Contests run alongside the talks and training all week. Some are quick one-shot games; others span multiple days with leaderboards. Most are walk-up friendly, so even if you didn’t plan to compete, you probably will.
Headline contest: Hackers Challenge
The Hackers Challenge is SAINTCON’s signature multi-day CTF. It has its own page because it’s got its own rules, stages, and finals. If you only do one contest, do that one.
2026 contest lineup
The official contest list for SAINTCON 26:
- AppSec Arena
- Blue Whale Challenge
- Forensic Files: A Blue Team Challenge
- Fox Hunt
- Hackers Challenge
- LAN Cable
- Los Santos
- Mini Badge Speed Soldering
- Near Field Conquest
- Octopus Game 2: The Revenge of the Squid
- Organs and Circuits CTF
- Tamper Evident
- Terminal Relay
- The Vault
Full descriptions and rules for each contest will post to this page as organizers finalize them.
How contests work
- Check each contest’s rules. Some require registration; some are drop-in.
- Respect the contest space. Contest crews work hard to set these up; treat their gear like you’d want your gear treated.
- Winners and prizes are typically announced on the Friday of the conference, often during the closing session.
Questions
Questions about a specific contest go in Discord during conference week; the dedicated channel for each contest shows up on the contest’s own info board. Questions about running a contest, the contests manager on the Planning Committee page is your contact.
