Two weeks ago, I had the honor of presenting my research at Hacktivity – the Eastern European IT Security Festival held in Budapest, and I can say without hesitation: this wasn’t just another conference.
It was something special.
Over the years, I’ve spoken at and attended many amazing conferences – some with huge production budgets, massive venues, and global brands behind them. But Hacktivity stood out for completely different reasons.
💡 The Spirit of Hacktivity: People Over Production
What made Hacktivity unforgettable wasn’t flashy keynotes or over-the-top staging.
It was the people.
It was the vibe.
And most importantly – it was everything that doesn’t depend on budget.
The passion, the openness, the curiosity – it felt like the entire event was designed not just to showcase security, but to grow the community that cares about it.
From volunteers who worked behind the scenes to make everything seamless, to attendees who stayed late helping others with challenges, the energy was genuine and deeply collaborative.
🔐 From the Stage to the Hallways
I had the chance to share my latest research on cloud-native infrastructure exploitation, including live demos and techniques that blend Kubernetes, IAM abuse, and real-world privilege escalation paths.
But the real highlight wasn’t on stage.
It was what happened after.
People came up and asked smart, challenging questions. Some offered new insights. Others just wanted to share what they were working on.
Those hallway conversations? That’s where the community lives.
🤝 The Real Magic: Helping Each Other Build
What truly amazed me was how much of Hacktivity was about building — together.
I saw people helping each other solve CTF problems in real time.
Speakers mentoring first-timers.
Attendees teaming up to start open-source side projects during the event.
There was no elitism. No gatekeeping. Just people who love security, showing up for each other.
🧠 What Makes a Great Conference? Values.
You don’t need a massive budget to build a meaningful experience.
Hacktivity proves that what really matters is:
- Giving space to new voices
- Prioritizing participation over perfection
- Centering community over ego
In a world where some events are focused on optics, Hacktivity focused on impact.
And that’s exactly why I left inspired.
✅ Key Takeaways
- Community is infrastructure. If you want stronger security, invest in the people building it.
- Contribution doesn’t require permission. From volunteers to CTF players, everyone had a role.
- Small moments matter. Some of the biggest takeaways came from casual chats, not the big screen.
- Hacktivity is a must-attend. Especially if you care about innovation, openness, and human-centered cybersecurity.
🙌 Thank You, Hacktivity
To Marosi-Bauer Attila and the entire organizing team: thank you for making this happen – not just the logistics, but the feeling of being part of something important.
I left with new friends, new ideas, and a renewed belief in what this community can do when we support each other.
Until next time,
Chen Shiri