Contests
ROOTCON 20 contests bring together technical challenges, social games, and community traditions for attendees who want to compete, collaborate, and earn bragging rights across the conference.
Capture The Flag
The ROOTCON CTF is where teams gather to solve puzzles, break things, analyze things, and occasionally discover that the challenge author enjoys human suffering.
Expect a mix of web exploitation, cryptography, reverse engineering, forensics, binary challenges, and other technical distractions designed to keep you from attending talks. Some flags fall quickly. Others become personal. The scoreboard remembers everything.
There will be sets of challenges from different categories, ranging from easy to hard. The main objective of the game is to get the associated flag per challenge.
potato
oR10n
Shikata Ga Nai
Open to all ROOTCON attendees.
Must be pre-registered. No on-site registration.
When: TBA
Where: ROOTCON 20
The game shall be played by a team of 3 max.
Solve the challenges and submit the flags.
No direct DDoS or any form of attacks on the game servers.
Minimum team members is 2, maximum is 3.
Only teams that pre-registered can play.
Sharing of flags is strictly prohibited.
Three guaranteed Black Badges, Capture The Flag trophy, virtual Blackbadge, bragging rights, and Hall of Fame mention.
If the winning team only achieves 3500 and/or less than 4500, the team only gets two Blackbadges.
Hacker Jeopardy
Hacker Jeopardy brings together teams willing to publicly demonstrate just how much random information they have accumulated over the years. Questions cover security, technology, internet history, hacker culture, movies, games, ROOTCON lore, and other facts that somehow remain stored in memory while important things are forgotten.
Fast answers score points. Wrong answers become part of conference history.
To be sober enough to win at the end of this alcohol-binging trivia game.
@devnull
@ar33zy
Open to all ROOTCON registered attendees. Requires Human+ or Human badge.
No pre-registration required. You can volunteer at the venue.
When: TBA
Where: ROOTCON 20
Hacker Jeopardy is adopted from the US game show Jeopardy!, but instead of players betting questions with money, they wager alcoholic drinks and earn points.
Hack hard, party harder, but no puking on the conference floor.
Do not be a jerk. No harassment, in any form, at any time.
Black Badge prizes, Hacker Jeopardy trophy, virtual Blackbadge, bragging rights, and Hall of Fame mention.
Hacker Karaoke
Hacker Karaoke exists for those people. Take the stage and perform in front of fellow hackers, friends, strangers, and people you will probably have breakfast with the next morning. No experience is required, although confidence helps.
Some performances become legends. Others become stories told at future ROOTCONs.
To create a fun, community-driven event where con-goers can showcase their personality beyond hacking, let loose, and bond over music and humor.
@m0gul
@whiskah
Open to all ROOTCON registered attendees. Requires Human+ or Human badge.
Solo performances only. No duets or groups.
Speakers, attendees, and sponsors are invited to join.
When: TBA
Where: ROOTCON 20
Participants register before the event starts. Slots are limited.
Song choice must come from the official karaoke list.
Each participant has one performance slot, maximum 5 minutes.
Performances are judged on vocal delivery, stage presence, creativity, style, and crowd engagement.
In case of a tie, a sudden-death sing-off decides the winner.
Solo performances only.
Keep it safe: no offensive, discriminatory, or NSFW acts.
Respect equipment, staff, and fellow hackers.
Judges' decisions are final.
Black Badge prize, challenge coins, virtual Blackbadge, bragging rights, and Hall of Fame mention.
Spot The Feds
ROOTCON has always encouraged curiosity. This challenge encourages suspicion.
Participants must identify designated targets hidden throughout the conference using observation, clues, deduction, and occasionally a complete misunderstanding of the situation. Not everyone is a Fed. Not everyone is innocent either.
Trust your instincts. Or do not.
Spot undercover Feds lurking among the crowd. They blend in well, so stay sharp and trust your instincts.
@Eman0n
@schiaparelli
Open to all ROOTCON con-goers.
Goons are not eligible to play.
When: TBA
Where: ROOTCON 20
If you think you have identified a Fed, approach them directly and ask the magic words: Are you a Fed?
