HackFu Challenge 2015

At MWR we make it our mission to engage with the brightest minds and the best emerging talent in the industry and we find that the MWR HackFu challenge gives us that opportunity. This year we are giving you the opportunity to compete to win a ticket to attend HackFu – providing you with the opportunity to meet and compete alongside or against some of the greatest minds in the industry.

If you’ve got a pulse and own an internet enabled device, you would know that HackFu is the most prestigious hacking event to grace this large greenish blue rock that we call home. The competitors boast some of the most skilled and gifted security minds, and the event provides the opportunity for these experts to compete in a fight to the digital death. The challenges that the teams will be faced with include, but are not limited to, network infrastructure, web applications, hardware reversing, RF, operating systems, logic puzzles all the way through to bespoke systems like message queues and SAP.

Whilst the event is by invitation only (with a lucky few who have already received theirs), you need not despair because you can win your way to an invite and join the elite by competing in this year’s open challenge. Apply your mind and prove that you deserve a spot at HackFu 2015!

So, now you know what HackFu is all about and that you could win an invitation to attend let’s set the scene for the challenge… You have been sent out on a mission to save the planet from total annihilation by hunting down “Baron Yapster”, the sworn enemy of your agency – The Intergalactic Federation of Planets. The anarchist Baron Yapster was taken into custody this morning, after he baffled authorities by turning himself in ranting about “death from above” and “planetary annihilation”. Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to use your hackery skills to follow the clues and find a way to save the planet before it’s too late. More details will be available during your mission briefing transcript, included in the initial data files. Your instructions are simple, register, solve and submit!

With the open challenge now activated we officially start the build-up for HackFu 2015. Keep watching MWR’s digital channels for clues, hints, allegations, rumours and sometimes facts about the theme and location for this year’s event.

You might find yourself asking “This sounds great, but what’s in it for me?” The answer would be that all entries received before the 30th of April 2015 will have the chance to win an invitation to this year’s HackFu event hosted in the UK. This prize will include entry to the event, a roof over your head for 3 nights (please bring something to sleep on), food & drinks, some great souvenirs to take home and last but certainly not least, a chance to compete at the greatest hacking event of the year alongside some seriously talented hackers.

We are hoping to give away 10 tickets to the event this year but the exact number will depend on how many people solve the challenges and how good the submitted write ups are. For exceptional entries the judges may also include travel in the event prize. The judging panel will consist of people from teams in SA and the UK, who have worked together to put these awesome challenges together and their decision is final. Even if you don’t want the chance to come to HackFu (crazy, I know!), we would still be interested to see your submissions, particularly if you would like to apply for a position as a consultant – be sure to let us know and you may want to sneak your CV in with your entry.

Good luck and we hope you have fun saving the planet from total destruction!

Boring but important legal bits below…

In order to be eligible for the HackFu prizes, you will need to:

1. Download the challenge files in the link below.
2. Register for the competition by email including your name and country of residence (Registration instructions are included in the challenge).
3. Submit your correct solutions to the challenges before the 30th April 2015 (Instructions on how to submit are included in the challenge).
4. Ensure you are able to travel to HackFu – it is hosted in the UK between 11th June 2015 and 13th June 2015 (You will need to hold all required travel documentation).
5. Be 18 years old or over on the 30th April 2015.

Download the Challenge files here: HackFu 2015.

All prizes are ultimately awarded at the discretion of MWR, judges’ decisions are final and any prize offered to an entrant cannot be exchanged for cash or favours. MWR will not officially publish a list of competition winners; however, entrants can send us an email requesting confirmation of their success and whether they are the winner of an invite or not. The prize includes entry to the event only and not travel to the venue (unless otherwise indicated to the winners by the MWR judges). If the event is cancelled or postponed MWR will make every effort to maintain a winner’s place if the event is eventually run but cannot guarantee this and will depend on the circumstances of the cancellation or postponement.