Congratulations to KuK Hofhackerei – 9th Place at DEF CON CTF 33!
We are incredibly proud of the Austrian hacking team KuK Hofhackerei, which secured 9th place at DEF CON CTF 33, one of the toughest and most renowned Capture the Flag competitions in the world.
The DEF CON Capture the Flag competition is widely considered the “World Cup of Hacking”, attracting elite teams from across the globe. Over several intense days, participants face highly complex security challenges spanning reverse engineering, cryptography, exploitation, forensics, and much more.
Reaching the finals is already a remarkable accomplishment. Finishing in the Top 10 worldwide is proof of KuK Hofhackerei’s talent, dedication, and teamwork.
In the weeks leading up to the finals, the entire team invested countless hours into preparation, sharpening their technical skills and testing strategies. Their perseverance paid off, and the 9th-place finish is a reflection of both their expertise and passion for cybersecurity.
Our colleague and team member Georg Merzdovnik couldn’t be happier.
Competitions like DEF CON CTF are not just about winning – they are about learning, sharing, and pushing the boundaries of cybersecurity together. We extend our congratulations to all participating teams for their outstanding efforts, and especially to the 1st place winners – Maple Mallard Magistrates for their brilliant performance.
This achievement has energized the entire KuK Hofhackerei team and the Austrian cybersecurity community. The message is clear: this is only the beginning. The team is already looking forward to the next challenge and promises: “See you at DEF CON CTF 34!”
This success would not have been possible without the strong backing of partners and supporters:
Dynatrace, Erste Bank und Sparkasse, Technische Universität Wien, Technische Universität Graz, FH St. Pölten – University of Applied Sciences, Johannes Kepler Universität Linz, Bosch, Siemens, CyberSecurityAustria CSA, and Michael Pucher.
© Georg Merzdovnik