Global Hacking Competition Aims to Tackle Rising Cybersecurity Threats for Businesses
London, Monday 3rd July, 2023: Hack The Box, a leading cybersecurity upskilling and talent assessment platform, has announced its upcoming global Capture The Flag (CTF) competition designed specifically for corporate teams. In light of the escalating cybersecurity threats faced by businesses, the competition aims to provide valuable resources for cybersecurity teams seeking to enhance their skills and fortify their defenses.
According to recent reports, cyberattacks have increased by 7% in the first quarter of 2023 compared to the previous year, indicating a growing and diverse threat landscape that cyber professionals must combat. In response to this trend, Hack The Box has curated an online global competition that enables cybersecurity professionals to learn the latest techniques in defending their organizations using real-world scenarios. As the number and sophistication of cyberattacks continue to rise, businesses require cybersecurity teams with a range of offensive and defensive skills to stay ahead.
Dubbed The Great Escape, the competition immerses participants in a distant dystopian future where they race to colonize Mars. The objective is to establish Mars as a democracy by hacking into the opponent’s infrastructure, as the opposing team aims to monopolize the planet for the elites.
To prepare for the event, participants will gain access to interactive workshops prior to the start of the CTF. These workshops will focus on defensive security tactics to equip the teams effectively. The competition itself consists of over 30 challenges across various domains, such as web, cloud, pwn, crypto, forensics, reversing, and machines, all based on real-world scenarios. The CTF offers gamified upskilling, providing an interactive learning experience that keeps participants engaged and motivated. Corporate IT and security teams can hone their hacking skills, showcase their expertise, and compete for the top spot on the global leaderboard.
Haris Pylarinos, CEO at Hack The Box, emphasizes the unique opportunity this competition presents for IT and infosec teams. It allows participants to enhance offensive and defensive cybersecurity skills while immersing themselves in an engaging storyline. Pylarinos also highlights the value of including interns and new hires who need to upskill and learn from experienced team members. In today’s ever-changing threat landscape, a business’s cybersecurity resilience depends on both offensive and pre-emptive strategies.
Participants from the previous year’s Hack The Box Business CTF testified to the benefits of the competition. Pablo Ruiz Encinas, a Security Consultant at Mnemonic, remarked on the opportunity it provided to engage interns with the hacking community while allowing experienced members to sharpen their skills. Gabe Lawrence, VP of Information Security Cyber Protection at Toyota, also praised the platform for updating their team’s skills and knowledge base, using Dedicated Labs instances for CTFs every Friday afternoon.
In 2022, the competition witnessed the participation of 657 businesses from 84 countries and territories, representing a 75% year-on-year increase in team participation. This surge in demand for immersive team learning spurred the decision to continue the competition in 2023, with over 500 teams already registered to compete.
To join Hack The Box’s Business CTF 2023: The Great Escape, corporate teams can register for free.
The Hack The Box CTF 2023: The Great Escape is proudly sponsored by Snyk and ExpressVPN.
About Hack The Box:
Hack The Box is a leading cybersecurity upskilling, certification, and talent assessment platform. Since its launch in 2017, it has established the largest global cybersecurity community, boasting over 2 million members. Hack The Box aims to create and connect cyber-ready individuals and organizations through highly engaging hacking experiences that cultivate out-of-the-box thinking. The platform offers a guided and exploratory environment for skills development, allowing cybersecurity professionals and organizations to continuously enhance their cyber-attack readiness by improving their red, blue, and purple team capabilities. With headquarters in the UK and additional offices in Greece and the US, Hack The Box is rapidly expanding its international footprint and reach.
