Concordia hosts one of Canada’s largest student cybersecurity hackathon

Whether you’re drawn to the thrill of competition, the cutting-edge challenges, or the $16,000 in prizes, the second edition of @Hack (“At Hack”) promises to be bigger and better than ever. @Hack is one of the largest Canadian capture-the-flag (CTF) events dedicated to students interested in cybersecurity.

Following last year’s debut, which welcomed over 400 participants, @Hack returns to Concordia University on March 1 and 2, 2025, at the John Molson School of Business (JMSB). 

Presented by Interac, @Hack is hosted by TECHNATION, Canada’s leading technology association, and Hexploit Alliance, a graduate student-led cybersecurity group at Concordia’s Gina Cody School of Engineering and Computer Science. The hackathon invites post-secondary students from across Canada to showcase their skills in web security, crypto, steganography, physical challenges and more.

“We’re going to deliver a much more robust event in terms of challenges, artwork, stronger infrastructure, more consideration for beginners, all the while keeping the difficulty alive for those die-hard hackers out there,” says Anthony Andreoli, Hexploit Alliance president and PhD student specializing in vulnerability research at Concordia.

The 2025 edition introduces exciting new features, including a beginner-friendly challenge track and a cyber trivia event designed to engage participants of all experience levels. Teams of two to four will tackle capture-the-flag-style challenges, with top performers earning prizes ranging from $750 to $1,250 per member.

Once registration closes on January 24, participants will verify their attendance and gain access to the @Hack Discord server, where they can finalize their teams of 2 to 4 members or connect with other participants.

Beyond the hacking, the weekend includes a career fair, networking opportunities and a trivia bash, along with meals and late-night snacks.

Interested in joining? Registration is now open until January 24.