DEF CON CTF Reality: Over Half of Hackers Using AI Over Traditional Tools
dyn___ · x · 2026-08-10
At the CTF area of the top security conference DEF CON, an attendee observed a shocking shift: over 50% of the participants are using AI coding assistants like Codex or Claude Code (CC) to handle tasks, while almost no one is using traditional reverse engineering tools like IDA.
He lamented that in less than a year, hacking has been completely transformed by AI. While AI undoubtedly allows security researchers to go farther and faster, there is a sense of sadness in seeing traditional skills being replaced so rapidly.
Related event: Over Half of DEFCON CTF Hackers Now Use AI Coding Assistants(2 posts)→
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