No good can come of a malware convention

MalCon organizers want us to believe that security community can benefit from an event showcasing and teaching malware

Anyone who was ever concerned by the concept of hacking conventions such as Black Hat -- which has evolved into a reputable venue for security defenders -- should brace themselves: An event called MalCon is on the horizon, which will provide a fine venue for malware creators to hone their craft, as well as, theoretically, an opportunity for malware fighters to bolster their arsenal to fight malware.

The organizers of the MalCon, which will take place in Mumbai and Pune, India, have attempted to put a positive spin on the event, as noted by security guru Brian Krebs. According to the conference website, MalCon is "the worlds [sic] first platform bringing together Malware and Information Security Researchers from across the globe to share key research insights into building the next generation malwares."

[ Also on InfoWorld.com: How to thwart the new DLL hijacks | Master your security with InfoWorld's interactive Security iGuide. | Stay up to date on the latest security developments with InfoWorld's Security Central newsletter.]

In addition to showcasing the top whitepaper submissions from malware researchers and coders, the event will offer training workshops on topics such as coding malware, analyzing malware, and reverse engineering. Said workshops are recommended for those who "[want] to develop or code [their] own virus / malware for research" (italics are mine) and for those who "aspire to advance their professional skills in security research and malware analysis."

The whole event sounds about as wholesome, innocent, and security-minded as a nuclear-bomb building convention in Tehran. Sure, some people might attend to learn a bit more about fighting malware, but it's bound to be more of a magnet for ne'er-do-wells who are eager to put their newfound knowledge to malicious use.