Administrivia #30714 - Announcing the 5th Annual NTBugtraq Retreat

From: Russ (Russ.Cooper@RC.ON.CA)
Date: 03/13/03

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    Date:         Wed, 12 Mar 2003 21:56:29 -0500
From: Russ <Russ.Cooper@RC.ON.CA>
To: NTBUGTRAQ@LISTSERV.NTBUGTRAQ.COM

    <note: URLs may be wrapped to more than one line, you'll have to unwrap
    them for them to work properly>
    View this email on the NTBugtraq website at;

    <http://www.ntbugtraq.com/party.asp>

    Comments from 2002 Retreat Attendees;

    "The most down to earth, informative gathering on the planet"
      Curtis Woods, Director of IT Business Relations, Regal Entertainment
    Group

    "NTBugtraq Retreats offer an unparalleled opportunity to listen to, and
    interact with, widely diverse people involved in IT security: some of
    the brightest creative minds; senior vendor representatives -- instead
    of the typical helpdesk contact -- someone who can actually foster
    change within their company; administrators and IT staff from all sizes
    of small businesses, enterprises, educational facilities. A pristine
    setting, far from the noise of cities, overlooking a picturesque lake,
    with night skies made-to-order. (Thanks for the Northern Lights this
    year, Russ!) All this, and great hospitality to boot!"
      Darren W. MacDonald, Technical Analyst, Canadian Tire Corporation

    "This is the only security retreat or conference I make an attempt to
    regularly attend. Very little of the 'how to' seminars, which can
    change significantly from month to month, and more of the general theory
    of how infosec is approached, which changes much less often. A good
    value! Nifty!"
      Greg Riedesel, IS Information/Technical Analyst IV, Chair ? IS Virus
    Attack Team, City of St. Paul, Minnesota

    "Good party, dude. ;)"
      Marcus Ranum

    "I would describe myself as an, 'in the trenches sys/network admin grunt
    and a 3 year old cyber security neophyte at best.' So, to sit at the
    same table, or be in the same room with folks that helped create/shape
    the cyber security industry was very inspirational, part humbling, and
    VERY entertaining. Just as importantly, I met folks literally from
    around the world facing the same cyber security scenarios I do on a
    daily basis. Being at NTBugtraq, meeting these individuals.....I do not
    feel quite as isolated anymore even though I am a member of several
    security email list serve sites. IMHO, meeting people face to face is
    always best and that was the biggest benefit of NTBugtraq. Well...that
    and the view and the food!!"
      Pete Coleman, AHRQ-Network Operations Center, Booz | Allen | Hamilton

    "From an Industry in which we are inexorably tied to machines, this
    retreat afforded us the opportunity to take a 'working vacation' amid
    the natural splendor of one of Ontario's many lakes. Even though you
    may wind up talking to people who are at the top of the Internet
    security field, it is easy to forget when you're wearing shorts in the
    sun and sharing thoughts over a cold, Canadian beer. Kudos to Russ
    Cooper for making this happen, it is an experience I am eager to enjoy
    in the years to come."
      Tom Moske, Pelikan Technologies

    "Bruce McCorkendale, a product developer at antivirus giant Symantec
    Corp. (SYMC), said it's the best 'conference' he has ever attended.
    Usually, the most worthwhile conversations and networking happen in the
    hotel hallways. 'This is all hallway,' he said. Moreover, it's on the
    sun deck and lunch is steak off the grill."
      Riva Richmond, of the Dow Jones News Service, in one of her 3 stories
    about the 2002 Retreat which she attended

    "I would have to completely agree with Bruce's Statement. This was the
    first conference in which 'great' debate and discussion concerning
    security lasted the entire length of the conference, without the fluff
    and 'feel' good talk you hear at other conferences...or in one
    word...Awesome!...or...Never Boring"
      David K. Watts, Desktop Computing Platforms, American Family Insurance

    Reuters story from 2001 Retreat -- Code Red II crashes dinner for
    Internet experts;
    <http://iwsun4.infoworld.com/articles/hn/xml/01/08/07/010807hncrashes.xm
    l?0809thsm>

    What is the NTBugtraq Retreat?

    Goal #1 is to get subscribers together for a talk. I'd like to think
    that some of you, like me, don't get enough opportunity to just relax
    and discuss issues about MS Security in a setting that is designed to be
    conducive to discussion. Imagine sitting on a porch, by a pool and a
    lake, sipping some nice wine or a coke, and just gabbing away for a
    couple of days with others like you. That's what I had in mind.

    To those of you who think you're not expert enough, I can honestly tell
    you that I need to talk to you. Others, like me, also need to talk to
    you more often. Getting a sense of how you do things, what you can't
    seem to do easily enough, what doesn't work, and why...these are
    questions that I talk about all the time, but without a huge network to
    manage, I can get out of touch. I know others who are in the same boat.

