Hack-a-Sat CTF Update!

Greetings all!

1500+ teams registered for the event.

1283 teams scored at least a point.

Our team (Vaporsec) finished 20th. 

The interdisciplinary nature of the team served extremely well! Amateur radio satellite service operators made fundamental and significant contributions to the final score, everyone learned a lot, and we all had fun. 

The challenges ranged from mastering Apollo-era assembly code, to reverse engineering IQ files received from space, to controlling ADAC systems, to correctly configuring star trackers, to understanding what's required to precisely observe the Earth from orbit - and plenty more. The range and breadth of the challenges was daunting, but our diverse and positive team carried the day. 

The finals are 7-9 August 2020. This is a virtual event held during the weekend of DEFCON. All of the challenges from the qualification round will be up until the final event at https://www.hackasat.com/

Even better news? A lot of us from the amateur radio satellite service community will be participating in the finals with teams that made the top ten and recruited us to add to their roster.

I can't wait to share what we learn and how we do in the finals. I'll be with ADDVulcan.

Contests and competitions have a long and storied history in amateur radio. The active and thriving Capture the Flag (CTF) scene should be familiar to any amateur radio contester, because there are so many similarities. The incorporation of advanced digital, computing, RF, and networking technology into contesting, at events like Hack-a-Sat, is very exciting and it will definitely test your skills. Being involved with a team that welcomes people willing to learn is an especially enjoyable privilege! Some teams are closed to newcomers and approach competitions more like a professional sports team. Some teams are composed only of people that work at a particular company, or know each other well. 

Hack-a-Sat offered a very broad opportunity this year, so teams that were open to newcomers were plentiful. We owe a debt to the organizers at the Department of Defense (Thank you Air Force) for the high-quality outreach, accessibility, and challenging and engaging content. 

If you want to get involved with competitions like this, please write me and I will help you. Hack-a-Sat was very difficult, but there are contests at every level almost every weekend and a growing number incorporate amateur radio. 

Want to be involved with creating a real live CTF? I'm chairing the GNU Radio Conference CTF this year (will be held in September, website is https://www.gnuradio.org/grcon/grcon20/), and amateur radio has traditionally been a very large part of this event in every way. Your ideas for amateur radio satellite themed challenges are welcome and I look forward to working with you.

Wouldn't it be great to see AMSAT host a satellite themed CTF? Especially if the solutions of the challenges could directly support engineering efforts. Many hands make light work! 

-Michelle W5NYV

Director of AMSAT

Chair of GNU Radio Conference

CEO of Open Research Institute, Inc.