Brooklyn Techies To Hack Into Military Systems At Navy Yard Event

FORT GREENE, BROOKLYN — Brooklyn techies looking to solve some of the country's most significant cybersecurity problems — all while making a quick buck — can try their hand at complex military systems during a hack-a-thon event this weekend.

HACKtheMACHINE, hosted at the Brooklyn Navy Yard's New Lab, will bring military and government personnel to their former stomping grounds to enlist the help of the borough's most technology-savvy for three specific challenges in their own systems.

The Saturday event will challenge members of the public to hack into government systems, find ways to improve fighter jet maintenance and design new parts for at-sea ship repair. Those who come up with useful solutions can win some of the $90,000 cash and prizes available for participants.

"HACKtheMACHINE is where people from all walks of life — from software engineers to graphic designers, from students to start-up entrepreneurs — help the Navy solve its foremost cybersecurity and technical problems," organizers said.

This is the first time the hacking event will come to Brooklyn. It has been held in four other cities across the country since starting in 2016.

Here is what the hackers will be working on:

• "Hack the Ship": This challenge will ask participants to hack maritime computer systems. Actual equipment and systems will be on site.

• "Cleared for Takeoff": Aircraft like the F/A-18 are some of the Navy's most important and complex assets, which makes aircraft maintenance one of the Navy's most vexing and expensive problems. Participants will help the Navy learn whether data science and machine learning can predict maintenance problems before they happen and keep the F/A-18 in the air.

• "Rendering Aid": If a ship is in distress, it's the Navy's job to help. Participants will work with designers and engineers to help the Navy learn whether it can use 3D printers to quickly produce the parts needed to remotely assist with ship repair. Participants will be working with a full size compressor and other equipment.