I’ve been attending Black Hat for over two decades now — and every year, no matter how crowded the halls or blistering the Las Vegas heat, I’m reminded of what truly makes this conference great: The people.

After more than 20 years on the Black Hat circuit, it hits me again and again how exceptional this cybersecurity community is. The friends I’ve made — some spanning nearly 30 years — are among the sharpest minds in the business and some of the dearest to me. Catching up with longtime pals like Jeremiah Grossman, Robert Hansen, Rich Mogull, Fred Wilmot, Sumedh Thakar, Chris Tilton — and so many others who don’t fit into the narrow corridors of my old brain right now — still lights me up. These aren’t just security professionals. They’re the marketers and PR folks, the event organizers, the session chairs — all the behind-the-scenes contributors who quietly help shape this remarkable community.

Between RSAC and Black Hat, we get two reunions a year — occasions to check in on each other’s lives, not just our professional stats plastered across social media. Sure, we see each other’s latest product releases or blog posts online. But it’s those hallway hugs, coffee meetups and shared drinks that are truly chicken soup for the soul. Technology comes and goes, but it’s the people who anchor this industry — and that’s what keeps me coming back year after year, rain or Vegas sun, even when the heat is borderline insane.

And it’s not just old friends. It’s the thrill of meeting someone new. Fresh perspectives, different experiences, a novel take on a thorny challenge — every handshake opens a door to new insight and keeps my curiosity alive.

But let’s step back from my nostalgic slobbering for a moment. There’s a bigger message behind “It’s About the People, Stupid.”

In an era where AI, agents and APIs are touted as the ultimate workforce replacements, let’s not forget — while these tools will absolutely help us secure better, it’s smart, skilled professionals who wield them. In paraphrasing the Jack Nicholson line from A Few Good Men, it’s the people behind the screens who “provide the blanket of the very freedom that we enjoy.”

No matter how advanced AI gets, it won’t replace the intuition, judgment, empathy, and, yes, exhaustion of the people guarding our digital perimeters. Burnout runs rampant in this profession. It’s high-stress, often thankless and too often buried behind the glowing green “all clear” dashboards. We don’t give these pros enough credit — yet every day they stand guard, fending off the bad actors trying to unravel what we stand for.

So here’s to the professionals — veterans and newcomers alike — who blend brilliance with resilience; who troubleshoot at 3 a.m.; who mentor without being asked; who show up, year after year, to conferences spanning RSAC to Black Hat, and to the virtual trenches in between. That’s why I’ll be back. That’s why the community thrives. It’s about the people, stupid.

See you next at RSAC — and yes, I’ll be the one eagerly scanning the crowd for all the faces both familiar and new.

—Alan