The Ultimate Retro Hacking Competition or animation for Your Cybersecurity Event
Whether it’s a CTF, conference, or even your annual team-building seminar or security awareness session, RetroCTF is the perfect way to engage your participants. Get ready for a blast from the past that’s not just fun—it’s a strategic, skill-sharpening experience that will make your event truly unforgettable
If you’re an event organizer, cybersecurity conference planner, training seminar host, or running your own CTF event, and you’re looking for something to shake things up—we’ve got just what you need!
Let me introduce our event: Hack in the Days of the Future Past!
This is our interactive hacking museum and retro CTF event series that’s guaranteed to blow your attendees’ minds. It’s the perfect mix of fun, nostalgia, and cybersecurity education. From team-building activities to skill-sharpening challenges, this is the event that will transform your conference or seminar into an unforgettable experience.
So, if you want to add a Hacking Museum event to your next big event, hit us up at hacking.museum! We’re ready to bring our vintage hacking magic to you.
Contact us today, and let’s hack the past together!
RetroCTF: Where Competition Meets the Glory of Old-School Hacking
In a world of slick cyber competitions and high-tech exploits, RetroCTF stands out by taking hackers back to the roots of the craft—when hardware was limited, software was primitive, and ingenuity was everything. Welcome to RetroCTF, where nostalgia meets the thrill of competition, and where every byte counts (literally).
This isn’t your typical CTF. Forget sleek, modern machines and sophisticated, pre-packaged exploits. RetroCTF is here to challenge your hacking skills in ways you never expected—by throwing you into the deep end of vintage computing. Think 1KB of RAM, screeching cassette tapes, and assembly code that will make your head spin.
So how do we do it? Let’s break it down.
It all started in a small corner of @BreizhCTF, where a few brave souls decided to take hacking back to its roots—not just metaphorically, but literally. In a world where cyber competitions (CTFs) were dominated by flashy exploits, modern vulnerabilities, and sleek machines, we had an idea: What if we made a CTF that celebrates the birth of hacking itself? Enter Retro Hacking CTF, a series of challenges on none other than the Sinclair ZX81 (or any old computers in fact) —because why not make hackers sweat over 1KB of RAM?
A curious (furious?) individual asked himself : Ever wonder what would happen if we resurrected the chaotic birth of hacking? Spoiler: it involves questionable life choices and a lot of ‘How did I even get here?! Thus, the Retro Hacking CTF was born—a series of challenges designed to make participants think like the hackers of old, working on resource-limited systems.
the RetroCTF and “Hack in the Days of Future Past!” event are still in their infancy, but it’s growing fast! 🚀 We’re hard at work expanding and improving the experience every single day. Consider this a never-ending, in-progress project, full of fun and challenges, always evolving. So if you see some quirks, just know—it’s all part of the retro charm! Stay tuned for more awesome updates. 😉
The Core of RetroCTF: Competitive Retro Hacking
A Challenge Like No Other
RetroCTF isn’t just about solving problems—it’s about competing against others in the harsh, resource-limited world of retrocomputing. Participants are pitted against one another in a series of carefully crafted challenges that replicate the experience of hacking on hardware from the 70s, 80s, and 90s. But here’s the catch: there’s no modern luxury like Python scripts or pre-configured debuggers to help you out. You’re on your own, and every bit of progress feels like a hard-earned victory.
Each challenge is designed to test not just your technical skills but your creativity, perseverance, and ability to adapt to the quirks of vintage systems. It’s not just about finding the right exploit—it’s about mastering the constraints of the hardware and thinking outside the box. RetroCTF embodies the true spirit of hacking: bending outdated technology to your will.
Here’s what you can expect:
Analog Adventures: From tuning into TV signals to configuring ancient modems, expect to face challenges that will test your patience as much as your skills.
Low-Level Coding: Assemble code with limited instructions, manually manipulate memory addresses, and discover what hacking felt like before high-level languages made everything easy.
Timing is Everything: Many challenges require not just technical know-how but also precision in timing, a reflection of how old systems worked, where multitasking was a luxury and every CPU cycle counted.
The Infrastructure: Building an Authentic Retro Hacking Playground
Creating the perfect environment for RetroCTF is no small feat. We take pride in delivering a truly immersive experience by crafting an infrastructure that replicates the vintage computing world in all its glory—and frustration.
