There’s a special place at DefCamp where curiosity meets creativity, where hackers, researchers, and cybersecurity enthusiasts come to test their skills, flex their hacker muscle, and see who’s got what it takes to claim the spotlight and the prizes.
Or just eternal bragging rights, because those are just as cool.
Welcome to the Hacking Village!
Call it what you wish: a playground, a battlefield, a hacker’s paradise – the list could go on. It’s the beating heart of DefCamp, the place where limits are meant to be broken. It’s where keyboards click like swords, LEDs flicker like campfires, and the thrill of the hunt never fades.
And every captured flag tells a story for the ages.
As DefCamp turns 15, we’re leveling it up. From classic lock-picking to car hacking straight out of DEFCON (who would have believed this!? 😱), this year’s competition lineup has every flavor of challenge you can imagine.
Whether you’re here to compete, learn, or simply explore, the Hacking Village is definitely the heart of the action.
Do come prepared though. You’ll need every bit of skill you’ve got. Here’s what to expect:
D-CTF Finals: the battle begins
The qualifiers are over. The best from across the globe have made it to the final stage.
Old names return, new challengers emerge. But only one team will rise as champion.
This is DefCamp Capture the Flag (D-CTF), the competition where the brightest minds go head-to-head in the ultimate cybersecurity showdown.
Stay tuned, because the final battle is about to begin.
Car Hacking Village: drive, hack, repeat
This was an unexpected – and seriously exciting – surprise.
The Car Hacking Village, a core presence at DEFCON, Black Hat, and HITCON, is coming to DefCamp for the very first time! We really can’t put into words just how epic this is.
This might be a once-in-a-lifetime chance to get hands-on with real automotive systems, uncover vulnerabilities in connected vehicles, and learn directly from some of the brightest minds in the field. Whether you’re into CAN bus hacking, automotive forensics, or just curious about what’s really happening under the digital hood, this is one experience you do not want to miss.
Lock Picking Village: a timeless classic
Simple.
Addictive.
Legendary.
The Lock Picking Village is a DefCamp staple. It just never gets old. Learn the art of lockpicking, challenge your dexterity, and discover how physical security ties perfectly into the hacker mindset.
Memory Leak: crack the PCB mystery
You can’t always hack from behind a monitor. It’s time to get your hands dirty.
Memory Leak is a hands‑on, hardware‑meets‑software showdown that’s become a DefCamp trademark: third year running. Dive in to decode hidden secrets and prove your mastery of both circuits and code.
Can you unlock the mysteries lurking inside an enigmatic PCB? Come check yourself!
The IoT hunt: r0/dev/null awaits
A mysterious hacker group.
A hidden Wi-Fi network.
A palace full of secrets.
In this IoT-themed treasure hunt, you’ll face smart devices, routers, cameras, and even locks as you track down the truth behind mysterious hacker group “> r0/dev/null.”
Grab your laptop, follow the clues, and dive into a story-driven challenge packed with twists and surprises.
RetroDojo: Where Hackers Are Made
We officially have a retro-inspired hub of the Hacking Village! This is going to be fun – especially for beginners.
RetroDojo is your chance to plug in, power up, and hack like it’s the 80s, tackling classic CTF-style puzzles, pixelated challenges, and hands-on missions designed for new hackers. If you’re curious about web exploits, crypto ciphers, digital forensics, or OSINT, RetroDojo is the perfect playground to experiment, learn, and level up your skills. Mentors (aka Senseis) will be there to help you debug, decompile, and dominate every challenge.
It doesn’t matter if you’re just booting up your hacking journey or want a nostalgic dive into retro cyber mayhem. RetroDojo welcomes everyone!
ClickBait: don’t fall for bait 🐟 (obviously…)
Fast-paced, tricky, and dangerously fun. ClickBait is here!
Spot the traps hidden in suspicious emails, fake QR codes, and clever social engineering tricks.
It’s a test of instincts and awareness that’ll make you think twice before clicking anything again. Perfect for OSINT fans, social engineers – scratch that, this is for absolutely anyone who loves psychological warfare done right.
Think Beyond Models: AI vs Phishing
Can you train an AI to think like a defender?
The TL;DR answer is yes.
In a more elaborate answer, this is a challenge that allows you to build an AI model that detects phishing attempts and explains its reasoning. You can compete for leaderboard glory and show how machine learning can fight back against one of cybersecurity’s biggest threats – how cool is that?
Target John: classic stalker OSINT fun
We promise this is totally ethical. It may get mischievous at times. Maybe a bit awkward. Slightly a bit dangerous. We can’t really vouch for anything.
What we do know is that it’s fun, intense, and oddly satisfying.
You don’t need to be technical. Just… curious 🙂 Combine your forensic skills, OSINT tricks and creativity to uncover the secrets we’re looking for and you might just win a prize.
Untangle the Spectrum: master the airwaves
Ready to go radio‑nerd mode? Step into the Untangle the Spectrum challenge, where BLE, Wi‑Fi, UDP and LoRa throw down in real hardware battles. Zero sims, all signal.
You’ll chase down noisy transmissions, decode sneaky packets, and hunt for hidden beacons across the airwaves. Every flag you snag proves you’ve read the spectrum like a map and edges you closer to being crowned DefCamp Spectrum Champion.
Expect interference, red herrings, and that glorious “aha” moment when a signal finally yields its secret. Bring a keen ear, a hungry brain, and maybe a better antenna. The air doesn’t forgive the unprepared.
Null Your Warranty Village: hack the hardware
Hardware hackers, tinkerers, and curious troublemakers, this one’s for you: yet another chance to get your hands dirty.
Null Your Warranty Village hands you real gadgets, real flaws, and a real reason to pry things open. Tackle black‑box devices, discover hidden vulnerabilities, and score points (and prizes) for every exploit you find.
Sometimes the best way to learn is to break stuff and rebuild it smarter. Beware: the devices won’t surrender their secrets on their own.
Man vs Machine: humanity’s last stand
Think you can out-hack an AI? Put that to the test. Man vs Machine is a two-hour, heart‑pounding showdown where teams (or solo runners) attack an internal network of five vulnerable machines and race an AI agent that’s playing by the same rules.
This one’s perfect for aspiring pentesters and seasoned pros alike: difficulty ranges from approachable to brain‑melting, so there’s something to learn no matter your level.
After the buzzer, we’ll walk through solutions and run a demo showing how the AI solved (and where it stumbled).
No pressure.
Just press play!
The Hacking Village at DefCamp 2025 brings together hackers, challenges, and the community in one place.
Whether you’re aiming for prizes, sharpening your skills, or just exploring the scene, this is where you want to be.
So: are you in?
Grab your DefCamp 2025 ticket, pack your gear, and get ready to hack, tinker, and explore Bucharest’s biggest cybersecurity event.