    Meanwhile, while I learn from you, you can learn from others. As they
    say, there's many ways to tackle a problem. We all do it differently,
    and each of us has some method to our madness. So let's get together,
    focus on a few key issues, and work on them.

    Goal #2 is to give folks a chance to be geeks while doing something
    else. I moved up here with the intent of becoming somewhat less of a
    workaholic. To some extent, its worked. You may have noticed my
    penchant/obsession with fishing. Yes, I'll admit it...;-] Fact is, this
    is one of the best places in the world to do freshwater fishing. We've
    got Bass, Walleye/Pickerel, and the famous Muskie/Muskelunge. I have a
    Muskie on my wall that's 44" long and weighed in at 17lbs. That's a
    baby...the Ontario record is 65lbs, and lunkers as big as 45lbs have
    been pulled from waters not more than 10 minutes from my home. Bass as
    big as 9lbs live just around the corner from my dock, and I've caught
    5lb'ers underneath my dock. As for the Walleye, they're the most
    delicious tasting fish you'll ever have, and they're around here in the
    hundreds.

    Couple that with the wildlife I have around here, Blue Heron, Osprey,
    and at least 47 other species of birds that I've counted. For the past
    two years we have had Trumpeter Swans, extremely rare for the Eastern
    side of North America. They're part of an attempt to reintroduce them to
    the area. The first year there were two pairs, one of which stayed. They
    came back the second year and had 3 babies, they'll likely return
    forever now. The protected wetland preserve I live beside has trails
    through it that you can bike or hike for hours. A creek runs up through
    the area and affords some of the best views of the nesting Osprey and
    their eaglets, not to mention some of the best Bass fishing around.

    So what can I expect to happen?

    I should premise this by telling you that the event is held here at my
    home in Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. Lindsay is approximately 2 hours north
    of Toronto's International Airport (YYZ - Pearson International).
    Accommodations are either at the Admiral Inn, a full service hotel 10
    minutes from my home, or at Lungehaven Cottages, housekeeping cabins
    across the lake about 20 minutes from the house. Cabins are supplied
    with everything you need, but have no phones.

    Inside the House (Quicktime .MOV)
    <http://www.ntbugtraq.com/images/house/house.mov>
    Outside Facing the Houses (before the pool)
    <http://www.ntbugtraq.com/images/house/roadward.jpg>
    Outside Facing Sturgeon Lake
    <http://www.ntbugtraq.com/images/house/lakeward.jpg>

    Day 0 - Registration the evening of Saturday, August 16th, 2003

    Attendance is not mandatory for this evening party. Its intended to
    accommodate people who need to have a Saturday in their stay to afford
    cheaper tickets, and to start the Retreat off with an evening mixer.
    Arrive at the house any time after 5:00pm. Dinner will be a light BBQ
    serve yourself affair that will be available till midnight for those
    late arrivals.

    Days 1-3 - Sunday/Monday/Tuesday, August 17th-19th

    Breakfast from 8:00am until 10:00am then we get into the group
    discussions. The topics of the discussions will be arranged closer to
    the event, based largely on your feedback.

    At 1:00pm we break for an hour for a lite lunch. Snacks and sandwiches
    just enough to kill a craving but not enough to make you sleep (better
    come for the big breakfast!).

    At 2:00pm we get back to the group discussions and continue until
    5:00pm.

    Dinner is at 6:00pm. I'm working out the menus now. Suffice it to say
    we'll have quite a feast. Two years ago Reuters thought it was so
    special that they decided to write it up and publish it world-wide. Ok,
    the fact that during dinner Code Red II was discovered had something to
    do with it... Every meal is intended to be a 5-star chef's delight, so
    be prepared for something interesting and definitely filling.

    After that, the rest of the evening is available for further
    discussions, fishing, bird-watching, whatever you prefer.

    At any time there's lots to do.

    Outdoor Activities:

    -You can go for a walk in the conservation area
    -Fish off the dock/shore, or rental boats can be arranged
    -Bird watch
    -Croquet
    -Boulles
    -Horse-shoes
    -Swim in the pool

    Indoor Activities:

    -Do your email via the Wireless LAN with T1 Internet Access (spare WLAN
    cards available)
    -Catch up on the news, or watch a ball game, via the Echostar and
    Expressvu Digital Satellite feeds
    -Play some 9-ball on the 5x10 regulation table
    -Be like Marcus Ranum and take a dip in the hot tub or swimming pool

    This year the Gala Dinner, a 5-7 course affair, will be held on the
    Sunday Evening. In this way those who want to leave on the evening of
    the 19th can do so. Otherwise, dinner will be served the evening of the
    19th and people can schedule to leave during the day on the 20th. No
    meals are provided on the 20th, and Kim and I hope to stay quietly alone
    on that day...;-]

    Who might I expect to meet?

