STEALTHCUP 2026 / HACKFEST QUÉBEC / 31.10.2026
Most CTFs reward speed.
StealthCup rewards staying invisible.
StealthCup is an evasion-focused CTF and a research project by AIT. Teams attack a live IT and OT enterprise range while a real SOC stack watches. The team that reaches its objectives with the fewest severe detections wins.
Room for up to 12 teams, each with an IT and an OT part, on-site in Québec City or in the remote track. Teams compete for the overall cup plus separate IT and OT cups. Detections show up in real time so you can adapt, and resets are allowed at a cost.
Late registration is open while spots last, and walk-ins are welcome. No team yet? Register individually and we will try to place you in a team.
Why participate?
- Prizes: A StealthCup challenge coin for the winning team, hardware gadgets like YubiKeys for the best on-site teams and Hackfest tickets. Prizes are awarded on-site only. Winners are published on this website and in news releases, and participants can opt for anonymity.
- Bring your red team: Ideally 4 to 8 players, with 2 to 4 on the IT side and 2 to 4 on the OT side. There is no hard limit on team size, but stealth is key.
- Real research impact: Your attack paths and evasion tricks show where detection really breaks. The 2025 results were published at ACM AsiaCCS 2026.
Win and you join the StealthCup Hall of Fame. Register today and prove your team can operate under the radar.
Join us at Hackfest
Date: Saturday, 31 October 2026, challenge from 9:30 to 17:00 Québec time (13:30 to 21:00 UTC)
Location: Hackfest, Quebec City Convention Centre, or remote
Schedule on 31 October (Québec time, UTC-4)
- 08:00 Doors open
- 09:00 Walk-in registration until 09:20
- 09:20 Briefing
- 09:30 Challenge starts, runs until 17:00 (13:30 to 21:00 UTC)
- 15:00 Scoring, until 16:00
- 17:30 Hackfest closing
On-site or remote
On-site in Québec City is preferred, and prizes are awarded on-site only. The remote track is a full option: remote teams play the same range over VPN and do not need a Hackfest ticket. We keep remote to a maximum of 6 teams so there is room for walk-ins and Hackfest attendees.
Walk-in registration
Sign up at the StealthCup desk next to the main CTF on 30 October, or in the walk-in window on 31 October from 9:00 to 9:20. You can form a team on-site. Online registration stays open on short notice while spots last.
Event details
- Spots: Room for up to 12 teams, on-site and remote. Register now, we confirm your spot quickly.
- Team setup: Every team plays an IT part and an OT part, so plan for both skill sets.
- Experience: Ideal for professionals with a penetration testing background. Familiarity with evasion techniques, Windows and OT environments gives you an edge.
- Low entry barrier: The event is designed to be accessible and affordable. If you are newer to penetration testing, join a team and learn alongside experienced players.
- Language: The event runs in English.
New and returning players
The overall cup and the IT and OT cups are open to everyone. First-time players also compete in a separate rookie standing, so you are ranked against others at your level, not against veterans. Returning players from 2025 are marked as such in the standings. The environment has changed since last year, so a previous run does not carry over one to one.
Rules of engagement
Attack only the StealthCup range. The Hackfest infrastructure, the event network and other teams are off limits.
What to bring
Your own laptop and tools. Range access and credentials are handed out on-site over the event Wi-Fi. Remote teams connect over VPN.
Prepare for success
Registered teams receive technical details and objectives before the event. Preparation is optional, not required.
Ready? Register your team, we confirm your spot quickly.
Privacy and consent
Participants can opt for anonymity after the event as part of our commitment to privacy and ethical research. PCAPs and event logs are collected during the event.
StealthCup 2025 in numbers
Leberkas Club Vegan was the only team to reach the OT objective.
Read the full paper in the ACM Digital Library
No team yet?
Registering as a team is always the preferred route. If you are on your own, register individually and tell us your skills. We will place you in a team that is open for extra players, or form a new team made up of individual players.