Real Hardware, Real Challenges
We don’t just simulate retro machines. At RetroCTF, you’ll be working on real vintage hardware—machines like the Sinclair ZX81, Commodore 64, and Amstrad CPC. Each of these systems has been meticulously restored to working condition, complete with their original limitations. This means dealing with ancient tape drives, noisy modems, and power supplies that could fail at any moment. The infrastructure is as much a challenge as the puzzles themselves.
But we don’t stop at providing the hardware—we also simulate vintage networking environments. You’ll interact with actual phone lines, dial-up modems, and pre-Internet networks. These setups are designed to replicate the security environments of decades past, where every connection was slow, every vulnerability was new, and nothing was automatic.
Custom RetroCTF Infrastructure Features:
Vintage Networking Simulation: Compete in environments that recreate the dial-up era, complete with analog signals, modem beeps, and the joy of configuring PPP (Point-to-Point Protocol) from scratch.
Physical Devices: Use real retro hardware for some challenges, while other parts of the competition are run on carefully emulated systems to mimic old machines as accurately as possible. Expect the unexpected, from cassette-loading delays to RAM limitations that will make you rethink every line of code.
Legacy Operating Systems: Participants will face challenges on actual legacy operating systems—DOS, CP/M, or even early Unix versions—learning firsthand how these systems handled security and file management.
Gamification: Turning Retro Hacking Into a Strategic Battle
In RetroCTF, every challenge is a carefully designed puzzle, and the competition is more than just a race to the finish. It’s a game of strategy, resource management, and creativity. Gamification is at the heart of RetroCTF, turning every aspect of the event into a test of both technical and mental agility.
Point System: Each challenge earns you points based on difficulty, creativity in your solution, and speed of completion. However, points are not just awarded for solving a challenge—they’re also deducted for errors and failed attempts. This system rewards precision and forces participants to think carefully before attempting a solution, adding a layer of tension that keeps the competition intense.
Bonus Challenges: Hidden within certain challenges are bonus objectives—little Easter eggs that reward deeper exploration and out-of-the-box thinking. These bonus challenges often involve side quests, like finding hidden vulnerabilities or unlocking extra functionality on a retro machine, encouraging participants to dive deeper into the intricacies of the hardware.
Leaderboard Dynamics (in progress project 😉 ): RetroCTF isn’t just about the end result—it’s about the journey. We keep a real-time leaderboard where participants can see how they rank against their competitors, adding a dynamic element to the event. But here’s the twist: point adjustments are made for especially clever solutions or brutal failures, so your position on the leaderboard can change drastically with one well-placed exploit—or one catastrophic misstep.
The Fun Factor: Rediscovering the Joy of Hacking
At its core, RetroCTF is designed to bring back the sheer joy of hacking. It’s not just about competition—it’s about rediscovering the playful curiosity that drives every hacker. While the challenges are tough, they’re also designed to be fun and engaging, encouraging participants to experiment, fail, and ultimately succeed in ways they never imagined.
Humor Built-In: Every RetroCTF challenge comes with a side of humor. Whether it’s the frustration of waiting for a cassette tape to load or the absurdity of configuring a 56k modem in 2024, we embrace the quirks of old-school hacking with a smile.
Collaborative Spirit: While it’s a competition, RetroCTF encourages participants to share their experiences, laugh at their mistakes, and celebrate their successes. We’re all here to learn, and there’s a shared camaraderie in facing the trials of vintage tech together.
Epic Wins: There’s nothing quite like the satisfaction of hearing that ancient system boot up, or finally cracking a challenge that’s been tormenting you for hours. These small victories are what RetroCTF is all about—reliving the joy of those first hacks, when every solution felt like magic.
RetroCTF — A Celebration of Hacking History and Competitive Spirit
RetroCTF isn’t just a challenge—it’s a journey into the past, where hackers test their skills against the limitations of vintage technology. With authentic hardware, legacy systems, and carefully crafted challenges, RetroCTF delivers an unparalleled competitive experience for hackers who want to prove their mettle in a retro environment.
Whether you’re a seasoned hacker or a curious beginner, RetroCTF offers a unique blend of fun, frustration, and fulfillment. It’s a race against time, a battle of wits, and above all, a celebration of hacking’s roots.