Looking to start a local "citysec" meetup, or just trying to figure out what's keeping yours from being successful? Join key hosts from Chicagoland's (now global) BurbSec Information Security Meetup Network for a panel discussing 15 years of lessons learned from hosting the world's most successful meetups. Don't start yet another expensive, annoying con when what you really need is a cheap and easy meetup!

Meshtastic excels in emergencies and off-grid communication but can falter when adversaries exploit vulnerabilities. This open-source platform enables decentralized, long-range communication via LoRa-based mesh networks, ideal for remote or crisis scenarios. However, it also introduces security risks, including physical attacks, privacy leaks, poor key management, and susceptibility to jamming. This talk analyzes Meshtastic’s encryption and authentication mechanisms, highlighting potential compromises and demonstrating how attackers can exploit these flaws. We'll provide technical breakdowns, simulated attack scenarios, and real-world case studies, equipping attendees with actionable insights to secure their mesh networks effectively. Whether you're a hobbyist exploring off-grid communications or a security expert assessing decentralized systems, you'll leave armed with the knowledge and strategies to protect your Meshtastic devices. Join us to explore the critical vulnerabilities within mesh network security and learn how to fortify these powerful yet potentially fragile systems.