to promote their offerings.
The Innovators & Investors Summit was a new addition that drew significant attention. This summit provided a platform for startups to pitch their solutions to a panel of investors and industry leaders, with the aim of supporting innovation in the cybersecurity space. The Startup Spotlight Competition was particularly exciting, with emerging companies showcasing groundbreaking technologies that could shape the future of cybersecurity.
As Black Hat USA 2024 wrapped up, the key takeaways were clear: maintaining a layered and strong security strategy is only becoming more complex with threats emerging from all directions—whether it’s AI, the software supply chain, or the Dark Web. The insights gained from this year’s conference reinforce the need for a proactive, integrated approach to cybersecurity. For security teams, the challenge is not just to keep up with these developments but to stay ahead of them. By embracing innovation, fostering collaboration, and maintaining a vigilant stance against threats, we can hope to build a more secure digital future.
Until next year, Black Hat.
AUTHOR
Josh Parsons
Josh is the Product Manager at Enzoic, where he leads the development and execution of strategies to bring innovative threat intelligence solutions to market. Outside of work, he can be found at the nearest bookstore or exploring the city’s local coffee scene.