It’s always a thrill when hackers roll up their sleeves (or pull up their hoods) and put the theory into practice.
That’s exactly what will be happening at the Capture the Flag cyber security competition held in The HackerSpace at CloudFest 2026. This is where curiosity turns into capability and raw skill gets put to the test.
If you’re new to hacking and hungry to level up fast, you’ll find the tools, techniques, and support to build your skills. This is an inclusive space and everyone is welcome.e to step into the spotlight and show the Cloud industry exactly what you’re made of.
Learn from the experts
The HackerSpace features a dedicated technical session stage built for deep dives, not drive-bys. Expect practical, technically oriented security talks created by CISOs, CTOs and Security & Threat Researchers. Content will be fine-tuned for MSPs, CSPs, and anyone serious about ethical hacking and real-world defense in the Cloud economy.
Sessions will tackle Multi-Factor Authentication in the context of a rapidly changing internet, unpack how to make bug bounties commercially viable rather than a side hustle, explore where pen-testing is heading next as attack surfaces expand, and cut through the noise around SBOMs to help security leaders navigate an increasingly complex compliance landscape.
Capture the Flag at CloudFest
Running alongside the sessions will be CloudFest’s very own Capture the Flag tournament, the ultimate hacker eSport.
Capture the Flag, or CTF, is where cybersecurity stops being theoretical and gets real. Part competition, part skills laboratory, it challenges participants to think like attackers in order to build stronger, smarter defenses.
In a CTF, individuals or teams face a series of hands-on security challenges that reflect the vulnerabilities and attack paths seen in live environments. That could mean exploiting misconfigurations, breaking weak authentication, dissecting malicious code, reverse-engineering applications, or uncovering hidden data buried deep inside systems. Each challenge contains a “flag”, a unique string that proves you’ve cracked the problem and earned the point.
The goal is simple: find the flags faster than everyone else. The execution is anything but easy. CTFs demand technical depth, lateral thinking, and the ability to perform when the clock is ticking. There are no walkthroughs, no safety rails, and no hiding behind theory.
For the Cloud ecosystem, CTFs matter. They reflect the reality of modern, distributed infrastructure and reinforce why secure architecture, continuous testing, and adversarial thinking are essential. Whether you’re a CISO, CTO, MSP, or Cloud builder, CTFs sharpen instincts, expose blind spots, and push security thinking forward, fast.
The CloudFest CTF is for individuals of all experience levels. Come along to put your technical skills on the line and see how you think, adapt, and hack at speed under real pressure. If you’ve competed in a CTF before, you know exactly what’s coming. If it’s your first time, buckle up and lean into it, because the learning curve is steep and the experience is worth it. Remember—everyone is welcome!
Access is free and included
Access to the CTF and The HackerSpace is included with full access to CloudFest 2026, running March 23–26.
The HackerSpace, featuring the CTF and technical session stage are located in Europa-Park’s Hotel Santa Isabel, placing you right at the heart of the action.
The HackerSpace runs 2:00pm – 5:40pm on Monday, March 24, so there’s plenty of time to check in beforehand (and maybe have a beer afterwards). Learn more here.
