Thank You for an Incredible Bug Bounty Village at DEF CON 33

Recap stats and information inside.

Author

Harley Kimball
August 23, 2025

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Hi everyone,

Earlier this month we wrapped up the second-ever Bug Bounty Village at DEF CON, and what an unforgettable weekend it was. More than 3,600 attendees came through our doors, with lines stretching down the hall nearly all weekend.

We hosted over 60 speakers across 35 sessions, covering everything from web, desktop, and AI hacking to running and managing bug bounty programs. We partnered with every major bug bounty platform to deliver custom challenges, our first-ever CTF, and a space for the community to connect. Attendees told us it was some of the most valuable content they had ever seen at DEF CON, with many spending their entire conference inside the Village.

Thanks to our community, sponsors, and volunteers, we gave away thousands of stickers, t-shirts, challenge coins, and electronic badges. The Hacker Hangout drew more than 400 attendees, and our CTF saw over 750 registrations, with 52 competing live on site.

This was a labor of love, the result of more than six months of planning, countless late nights, and the support of an incredible volunteer team. Your feedback tells us the effort was worth it:

“The CTF was the best thing I’ve ever done at DEF CON.”
“That talk was the best I’ve ever heard at DEF CON.”
“Bug Bounty Village is the only place I will spend my time at DEF CON.”

The impact goes beyond the weekend. Our community now spans more than 13,000 followers across social platforms, with over 1.1M views and 30,000+ engagements. We also welcomed 1,200+ new subscribers to our mailing list, creating year-round opportunities to learn, share, and grow together.

We are deeply grateful to everyone who made this possible: our speakers, sponsors, volunteers, and every attendee who chose to spend time with us. This Village would not exist without you.

What’s Next

  • We are gathering and sharing photos from the event.

  • In the coming months, we will edit and upload recorded talks to YouTube.

  • We will take a short break, then return to planning for next year’s Village starting in January.

Stay Connected

Finally, we’d love your feedback to help us improve for next year. Please share your thoughts here: Feedback Form.

Thank you again for your energy, encouragement, and support. We cannot wait to see you at the next Bug Bounty Village.

With gratitude,
The Bug Bounty Village Team