Thread by @MalwareJake

Vegas is a cesspool. Keep your head on a swivel. Look out for each other. Never leave a drink out of your sight. Some men think this is only a problem for women. It is not.

Years ago (not at BH/DC) I was rufied at an industry security conference in Vegas. 1/

I stayed silent about this for years (getting drugged and robbed is pretty damn embarrassing after all). But last year, coming into #hackerSummerCamp I started talking about this publicly to educate others.

I was beyond lucky in my experience. It was a best case, worst case. 2/

I was at a bar in a casino lobby and got hit by a pair of women working together. They just looked like tourists. One of them sat down and drew me into a conversation. The other one (who I hadn't seen yet), swooped in and drugged my drink while my attention was elsewhere. 3/

When the drugs set in, I was pretty much in automaton mode. They took me back to my room where I apparently opened my safe, gave them my ATM PIN. I handed over cash, one of my phones, and an iPad. I have ZERO memory of any of this. 4/

In fact I missed a speaker check in the next day, so they sent security to my room to find me. I gave a conference presentation I have absolutely no memory of. Incidentally the evals were great. After the talk, I got a few business cards (don't remember that either). 5/

My co-presenters know me well enough to know that I was NOT okay. I ended up going to the ER where they confirmed I had been given a dangerous amount of benzos and some other stuff and was continuing to get worse. Not good. I don't remember much of that either... 6/

I'm not looking for pity. I'm only sharing this for the following reasons:
1. To remove the victim stigma. The offenders drugging people are predators, you're the victim. Don't be ashamed of it - they're professionals at this. You're new at being a victim. 7/

2. People can look totally normal (to someone who doesn't know them well) and still be in a REALLY bad way.
3. We have to watch out for each other. I was flying solo that night (I flew in from Amsterdam, so I was changing a LOT of time zones, friends were asleep). 8/

4. If you need help, say so. Don't let pride get in the way. If you need help, find conference staff or anyone you trust to get help. I'll leave out the details, but I left myself evidence that I knew something was wrong, but I didn't say "HELP!!" to strangers. What a mistake. 9/

I was lucky. Everything I lost was easily replaced. It could have been SO MUCH WORSE. Be smart. Keep your head on a swivel. NEVER leave a drink unattended. Keep your drink in view. I turned away and leaned in to hear something she said and I got rufied in an instant. /FIN