Upcoming Events

Patch in every 4th Saturday at 11AM CST — Hardin-Simmons University, 2200 Hickory St, Abilene TX 79601. Bring your gear, your questions, and your grit. Topics rotate — check Discord for the latest buzz.

April 25, 2026

BeginnerIntermediateHands-On

Hacking Your Pentesting Career – From Zero to Pro

Speaker: Phillip Wylie (LinkedIn)

Penetration tester, instructor, keynote speaker, podcast host of The Phillip Wylie Show, and co-author of The Pentester Blueprint. 28+ years in IT/cybersecurity; founder of The Pwn School Project.

Level: Beginner → intermediate. Roadmap to pentesting: essential skills, free labs, tools setup, attack methodologies, career strategies. Bring a laptop or VM.

May 23, 2026

All Levels

OSINT Techniques – Tracking Digital Footprints

Tools and methods for open-source intelligence gathering — ethical uses only. Speaker TBA; check Discord for updates.

RSVP via Discord. Doors open at 10:30 AM — don't miss the pre-dial chatter.

Past Events Archive

Relive the lines we seized. Recordings, slides, and war stories from previous sessions. Search Discord for the full static.

March 28, 2026

Wazuh Open-Source Unified XDR & SIEM – Hands-On Installation + Core Capabilities

Speaker: Tyrone Conry (LinkedIn)

Cybersecurity professional with CompTIA Security+; covered quickstart Wazuh deployment, FIM, vulnerability detection, active response, SCA, and MITRE ATT&CK mapping.

February 28, 2026

Basic WordPress Security – Common Vulnerabilities & Burp Suite Fundamentals

Speaker: Scott Blaydes (LinkedIn)

30+ years systems administration; active in Old West Texas LUG. Covered WordPress hardening, Burp Suite fundamentals, and first steps in pentesting.

January 24, 2026

Introduction to Kali Linux: Essentials, Tools Overview, and Installation Across Architectures

Speaker: Nate Walker (LinkedIn)

TSTC West Texas; active in PWN Abilene. Covered Kali setup across architectures and core tools walkthrough.

December 27, 2025 — Holiday Hackfest

End-of-year exploits roundup + mini-CTF

Attendees: 22. Highlights: Eggnog-fueled jeopardy board, group win on crypto challenge.

November 22, 2025 — Wild West Infosec

Physical Security & Rural Challenges

Attendees: 16. Highlights: Lockpicking village, drone demo for perimeter recon.

October 25, 2025 — Professor Workshop

Algorithmic Vulnerabilities & Secure Coding

Guest: Todd Dole (HSU CS Prof). Attendees: 19. Live code review + deep-dive Q&A.

September 28, 2025 — Back-to-School Breach

Intro to Ethical Hacking for Students

Attendees: 15. Custom blue-box demo, CTF win by @abilene_phantom.

August 24, 2025 — Summer Sweatshop

Reverse Engineering Old Modems

Attendees: 12. Live wardial sim, group-built phreak box.

July 27, 2025 — Heatwave Hacks

Wireless Wardriving in West Texas

Attendees: 18. Kismet walkthrough, local WiFi vuln hunt.

Got stories from older meets? Ping us to add to the archive.

Event Guidelines

Questions? Shoot us a packet.