Speaker Spotlight: Darin Smith - Living Off the Tunnel: A Project for Tracking Evasive VPN Clients

The conversation delves into the world of evasive VPN clients and the Living Off the Tunnel project, shedding light on the real-world impact of these tools and the importance of defender awareness. Darren Smith, a threat research expert, shares insights into the development of the project and the significance of detecting evasive VPN tools. Takeaways Evasive VPN clients can pose a significant threat to enterprise network security. Awareness and concrete strategies are crucial for defending against threats posed by evasive VPN tools. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Vancouver Island Security Research Society 01:36 Guest Introduction and Background 02:17 Path to Threat Research and Detection Engineering 04:05 Evasive VPN Clients and Living Off the Tunnel Project 06:14 Forensic Toolkit for Evasive VPN Clients 08:20 Real-World Impact of Evasive VPNs 09:38 AI Agents and Defender's Radar 10:06 Key Takeaways and Conclusion JOIN US AT BSIDES VANCOUVER ISLAND 2026 BSides Vancouver Island is a community-driven, grassroots cybersecurity conference bringing together security practitioners, researchers, students, and technology enthusiasts to learn, connect, and share knowledge. Friday, September 25, 2026 Victoria Conference Centre — Victoria, BC This year marks our fifth anniversary*, with *two talk tracks for the first time. 🎟️ Tickets and conference details: https://bsidesvi.com