VanishID returns to DEF CON 34 with Pinball Hackers contest

VanishID is back at DEF CON 34 in Las Vegas, sponsoring the Pinball Hackers village and building a new custom pinball challenge for the August 6–9 event. The company is leaning into a hands-on hacker-community presence after last year’s contest earned a Black Badge, one of DEF CON’s top honors.

Why it matters: - VanishID is using DEF CON 34 to showcase its security brand inside one of the conference’s most active communities. - The company’s return signals continued investment in a live, interactive format that blends hardware, software and community engagement. - Last year’s contest won a Black Badge, giving the challenge unusually strong credibility inside DEF CON.

What happened: - VanishID will be on the floor at DEF CON 34 from August 6–9 at the Las Vegas Convention Center West Hall. - The company is a sponsor of the Pinball Hackers village and the builder of the village’s signature pinball contest. - VanishID engineers are part of the Pinball Hackers team and help build both the hardware and software behind the games. - The company is returning with a new contest for this year’s village, but the details are being kept under wraps until players try the machine in Las Vegas.

The details: - The contest is a custom puzzle layer built on top of a standard Stern pinball machine. - Players make shots to trigger events, follow a narrative and solve a challenge that stays on the machine for the length of the conference. - The build is non-destructive and fully reversible, then removed when the event ends. - DEF CON designated last year’s version as a Black Badge contest. - A Black Badge gives winners free DEF CON admission for life. - DEF CON organizers decide mid-conference which contests receive Black Badge status. - Participants who advance far enough earn commemorative challenge coins from the Pinball Hackers community. - Media attending DEF CON 34 are invited to stop by the Pinball Hackers village to see the machine and meet the VanishID team. - Alex Mulfinger and Michael Hans are available on-site for interviews. - Michael Hans, VanishID’s VP of Engineering, said the opportunity to learn while building something people enjoy is a privilege and that the team hopes to meet the community’s creative standard again this year.

Between the lines: - The Pinball Hackers village is a fit for companies that want to connect with security professionals in a hands-on setting rather than through a booth-only presence. - A Black Badge win can amplify attention because it is one of the conference’s highest honors and is reserved for a small set of contests. - Keeping the new challenge secret adds a game-day reveal that can drive traffic to the machine.

What's next: - DEF CON attendees will see the new Pinball Hackers challenge when they reach the machine in Las Vegas. - VanishID will use the conference to introduce the 2026 contest and connect with media and attendees on-site. - The company’s broader identity-security platform remains available through vanishid.com.

The bottom line: - VanishID is turning DEF CON 34 into both a sponsorship and a product-adjacent showcase, with a pinball challenge designed to win attention from one of cybersecurity’s most engaged audiences. - More information is available at VanishID.