Paul HudsonHacktivate is a safe, gamified way for students to learn real cybersecurity skills through interactive hacking challenges, using iPhone, iPad, or Mac. Created by an indie developer to make computer science education more fun!
Top comment
Hi, folks! I’m Paul, the creator of Hacktivate. When I was a teenager I learned about computers by trying things, breaking things, and fixing them again. I wanted to bring that spirit back – safely! – for the next generation. Hacktivate turns real cybersecurity concepts into playable hacking missions – you get to learn real-world concepts like SQL injection, steganography, digital forensics, and more, all using hands-on challenges on your iPhone, iPad, and Mac. I’ve worked to give the UI a “Hollywood-hacker” aesthetic, and have been heavily inspired by games I loved such as Command & Conquer, Uplink, and Syndicate. So, while the UI might feel like the War Games movie, every skill you learn is real. I’d love your feedback, especially from educators, developers, and security pros who want to get more people hooked on ethical hacking. Thanks for checking it out! (And if you like it, an upvote would mean the world! 🙌)
Comment highlights
Great idea and I love that its a one time cost instead of a monthly subscription. Even if future modules are individual payments, I'd rather that that pay monthly for something I'd either use all at once and not again or sporadically when time avails. Quick question, does it work entirely offline? I have a long flight coming up and thinking it might be a great way to pass the time.
Incredible app Paul! The level of detail and delightfulness in the game design is inspiring. Hackitvate should definitely be a serious candidate for next year’s Apple Design Awards! Cybersecurity is such an increasingly important area and often youth computer science education doesn’t focus on it. Really appreciate you creating a game that is not only fun but can really further student’s learning in an area that is often forgotten.
Love this, Paul. A safe CTF that teaches real skills on iPhone, iPad, and Mac is perfect for classrooms and curious teens. The WarGames vibe plus real SQLi, stego, and forensics sounds awesome. Would love educator resources or progress tracking. Congrats on launch!
I'm not a hacker by any means but this is so clever and fun. Love the idea and congrats on the launch, Paul! I'm going to spend some of my time this weekend seeing how far I can go...or until the coffee runs out.