Hackers in Fiction: Tropes, Reality, and Friggin' Awesome
John Wilander
Security Fest 2025 · Day 1 · Main Stage
John Wilander, a distinguished security engineer by day and an author who champions hackers as heroes by night, delivered an engaging talk at Security Fest titled "Hackers in Fiction: Tropes, Reality, and Friggin' Awesome." Wilander embarks on a comprehensive journey through the annals of pop culture, tracing the evolution of hacker portrayals from the mid-20th century's nascent science fiction to contemporary cinematic and literary works. His presentation highlights how fiction has both shaped and been shaped by our understanding of technology, security, and the individuals who interact with these complex systems.