The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB) hosted Hack the Government 2024, the first-ever ethical hacking event organised by the Belgian Federal Government. At the event's closing, Alexander De Croo, Belgium’s Prime Minister, presented the winner with the coveted “Ethical Government Hacker of 2024” award.
“In the spirit of innovation and security, we opened selected federal government digital assets to ethical hackers. We recognise the need for robust security measures, and we believe in the power of collective intelligence. This endeavour was not without risk, but we took a bold step towards strengthening Belgium’s cyber defences. The results are there and we are proud of the commitment, dedication, and determination of these exceptional ethical hackers.” said Belgium's Prime Minister.
Hack the Government 2024 was rooted in the belief that ethical hackers can raise the level of cyber security in Belgium. This view has led Belgium to authorise ethical hacking, subject to compliance with certain strict conditions defined by law.
This unprecedented initiative brings together the community of ethical hackers to identify vulnerabilities across government websites and systems, demonstrating Belgium’s commitment to cybersecurity and proactive defence measures.
Hack the Government 2024 featured a diverse group of ethical hackers (professionals and students) eager to help make Belgian digital assets safer. They joined forces to test governmental systems, giving participants the rare opportunity to contribute directly to securing public infrastructure.
The government entities that participated in this initiative were:
• FPS Policy and Support (FOD BOSA/SPF BOSA)
• L'Office national des vacances annuelles / Rijksdienst voor jaarlijkse vakantie (ONVA/RJV)
• The Federal Agency for Medicines and Health Products (FAMHP/FAMPS/FAGG)
• The Centre for Cybersecurity Belgium (CCB)
Hack The Government 2024 was organised in close collaboration with the bug bounty platform, Intigriti, which provided a unique opportunity to put governmental systems to the test through controlled, authorised penetration testing.
The challenge ran for 15 days and culminated in an in-person event on Wednesday evening, 27 November. Robbe Verwilghen was crowned “Ethical Government Hacker of 2024” and won a training course from the SANS Institute, including the Global Information Assurance Certification exam (GIAC) worth over €10,000. A touch of IT humour could not be missed, so he was also awarded with being “The Dupe King: The one submitting most duplicates”.
Organisations proactively address cybersecurity risks through exercises like penetration tests (pentests) and bug bounty programs, staying ahead of cyber threats and strengthening public trust in digital services.
“This is a landmark moment for Belgium. By inviting ethical hackers to test its digital defenses, the federal government is showing true leadership in cybersecurity. These collaborative efforts with the ethical hacking community provide an invaluable layer of protection, and I’m thrilled to see the Federal Government setting an example for others.” - Inti De Ceukelaire, Chief Hacker Officer of Intigriti
The event concluded with an awards ceremony led by CCB’s General Director, Miguel De Bruycker, who emphasised the value of this collaboration: “Hack The Government 2024 highlights the legal provisions (see below) in force since 15 February 2023 which authorise ethical hacking in Belgium. This doesn't mean it is easy! Ethical hackers have strict conditions to follow. CCB is working with selected ethical hackers to show what can be done while at the same time enhancing our defenses and this builds a culture of cybersecurity resilience within the government. It is quite exciting for us because we are also exposing our own CCB websites. These ambitious hackers are discovering vulnerabilities right now in our infrastructures. We see this as an opportunity to strengthen our cyber protection.”
This initiative represents a significant step in governmental cybersecurity, bringing together public entities, private experts and the ethical hacking community. Hack The Government 2024 emphasised the importance of cybersecurity collaboration, and we are eager to showcase the results of this pioneering effort.
