ShmooCon 2016 Update

So long and thanks for all the Swedish fish!

Every January brings with it a new year, cold air and ShmooCon!!  This January was no different, with the exception of the cold.  Climate strange gave us down right unseasonably warn weather for the Con.  It also brought the 6^th session of the Wireless CTF brought to you by Wireless Village, and the flu for Tara.

WCTF had most of the usual suspects at the helm, Zero Chaos, Rick, Red Baron, Terrible, Marauder and the n00b (village idiot) who’s writing this, Antimatter.

For first time visitors to the page, WCTF is a great opportunity for both the beginner and the expert signals analyst.  There are no costs beyond your Con ticket to play and you can get started with some very basic equipment, much of it below $100.  Check our sdr.ninja and rtl-sdr.com for more info and for equipment and vendor lists.  Remember, everyone in the Wireless Village loves to teach.

ShmooCon 2016 WCTF 1

WCTF Shmoo 2016 had 15 teams.  Those plus individual players made for a whooping 25 players.  Not the best turn out of all times but strong for Shmoo.  First prize despite the handicap of Crypt0s went to Crimson Agents who walked away with a $250 gift card to Microcenter and Team Jack Tenna in 2^nd place with a $50 Microcenter gift card bounty.  Well done to the winners.

Starting on day 0001 the Wireless Village Elders provided some guidance to the new contenders and RF baselines for all to calibrate their gear.  Through out the day, we saw a huge surge in points from Crimson Agents, but the point gods where not benevolent.  Punishment erupted from below like the anger of the mighty god Anubis.  Let’s just say they didn’t return the next day with the same point level. Mid afternoon Rick took the contestants through a little Spot the Spike drinking game.  Fun was had by all and beer for those who wanted.  After that, the challenges grew harder as the day clicked on. 

Day 0010 brought an interesting tactic from JoshinGeneral.  Deploying an old web page from previous WCTs he delayed and distracted his opponents sending them on a wild goose chase for flags that didn’t exist.  Finally someone played an offensive card!!! Well-played JoshinGeneral!!!  Extra points were awarded for this stratergery.

Question:  Do Swedish fish thrown at Zero help your score?  Probably not!  Crimson Agents to a bit of a beating in penalty points. 

As for day 0011; Fuck it!  I wasn’t there so nothing cool must have happened, except the out-brief and awards.   I understand the team Jack Tenna were running about quite crazy looking for the fox. 

One a final note for WCTF ShmooCon 2016.  Where would we be without our great Sponsors?  Special thanks to Great Scott Gadgets, piachievers, and Aruba Networks.

So what’s all this about Beginnings and Ends?????

This years Shmoo marked the end of the current CTF challenges, but, beginning at BSides Charm, WCTF will introduce new challenges; challenges being delivered by the new WCTF suitcase. 

This was a long time in the works by the village team.  It also means the retirement of the classic football case, which has traveled to all the previous WCTFs.