CactusCon 13 Villages & Special Events
Villages are spaces within CactusCon dedicated to specific topic areas, and typically include talks, hands-on activities, competitions, and other exciting and interesting things to check out! Check this page for updates as we add more villages and info.
CactusCon Badge
The Cactuscon 13 badge is your gateway to a hidden reality. As an unawakened, you start unaware, trapped in a carefully crafted digital illusion. Through a series of challenging tasks that test your intellect and problem-solving abilities, you’ll begin to see through the cracks of this false world. With each solved puzzle, you inch closer to awakening—unlocking new insights and understanding the forces controlling you. But awakening has its dangers. Once aware, Agents—ruthless enforcers of the system—will hunt you, determined to erase any threat to the status quo. The Matrix is real, and the only way to escape it is to outthink those who seek to keep you blind.
Capture the Flag
The Cactus Con CTF is back for another exciting year! The event will take place virtually and in-person at the Mesa Convention Center in Phoenix Arizona, USA. This will be a team event, no max on team size. Please have all your team members register here on ctf.threatsims.com.
*** All CTF participants must also register with the Conference to be eligible to play.
Prizes? Yep there will be prizes, more information will be shared as we get closer to the event
Team size? No max, but prizes are limited
Is this offense or defense? Yes!
The CactusCon Greenhouse
Have you ever wanted to be a pentester but didn’t know where to start? Do you have an interest in pentesting but need some help getting the fundamentals down? Are you a blue- teamer or a cyber manager and want to have a basic understanding of pentesting techniques? If so then the CactusCon Greenhouse is for you! The Greenhouse is a series of five stations, each one with an exercise in a pentesting fundamental; enumeration using nmap, web application testing using BurpSuite, exploitation with Metasploit, password cracking with john the ripper and hashcat, and vulnerability scanning. Each table is designed to take about 30 minutes to complete, and will have a web page to guide you through the exercises. Greenhouse Gardeners will be available to help if you get stuck. You will need to bring your own laptop to participate. More information is available here, but plan to come join the Greenhouse for a fun, instructional and low-pressure chance to get your feet wet in pentesting!