    -Robert (Bob) P. Abbott
    -Scott Culp (MS)
    -Nick Fitzgerald (CA)
    -Jason Garms (MS)
    -Jesper Johansson (MS)
    -Jimmy Kuo (NAI)
    -David LeBlanc (MS)
    -Steve Lipner (MS)
    -William (Bill) H. Murray
    -Marcus Ranum
    -Eric Schultze (Shavlik)
    -Bill Sobel (Symantec)
    -Peter Tippet
    -and many more...

    What will it cost?

    US$1250.00

    Make checks payable to Russ Cooper. See "How do I register?" below for
    address information.

    Sorry, no credit cards or purchase orders, but you can use PayPal.
    Receipts will be provided upon request.

    What does that get me?

    From the time you arrive in Lindsay, Ontario to the time you leave
    Lindsay, your payment covers everything you might need. Call it a
    "Super-inclusive". Included in the retreat fee is;

    -All food and beverages (including hard and soft ware) for 4 nights and
    3 days (breakfast, lunch, and dinner, late night snacks). The Retreat
    has a reputation for having the best food, catering is done by our
    finest restaurant.

    -Accommodations - A limited number of rooms in lakeside cottages are
    available on a first come first serve basis. Everyone else will stay in
    the Admiral Inn, a short distance from the NTBugtraq HQ. Smoking and
    Non-smoking rooms are available and all bookings are to be done with me
    directly (no need to call any hotels). State your preference (cottage,
    hotel, smoking, non-smoking) when registering.

    -Taxis between accommodation and NTBugtraq Headquarters. Ride-sharing
    will be arranged to/from Airport, state whether you'll need a ride when
    you register.

    -Internet Access via WLAN/T1 (bring your wireless NICs)

    -Annual NTBugtraq Retreat hat and shirt (theme to be determined)

    Where is NTBugtraq Headquarters?

    74 Butternut Drive,
    Lindsay, Ontario
    Canada K9V 4R1

    Voice: 1-705-878-3405
    Fax: 1-705-878-1804

    NTBugtraq Headquarters is in beautiful Lindsay, Ontario, Canada. Located
    approximately 100 miles north east of Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Lindsay
    is a small town of 17,000 on the Trent/Severn water system. NTBugtraq HQ
    is situated directly on Sturgeon Lake, one of the numerous Kawartha
    Lakes in Ontario.

    GPS coordinates are approximately 44.24.42N, 78.45.39W Mapquest
    directions from Toronto International Airport almost to my house;
    <http://www.mapquest.com/directions/main.adp?1g=1vwgjqJ0dnY%3d&1y=CA&2a=
    %5b2%2d24%5d%20Butternut%20Dr&2s=ON&2c=Kenrei%20Park&1l=44IM2Nvowyk%3d&2
    g=h69s8BCQLTY%3d&1a=%5b0%2d0%5d%20Airport%20Rd&2y=CA&2z=K9V4R%2d1&1s=ON&
    1c=Malton&2l=zvcHGNQBF7A%3d&go=1&ct=NA>
    Those directions end at the beginning of my street, just follow
    Butternut to the end to find my house.

    Great, so how do I register?

    The retreat is restricted to 34 paying attendees. Together with people I
    sponsor, that will make a total of 40 people this year. To secure
    yourself a spot I must receive your payment, just asking for a spot will
    not reserve it. Click on the link below to send an email registration
    request, include the following;

    -Name
    -Title
    -Company representing (if any)
    -Room Preference (cottage/hotel)
    -Smoking Preference (non/smoking)
    -Flight schedule (needed for ride-sharing)
    -Whether you'll be renting a car
    -Hat and Shirt size
    -Any food allergies/requirements
    -Make a suggestion about a discussion that you personally could lead for
    1 hour. Your discussion could be a question, wherein you ask for
    everyone's response to an issue or idea, or it could be something you've
    been working on and want to share with others for their comments. This
    is not a "White Paper" talk necessarily (although feel free to suggest
    one if you want). If you had 40 people assembled with varied expertise,
    what would you want to hear them discuss for an hour?

    Send an email to Russ.Cooper@rc.on.ca with "Retreat 2003 Registration
    Request" in the subject line.

    Then arrange your payment. I can accept checks (personal or corporate),
    money orders, wire transfers (ask for banking details), or PayPal. Send
    checks and/or money order to the address above.

    I still have a question!

    Well, then, call me directly at 1-705-878-3405 or via email at
    Russ.Cooper@rc.on.ca

    There you have it. I hope to see you then.

    Cheers,
    Russ - NTBugtraq Editor

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