Dateline NBC (GE) sent producer Michelle Madigan to the DefCon hacker's conference undercover, in an attempt to film hackers admitting to commtting crimes. Others said it was to out undercover federal agents attenting the conference, who regularly attend to find out the latest techniques being used by hackers.
Evidently DefCon was tipped off by their own mole at Dateline who sent pictures of Madigan to DefCon organizers who was indentified before she ever got there.
Knowing she was coming, the DefCon staff set her up by getting to come to a big hall where the told here the Spot the Fed contest was going on; a good-natured attempt at trying to identify who the feds in attendance are.
Once Madigan entered the hall and sat down, DefCon founder, Jeff Moss, slyly told the audience they were changing the game, and it would now be a game of "Spot the Undercover Reporter." At that, Madigan knew she'd been busted, and lunged from her seat and ran for the door with reporters chasing her across the parking lot to her car.
The annual convention has a strict policy that forbids filming those attending the conference. Journalists must sign an agreement that covers the rules. Madigan evidently registered as a regular attendee to bypass the agreement.
I wonder how hard it'll be to find the mole in Dateline?
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