A Hacker’s Guide for Changing The World (and Where do we go from Here?)

The closing session of the I Am The Cavalry track at BSides Las Vegas 2023 was a reflective, interactive discussion led by Josh Corman and Beau Woods, marking the group's first decade. They framed the work as a series of experiments in advocacy, covering empathy, storytelling and building common ground with people who hold power. They also described early attempts to reach regulators and Congress that were often dismissed or misunderstood.

The middle of the session moved through practical tools for changing policy. The speakers described the five motivations they see among hackers, the theory of constraints as a way to find the bottleneck that limits progress, and the value of short, memorable frameworks. They walked through how government is structured, including critical infrastructure sectors, sector risk agencies and the difference between voluntary and mandatory security requirements. Their example of a five-point automotive safety framework showed how small, simple ideas can later appear in formal policy documents.

The closing portion turned to what comes next: whether to scale through mentoring, a possible boot camp or an academic body of knowledge, and a focus on rural hospitals and utilities that lack resources. The speakers also raised the risk of volunteer efforts becoming a permanent crutch for problems that need owners. Audience members added ideas, including a suggestion for a textbook-style body of knowledge. The takeaway for practitioners is that lasting change depends on relationships, clear framing and persistence.