The Hackening exists because mentors mentor, colleges partner, and MSPs participate. There's a role here for every part of the cybersecurity community.
Senior cybersecurity practitioners provide the oversight, validation, and professional guidance that make The Hackening possible. Mentors don't do the work — they shape the people who do.
Time commitment varies by engagement. Mentors are vetted, and operate under defined ethical standards and program oversight.
Time commitment varies by engagement. Mentors are vetted, and operate under defined ethical standards and program oversight.
Academic programs partner with The Hackening to provide their students experiential learning that aligns with curriculum goals — and produces job-ready graduates. Partnership is structured around the academic calendar and integrates with existing program outcomes.
MSPs volunteer their environments for supervised assessments. In return, a professional-grade pen test report at low to no cost, written by a student under the direct supervision of an experienced practitioner.
Participating MSPs help build the workforce while strengthening their own security posture.
A student gains real experience, an MSP gains real findings, and a practitioner gains a structured way to give back. Multiply that across cohorts and college partnerships, and you're building the cybersecurity workforce one engagement at a time.