Ahoy, Vegas. RunSafe Security is headed to DEF CON 33 and we’re bringing serious energy to the high seas of cyber.
This year, we’re proud to sponsor the Maritime Hacking Village (MHV), the destination at DEF CON for hackers, engineers, and tinkerers who want to get their hands on real maritime tech and explore the vulnerabilities lurking beneath the surface.
The 2025 theme, “Digital Blockade in the Pacific,” draws on real-world geopolitical flashpoints to frame a gamified hacking experience built around real maritime infrastructure.
“It’s definitely not RSA, and it’s not Black Hat,” said Duncan Woodbury, Executive Director of the Maritime Hacking Village, on RunSafe’s Exploited: The Cyber Truth podcast. “There are no sponsored talks. What we do at villages is bring people together to perform security research against real-world critical infrastructure systems.”
This year’s setup includes:
- 🚤 Two unmanned surface vessels (USVs)—autonomous watercraft adapted for live RF and telemetry hacking
- 🏗️ A working crane control system—donated by one of the largest ports in the Western Hemisphere, complete with a real 8×8-foot shipping container you can “unlock” via successful exploit
- 🛰️ GPS & AIS spoofing scenarios—showcasing how easy it is to manipulate unencrypted maritime systems
- 🎯 Gamified CTF-style challenges—all wrapped in a storyline simulating a digital blockade in a contested region
“We prioritize real systems and avoid simulations,” said Woodbury. “We can produce powerful results in just 20 hours of conference time.”
“That’s why we’re excited to be part of this,” said Joe Saunders, CEO and Founder of RunSafe Security. “DEF CON is where real vulnerability research happens. The Maritime Hacking Village puts legacy systems and cutting-edge autonomous vessels in front of the best hackers in the world—and we get better for it.”
Why RunSafe Is at the Maritime Hacking Village
RunSafe is no stranger to high-consequence embedded environments. From defense to critical infrastructure to automotive, we work with teams building software that must keep running.
“Maritime infrastructure is what we call the last dinosaur,” said Woodbury. Many systems are decades old and are just now beginning to adopt digital tech and automation.
RunSafe’s core technology—RunSafe Protect—defends embedded software by neutralizing memory safety vulnerabilities at runtime, preventing exploit chains without requiring developers to rewrite code. It’s the kind of defense that matters when you’re out on the ocean, or in a factory, or controlling a satellite.
“That’s why we’re excited to be part of this,” said Joe Saunders, CEO and Founder of RunSafe Security. “DEF CON is where real vulnerability research happens. The Maritime Hacking Village puts legacy systems and cutting-edge autonomous vessels in front of the best hackers in the world—and we get better for it.”
See You in the Village
DEF CON is where the boundaries of cybersecurity get stress-tested. We’re excited to be part of a community pushing those limits not just in theory but in practice.
If you’re curious about embedded systems, maritime autonomy, or how to defend devices that can’t afford to fail, make sure the Maritime Hacking Village is on your map.
“Hiding vulns sink all ships,” said Saunders. “If you don’t probe your own systems, motivated actors will. By engaging with communities like DEF CON, you’ll benefit from the discoveries, and you’ll be better off in the long run.”
📍 DEF CON 33 | Maritime Hacking Village
🗓 August 8–11, 2025
📌 Caesars Forum, Las Vegas
Catch all the updates from the Maritime Hacking Village: https://www.linkedin.com/company/maritimehackingvillage/
Learn more about RunSafe Security: https://runsafesecurity.com
Want to connect ahead of the event? Drop us a line or flag us down in the village. We’ll be the ones near the watercraft.
