Five Hackers Who Will Rock CYBR.HAK.CON.

Now that OT.SEC.CON 2026 is in the books, we at CYBR.SEC.Community are eagerly shifting attention to the next event: Our first CYBR.HAK.CON.

On May 27, 2026, this new conference lands in Dallas–Fort Worth with a familiar backbone: the same crew that built HOU.SEC.CON over 15 years. Now we're teaming up with pen-testing legend Phillip Wylie (more on him below) to push things forward with hands-on training, interactive villages and important talks from hackers who have fought in the cyber trenches.

Registration is open, and the CYBR.HAK.CON. Call for Papers is live. If you’ve been looking for a place that still values curiosity over branding and craft over hype, this is it.

Below are five people worth following – not just because they’re speaking, but because they represent what this community is supposed to be.

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Phillip Wylie

Phillip has been doing this long enough to remember when “breaking into cybersecurity” didn’t come with a roadmap. So he built one. Between The Pentester BluePrint, his teaching and his podcasts – including as host of our own CYBR.HAK.CAST – he’s helped a generation of practitioners figure out how to get started and how to stick with it.

He’s not just an educator. He’s still in the trenches. Network, app, wireless, social engineering, he’s done the work across disciplines, which is exactly why people listen when he talks.

CYBR.HAK.CON. has his fingerprints all over it. That alone should tell you what kind of event this is going to be.

Where to follow:

X: https://x.com/PhillipWylie
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phillipwylie/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phillipwylie/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pwylie
Company: https://suzulabs.com/

Jason Haddix

Jason moves comfortably between boardrooms and red team engagements, which is rarer than it should be. Former head of global security at Ubisoft, longtime pentest leader, and still someone who clearly enjoys getting hands-on when it counts.

He’s seen both sides of the problem: what it takes to actually secure a global organization, and how attackers pick it apart anyway. That perspective shows up in everything he does: practical, grounded, and usually a few steps ahead of where most conversations are.

Also worth noting: he’s never really left the hacker side of things. CTFs, talks, writing — he stays plugged into the culture, not just the strategy decks.

CYBR.HAK.CAST appearance:

Where to follow:

X: https://x.com/Jhaddix
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhaddix/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/j.haddix56/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jason.haddix.9
Company: https://www.arcanum-sec.com

Dustin Dykes

If you’ve spent any time around the Dallas security scene, you’ve probably crossed paths with Dustin or benefited from something he helped build. Founder of the Dallas Hackers Association, longtime contributor to BSides DFW, and someone who’s been putting in the work for decades.

His background spans military, law enforcement, and more than 25 years of consulting. That mix shows up in how he approaches problems — practical, direct, and not particularly interested in fluff.

He’s also an entrepreneur, with projects like Telesploit reflecting the same mindset: build things that actually work, then share them with the community.

CYBR.HAK.CAST appearance:

Where to follow:

X: https://x.com/DHAhole
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wirefall/
Company: http://www.telesploit.com

Justin Hutchens

Hutch sits at an interesting intersection: technical exploitation and human behavior. His work, whether through The Language of Deception or his research blog, leans into how attackers manipulate systems and people at the same time.

That angle matters more now than it used to. AI is changing the mechanics, but the psychology is still the lever. Hutch spends a lot of time exploring exactly where those lines blur and what that means for defenders.

He’s also one of the more engaging speakers you’ll see at an event like this. Not because he’s flashy, but because he connects dots most people are still treating as separate problems.

CYBR.HAK.CAST appearance:

Where to follow:

X: https://x.com/sociosploit
LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justinhutchens/
Company: http://www.trace3.com
Blog: https://www.sociosploit.com/

Tim Medin

Tim is one of those names that carries weight because of the work behind it. Former SANS instructor, author of SEC560, founder of Red Siege Information Security and someone who’s spent years teaching people how to break things properly. I first got to know him as a faculty member during my time at IANS.

Red teaming, pentesting, vulnerability management — he’s covered the full spectrum. But what stands out is his ability to translate that experience into something others can actually use. That’s harder than it sounds.

At a conference like this, that matters. You don’t just want theory. You want people who can show you how it works when it’s messy, incomplete, and real.

Where to follow: