Who is Neg9? / Being “Part of Neg9”

Negative Nine Security is a geographically dispersed organization of security professionals, enthusiasts, coders, hobbyists, tinkerers, and all around hackers.

We aim to hold periodic events in the various regions where we have a presence with the following goals:

  • Share knowledge via presentations and round-table discussions - generally technical and security or development related
  • Organize security challenges and puzzles for everyone to play (similar to DEF CON CTF qualifications, for example)
  • Encourage new & young people to get involved with the hacking scene and raise interest in software security

As with most groups of this nature, people come and go - some are enthusiastic but only stay around a few months, others stay part of the group forever. Being “part of Neg9” or a “Neg9 member” doesn’t have a firm definition. If you have to ask if you’re a member, you probably aren’t. Neg9 is primarily an open group of friends who care about security, practice for hacking competitions and work on projects together. It is a community of makers and breakers.

Does hanging out with Neg9 sound interesting and fun to you? Join our hackers mailing list (details on the communicate page) and watch the website and our social media feeds for details about upcoming events!

The Neg9 CTF Team

The Neg9 CTF Team is a group of hackers that regularly participate in security CTFs and other contests. It is a subset of the Neg9 hackers group comprised of those individuals who have proved their dedication through years of consistent participation.

The CTF Team by definition is a private group limited in size. The CTF Team is analogous to any sports team: team members need to be able to count on each other and work well together, know each others' strengths and weaknesses, and practice together to strengthen the whole team. Showing up for practice and for games is not optional for members of professional sports teams. Similarly, dedication is not defined by how many points the individual scores during a game because teamwork is about helping each other advance together.

So, you want to be a member to the Neg9 CTF Team? First you must participate. Join the hackers list and participate in discussions and share your ideas. Be an active member, help others, help us host events, and find your own unique way to contribute to the group. Neg9 is first and foremost a collection of hackers. There is more to hacking than just CTF and more to CTF than just hacking.

Many times throughout the year, the Neg9 CTF Team participates in CTF games. For many of these CTF games, we’ll reach out to members of the general group of members and friends. If you express an interest and have shown your dedication to CTF games, we will likely invite you to participate. Take advantage of these opportunities to show your dedication. Show up for the entire event and collaborate with other members of the Team. If you leave early or are annoying, arrogant, or do not play nicely, don’t expect to be invited back.

After participating with the group for some time, you may be invited to be a member of the CTF Team. Being part of the CTF Team means representing Neg9’s public image and (believe it or not) demands a certain level of professionalism and good nature. Being a member of the Team comes with many expectations. At this point you will be expected to continue your dedication, help pay for infrastructure costs, develop tools, write up challenges, or help to maintain Neg9 assets. If you don’t have time for continual active participation, this group is not for you. No worries, not everyone can prioritize CTF or has the free time to dedicate - be honest with yourself before you accept an invitation.

Current Neg9 CTF Team Members

  • FalconK
  • Javantea
  • _rev
  • coldwaterq
  • craSH
  • hbw
  • kaizoku
  • meta
  • reidb
  • serif
  • tecknicaltom

Former Neg9 CTF Team Members

  • LeJIT
  • Syn
  • dyn
  • fR
  • greenfly
  • hex
  • spikey
  • static.cast
  • supersat
  • twinvega

Order of the above rosters is arbitrary, and no meaning should be given to where a given member is in the list