Techies Descend on Annapolis for Crack the Shell: Capture the Flag Hackathon

August 14, 2017

On Saturday, August 12, about 100 participants brought their laptops, coffee and game faces as teams competed in the first Crack the Shell: Capture the Flag event at the O’Callaghan Hotel in Annapolis. The event was hosted by LAUNCH Annapolis and HackEd and sponsored by Anne Arundel Economic Development Corporation and the City of Annapolis.

Capture the Flag events simulate a real life cyber range where users build their own servers and defend them while attacking other servers. Competitors work with realistic scenarios when their server or computer networks are under attack by hackers.

“The event was overflowing with professionals and up-and-coming programmers competing for the top prize,” said Ryan Sears, Founder of Launch Annapolis. “The tremendous turnout from the cyber security community and the support given by city and county partners is a testament to the strength of the technology ecosystem in Anne Arundel County.”

Rebel Alliance won the day and the $1000 grand prize. While Maryland had good representation, competitors came from neighboring states such as New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia and as far south as North Carolina.

Attendee Nick Ippolito says the event was fun with a variety of “hacker like” challenges. However, what struck him the most was being able to network and make new connections. “There were a lot of great groups all filled with a lot of smart people. Participants now have people outside their normal social circle to ask for help if they ever need it.”

The event also provided local business owners with a chance to connect with technology professionals. “It’s important to get involved in these events and stay involved in the community in order to bring the center of mass of cyber talent closer to Anne Arundel County,” said Ethan Dietrich, CEO of Six Gen.

Organizers hope to plan another hacking event in the coming months. For more information on future events, please visit the Launch Annapolis website.

FARM BUSINESS PROFILE: Collinson Family Farm »