The accused must answer truthfully.
If you are right, the accused Fed confirms their identity and both of you head to the registration desk.
If you are wrong, no harm done. You can keep guessing, but use your shots wisely.
One spot per Fed.
No harassment. Be respectful.
Feds must play fair and reveal themselves when called out.
Challenge coins, virtual Blackbadge, bragging rights, and Hall of Fame mention.
Wi-Finders
WiFinder challenges participants to discover and document as many wireless networks as possible throughout the competition area. The objective is simple: collect more unique access points than everyone else.
No exploitation. No intrusion. Just reconnaissance, radio waves, and a willingness to explain to confused bystanders why your laptop is covered in antennas.
Safely explore and map the wireless landscape by discovering and logging WiFi access points.
@semprix
@thejanitor
@m0gul
Open to all ROOTCON con-goers.
Goons are not eligible to play.
Only registered con-goers are eligible to win a prize.
When: TBA
Where: Anywhere with WiFi signals
Join the official ROOTCON Wi-Finders group on Wigle.Net.
Drive, walk, or explore safely to discover WiFi networks.
Scores will be automatically tallied from Wigle.Net.
Wigle.Net only counts unique APs by BSSID per participant.
No connecting, cracking, or interfering with networks. Discovery only.
Do not trespass. Follow all laws and traffic regulations.
Challenge coins, virtual Blackbadge, bragging rights, and Hall of Fame mention.
Code Breakers
Previously known as the Mystery Challenge.
The Code Breakers challenge unfolds throughout the conference and may involve puzzles, cryptography, forensics, hidden clues, strange objects, unusual conversations, and details most people walk past without noticing. The challenge rarely announces itself, the clues rarely arrive in order, and the answer is never where people expect it to be.
Pay attention. ROOTCON usually tells you more than you think.
To be able to solve the challenge.
@semprix
Must be registered ROOTCON con-goers.
Pre-registration is mandatory.
When: TBA
Where: ROOTCON 20
The game shall be played by two individuals.
This is a race against time. Whoever solves the challenge first will be declared winner.
Solving the challenges involves mental and physical stamina.
No physical coercion on the game organizers and other players.
Some challenges may be hosted online. No direct DDoS to the host.
Two guaranteed Black Badges
Code Breakers challenge coins
Virtual Blackbadge
Bragging rights
Hall of Fame mention
Other swag
Crimp Or Die
Crimp Or Die challenges participants to build a working network cable as quickly and accurately as possible. Every pin matters and every second counts. A perfect cable earns respect. A failed cable earns laughter. Both are part of the ROOTCON experience.
The cable tester remains completely impartial.
Crimp Or Die is a fast-paced speed crimping challenge where competitors race against the clock to build a fully functional RJ45 network cable under pressure.
Crimp a working cable, pass validation on the ROOTCON Crimp Checker, and record the fastest time possible. Every mistake carries a penalty, and every second counts.
Open to all ROOTCON attendees.
Must be pre-registered. No on-site registration.
Participants must be of legal drinking age.
Participants must sign the event waiver before joining.
Draft Round: Day 1
Elimination Round: Day 2
Finals: Zero Hour Party
Where: ROOTCON 20 Village Track
Draft Round: maximum of 10-15 playing participants.
Elimination Round: top three performers from the Draft Round qualify to the next round.
Finals: only the top 3 competitors remain. The fastest valid time wins the title of ROOTCON 20 Crimp Or Die Champion.
Participants must use only the materials provided by event staff.
Standard wiring configuration for the event is T568B unless otherwise announced.
Tampering with the validation system or contest equipment will result in immediate disqualification.
Assistance from spectators or other participants is strictly prohibited.
Judges' decisions are final.
Unsportsmanlike conduct may result in disqualification.
Participants who appear excessively intoxicated may be removed from the competition at the discretion of event staff.
Safety rules and venue regulations must be followed at all times.
Any cable that does not pass the ROOTCON Crimp Checker is considered invalid and will not stop the timer.
In case of a tie, a sudden-death crimp-off will be conducted.