Boston Security September 2025 Meetup

Important Notice

All meetup venues we currently use require us to provide a list of names (First & Last) to their door security so they can check people in at the time of the event. We are also required to bring "a picture ID" that matches the name we provide at the time of registration. Please be mindful of this requirement and provide the necessary information to ensure a smooth check in process at the door. Thank you for your cooperation - the management! RSVP closes September 17th 4 PM, RSVP soon to reserve a spot! There will be no entry without a confirmed RSVP.

ONLY HUMANS ALLOWED AT THIS EVENT

TWO TALKS!

What: We continue to our two talk format. We also will have a cool sticker swap and show & tell slot.

>>> Bring your favorite stickers and tell us where you got it. Bring extras and swap it with fellow security enthusiasts at the sticker swap table! <<<

Talk #1 - What’s Infosec Got To Do With It? by Roy Wattanasin

Description
Join this talk to learn more about Roy’s journey in information security—from his early career beginnings to his current roles in academia and health care.

• Career Insights: Discover the skills that are essential for success in the field, along with recommended resources to help you grow.
• Community & Opportunities: Explore ways to get involved locally in the infosec community, plus suggestions for conferences and other resources worth checking out.
• Interactive Session: Bring your questions! The talk will wrap up with a live Q&A.

Speaker Bio - Roy is a proud founding member of OWASP’s Boston Application Security Conference (BASC) because he enjoys making things happen. He was responsible for the information security policies and operational technology security (OT) programs for iRobot’s Asian Pacific (APAC) region. Currently, he is designing IT security infrastructures for the MIT research community. During his spare time, he is singing on Smule to whomever will listen. Roy has previously presented at conferences like DEFCON, RSA, SourceConference, Derbycon, , DEFCON groups, SecureWorld and at many other ones around the world and online. He was the lead organizer for Security BSides Boston in the early 2010s. You can additionally find some talks on YouTube too.

Talk#2 - Prompt Defense "A Multi-Layered Approach" by Sharon Augustus
Description - Large Language Models (LLMs) are reshaping how we build applications—but with great power comes great vulnerability. Prompt injection attacks exploit the very thing that makes LLMs so useful: their ability to follow natural language instructions. The result? Malicious prompts that can hijack model behavior, often in subtle and dangerous ways.

While prompt injection is now widely recognized, the defenses being deployed across the industry often fall short. Why? Because what works in one context—one model, one use case—can completely fail in another. In this talk, we’ll go beyond just classifying attack types to focus on what really matters: how to build prompt defenses that actually work.
We’ll dig into practical, layered defense strategies—like prompt hardening, input/output validation, and system prompt design—while highlighting why secure prompting must be tailored to your model architecture, application flow, and risk surface. From SLMs to multi-modal inputs, we’ll show how “one prompt to rule them all” just doesn’t exist.
You’ll also get an overview of emerging tools for stress-testing and validating your prompt security, helping you move from reactive patching to proactive defense. If you're building with LLMs, it's time to think beyond generic guardrails and start securing prompts like it actually matters—because it does.
Speaker Bio - Sharon Augustus is a Lead Product Security Engineer at Salesforce, with a current emphasis on Large Language Models (LLM), Generative AI and Agentic systems. She previously worked as security consultant where she conducted penetration testing, threat modeling, and vulnerability analysis for client applications, also guiding them on secure software development methodologies.

When: September 18, 2025, Doors Open 6:30 PM, Talks start 7 PM
Where: EnergySage
3 Center Plz,
Boston MA 02145