TCS HackQuest Season 11 – full details

TCS HackQuest Season 11 is the latest edition of TCS’s long-running capture-the-flag style contest for students who enjoy security. Participants solve real-world cybersecurity challenges – finding vulnerabilities, cracking puzzles and capturing flags – under time pressure. The tagline for this season sums it up: think like a hacker, defend like a hero.

Beyond prizes, HackQuest is one of the few ways a student can get noticed directly by TCS’s cybersecurity teams. Strong performers are invited to interview with the TCS Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, which can lead to a security-focused role instead of a generic fresher track.

Eligibility for TCS HackQuest Season 11

• Students graduating in 2027.
• Pursuing B.Tech, B.E, M.Tech, M.E, BCA, MCA, B.Sc or M.Sc.
• A valid TCS NextStep reference ID (CT/DT number).

TCS HackQuest Season 11 important dates

• Registration closes: 16 November 2026 (Monday).
• Round 1: 5 December 2026 (Saturday), online, any time between 10 AM and 4 PM IST.
• Later rounds and results are announced to qualifiers by TCS.

Prizes and rewards

• Total prizes worth up to ₹5 lakh.
• Interview opportunity with the TCS Cybersecurity Center of Excellence.
• Certificates of merit and exclusive merchandise for top performers.

What kind of challenges to expect

Earlier HackQuest seasons used a jeopardy-style format: a board of challenges across categories such as web exploitation, cryptography, reverse engineering, forensics and OSINT, each worth points by difficulty. You choose which ones to attack, and each correct flag adds to your score. Speed matters for tie-breaks, so practise solving easy challenges quickly before you spend time on the hard ones.

You do not need to be a security expert to take part. Many first-time players clear Round 1 by mastering the basics – reading HTTP requests, decoding common encodings and spotting misconfigurations.

How to register for TCS HackQuest Season 11

1. Get your TCS NextStep CT/DT reference number (IT category) if you do not already have one.
2. Open the HackQuest portal using the button above and click Register.
3. Enter your details and NextStep reference ID, and verify your email.
4. Log in before 5 December to check the round instructions.

Preparation tips for TCS HackQuest Season 11

Practise on free capture-the-flag platforms such as picoCTF, OverTheWire and TryHackMe. Focus on web vulnerabilities (SQL injection, XSS, broken authentication), basic cryptography, steganography, Linux commands and log analysis. Learn to use Burp Suite, Wireshark, nmap and CyberChef – most HackQuest challenges lean on these tools.

Looking for jobs too? See our Infosys Off Campus Drive 2027 post for the 2027 batch and the companies hiring freshers list. Official details are on the TCS careers site.

Frequently asked questions