CLOSING

The closing session opens with thanks to the people behind the Prose vs. Joe's capture-the-flag game, which runs live ranges with blue teams defending systems while red teams attack them. The organizer describes how players and captains prepare for weeks, how the red team acts more as an educator than an aggressor, and how a remote gold team watched systems and kept the game running. The organizer also says it was their first time running the game.

Next comes a silent auction update, which raised over 2,000 dollars from more than 35 items, many donated by sponsors and attendees. The director then describes the first in-person year since 2019, with a smaller crowd than before by design and roughly 1,600 badges covered by donations. New staff and volunteers stepped in on short notice, and individual staff members are recognized for logistics, web, graphic design, sponsor operations and speaker operations. Remote helpers who could not attend in person are also thanked. A longtime figure in the BSides movement, who was absent this year, is remembered.

The session closes with plans to hold the next event at the same Las Vegas venue, with dates to follow once DEF CON confirms its schedule. Attendees are invited to send feedback by email or social messages, since formal surveys are not run. The closing reminds the audience of the pool party and thanks sponsors, donors, the board, speakers and attendees for making the event possible.