According to the conference organisers, Ruxcon focuses on "offensive" hacking techniques, as well as defensive security methodologies designed to combat them. The conference will allow attendees to refine their capabilities, potentially leading to an increase in the general skill-level of Australian hackers.
However the group organising the event claim that it's not just for "underground" hackers, but is "...an attempt to bring together the individual talents of the Australian computer security sector".
Kdz, one of the self-described "sometimes underground" hackers in charge of organising the conference, says for too long vendors have dominated security events. He said it was time to organise a conference that took the focus off products and put it back on disseminating technical information.
"We did not want to turn the conference into a sales and marketing exercise for security companies. The typical security conferences you see in Australia today are all about selling products and services," Kdz told ZDNet Australia .
The Ruxcon conference will be held over two days, and will feature hacking competitions, presentations and "hands-on" workshops.
Kdz says the idea for the conference had been bouncing around for a few years. He said the conference was originally going to be held in a scout hall, "...but the project never successfully took off".
But, older and wiser, Kdz says this time "...we are better organised and are attempting to reach a wider audience".
Despite Kdz's assertion that the conference is for everyone, there will be a strong underground attendance. Rumours are circulating that several "invitation only" events and informal workshops will be held for the more elite members of Australia's hacking underground.
"As with any cool conference, there will of course be invite only dinners, pub crawls, etc," Kdz said.
Ruxcon is being held at the University of Technology, Sydney (UTS) on the 12th-13th of April. Ruxcon have no official tie to UTS.
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