COMMAND & ANNACONQUER: Recap

We Came, We Hacked, We Conquered

What happens when you mix curious minds, laptops, and Hack The Box challenges? You get one epic night of hacking, learning, and community vibes. On August 21, ANNACON launched its very first COMMAND & ANNACONQUER event — and we at Refracted Security were happy to help host the event, made possible thanks to De Kwekerij Lier, who kindly provided the space. 

The Vibes

Picture this: a cozy space buzzing with energy, screens lighting up with terminal windows, and people helping each other crack those tricky boxes. Some came armed with Kali VMs, others just brought curiosity, and both were totally welcome. It wasn’t and never is about being the best hacker in the room. It’s about learning, sharing, and having fun.

Highlights of the Night

• Watching our BDV (Bemachtig De Vlag) team flex their skills as they prepped for the upcoming CTF competition at ANNACON 0x7E9.
• Seeing beginners dive into their first HTB machine and nail it with a little help from the community.
• The moment someone finally popped root and the whole room cheered.

Massive thanks to Thomas Hayen, HTB ambassador, for guiding everyone through Hack The Box and dropping pro tips. And of course, big shout-out to ANNACON for bringing the concept to life and to everyone who joined us for making the night unforgettable.

What’s Next?

This was just the start. We’re already cooking up more hands-on hacking nights and competitions. If you missed this one, don’t worry, you’ll get your chance to join the fun soon.

Want to be part of the next session or even partner with us? Hit us up. Let’s keep building this community and leveling up together.

Follow ANNACON and Refracted Security for updates.

---