Hack This Site is a free training ground for users to test and expand their hacking skills. Our community is dedicated to facilitating an open learning environment by providing a series of hacking challenges, articles, resources, and discussion of the latest happenings in hacker culture. We are an online movement of artists, activists, hackers and anarchists who are organizing to create new worlds.
This guide is an introduction to the site, community, philosophy and project organization. This project is entirely what you make of it. We encourage people to take an active role in the development of this community and to copy and redistribute this guide on their own.
Hacking Challenges
At the heart of the project lies the hacking challenges, dozens of simulated wargames that allow users to put their skills to the test in a legal, realistic environment. There are several kinds of challenges each demonstrating different kinds of skills.
Realistic Missions are complete websites with built-in security flaws with simulated objectives. You play the role of a freelance hacker who is contracted by several individuals and organizations to hack for social justice causes. You are given objectives and left to explore the site on your own, trying to discover and exploit the vulnerabilities. The web hacking skills taught on this series of challenges can be directly applied to systems in the real world.
Free Range Hacking / Team Competition. For more realistic intrusion and defense challenges, we hold a free range hacking competition where users can form teams and compete for control of machines set up for open hacking. Teams are rewarded for not only attacking and taking over systems but defending them against other attackers. Users can submit their own boxes to become part of this competition.
Application challenges require more operating system / programming specific skills. These test the manipulation of applications on your own machine.
Basic web hacking challenges are straight forward levels designed to outline the fundamentals of client-server HTTP hacking.
Cryptography contests are custom encrypted bits of code we release from time to time. The first five people to crack the code are recognized and rewarded.
The final challenge on HTS is to literally hack this site! We encourage people to explore the security of our site and we reward those who prepare exploit reports with an entry in the HTS hall of fame.
Community
Unlike many wargame and security sites, HTS is a living community where all users can contribute and participate in the development of the site. We are an open democratic society that encourages active participation, and we have set up a number of ways people can become involved. We have a very active IRC network, forums, and an open publishing system where people can submit news, articles, and external resources to the site. We run a friendly atmosphere where we help people asking questions and participate in very lively and passionate debates about technology and worldly events. There is no social hierarchy, we are all equal. HTS is what you make of it. Join us!
Hacking Philosophy
We believe everyone should have free access to all information. Hacking should not be a privileged skill - everyone should have the opportunity to learn about computer security in this age of internet enlightenment. We seek to facilitate a free and open training ground where people can test and expand their skills in a safe, legal and realistic environment.
Considering that several of the hacking challenges are simulated web defacements, the question of the ethics of hacking is repeatedly brought up. We like to consider hacking itself to be a tool, a skill which in itself is neutral, a means without an ends. It can be used in a positive(for the benefit of all) or a negative manner(mindless destruction or theft).
We want to promote the usage of hacking as a tool to fight for social justice causes. Hacking is justified if it is used to combat oppression, censorship or inequality. While we do not encourage or participate in illegal activities, we do want to present hacktivism as a positive alternative to mindless black hat hacking. Gain the skills and join the struggle for freedom!
Project Organization
HTS is a constantly evolving project with several teams of people working on many projects. There are no bosses, rules, or orders. Site staff act autonomously on whatever they feel like contributing to the site without any top down system of hierarchy. Even with an anarchist approach to project structure(that is, open, equal and anti-authoritarian), we maintain a high level of organization.
If you are interested in becoming part of HTS, the first step is not to submit an application or directly ask us. Try contributing to the project through a number of other ways - becoming active on IRC, writing articles, attending meetings, contributing ideas, etc. Having PHP and MySQL skills is almost a necessity. Have something to offer to HTS. Then declare your intention about being on staff. Remember that you have to win the support of existing staff members and be voted in on a public meeting.
Projects and Goals
We have had a number of successful projects in the past an a number of ones in active development. Many have been direct offshoots from staff members and others have been entirely organizing and completed by normal users!
Hack This Zine! We publish on an irregular basis a hacktivist magazine that covers the latest happenings in the electronic civil disobedience scene. All are free to submit content, print and redistribute the zine as if it was their own. It is available in digital PDF format online and also in a physical copy in real life.
Lectures. From time to time we hold organized lectures over IRC where people are free to engage in discussion as organized lecturers give prepared speeches. These are self organized and all users or groups are free to launch their own skillsharers. We have a lecture staff to coordinate these discussions.
Hacking Conventions. We have had a presence at both HOPE and DEFCON hacker conventions. We usually set up a table to distribute copies of our magazine, to allow people to play the challenges on the site and to talk to people about the project. We invite all to come meet the staff of the site and to help out.
Future goals
Widespread availability of Hack This Zine!
Having a live competition at major hacking conventions and setting up a panel discussion
Open sourcing the project + finding ways to make it timeless and survive well beyond the staff.
Get Involved!
Hack This Site is not something that just happens. It is a continuously evolving project with many active users working on many active projects. It's more than just a website, but a movement made up of people just like you.
There are many ways people can get involved with this rapidly growing online community. Whether you want to help with the site, magazine, help others with challenges, or even add new features to the site, there's something to do. Come offering your assistance, but don't let us limit you to what you can do for the site.
After familiarizing yourself with the website, hacking challenges, and the political structure of the organization, the first thing to do to get involved is to get to know the other active contributors to the site. Hang around the IRC server. Attend some of the meetings. Post stuff in the forums. Distribute the magazine to your friends or at local hacker conventions. Contribute your thoughts. Volunteer to beta test some of the new projects. Get used to working with other members of the site. We're here for you, get in contact with us!
Contact
Hack This Site IRC
The best way of getting answers to general questions about the site, and the quickest way of getting involved with the community.
irc.hackthissite.org port 6667 (SSL 7000)
#hackthissite (general chat)
#help (challenges and other help)
#team (Staff discussion channel)
Forums
Hack This Site Forums: The best way of getting help with the hacking challenges; also a hotbed for discussion.
E-mail
We can't always respond, but we do read everything we are sent, so have your voices heard:
HTS staff: staff (at) hackthissite.org
Project organizer: wyrmkill (at) hackthissite.org
This site is the collective work of the
HackThisSite staff. Please don't reproduce in part or whole without permission.
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