What is hacking? Many, especially in the mainstream, view it through the lens of computer security. Others consider it synonymous with making or creating. Even for those of us immersed in the community, this can be a surprisingly difficult question to answer.

In his Hackaday Supercon 2026 keynote address, Bruce Potter will explore this idea by taking a step back and looking at what makes someone a hacker in the first place. Rather than viewing hacking as a singular act, he’ll make the case that it’s a mindset, a way of approaching problems that’s not strictly dependent on the tools used or even the desired outcome.

With a cybersecurity career that’s spanned three decades, Bruce has been involved with hacking at every level and in every form — from conducting DARPA research to founding The Shmoo Group and helping organize the legendary ShmooCon. Currently the Chief Product Officer at Trinity Cyber, Bruce has made creative problem solving his life’s work, and he’s eager to share what he’s learned with the Hackaday community. While most of us won’t get the opportunity to advise on national cybersecurity policy as he has, we can still apply the same techniques to our own personal and professional projects.

Those joining us this weekend in Pasadena will get to experience Bruce’s keynote, as well as more than 30 other fascinating presentations, with a group of individuals who are just as eager to understand the how and why of the world around them as you are. Making personal connections with like-minded folks is truly the highlight of Hackaday Supercon; badge hacking and tacos are just the fringe benefits.

In our totally unbiased opinion, we believe Hackaday Supercon is the ultimate hardware hacking conference, but you don’t have to take our word for it. A few tickets are still left if you want to see for yourself.