Pinball High Score Contest

Pinball at DEF CON

Rich, a world-ranked competitive pinball player, describes how pinball became a DEF CON fixture. After years of visiting the Pinball Hall of Fame, he researched IoT-era pinball machines, found vulnerabilities that could remotely flip flippers during high-stakes tournaments, and disclosed them at ShmooCon. Stern Pinball then partnered to bring machines on-site so attendees would not have to leave the conference.

Pinball High Score Contest

Last year's contest was deliberately layered: hints appeared in forums, social media, and GitHub, and game code/settings were arranged so careful observers could hack into the finals without breaking equipment or the network. A village worker won after reporting an unfair game configuration. The event also tied into Stern Insider Connected QR badges, privacy guidance, IFPA-sanctioned play, and cross-village CTF flags embedded in games.

Advice for participants

Rich encourages newcomers to walk up and play, try unconventional paths, and ask volunteers when unsure. DEF CON contests often reward creative rule interpretation within stated boundaries.