You can become a legal hacker: Danish intelligence reopens hacker academy after six years of closure

The Danish Military Intelligence Service (Forsvarets Efterretningstjeneste) has announced the reopening of applications to its so-called Hacker Academy for the first time in six years, in a move aimed at attracting highly skilled IT professionals to participate in an intensive five-month training program, according to DR, citing Ritsau.

The program opens a rare door for technical talent

Applications are open until March 1, 2026, for the specialized course starting in August, which aims to prepare participants to work as cyber hackers within the military intelligence apparatus. The agency explained that it is seeking the top two percent in the field of offensive cybersecurity, indicating its desire to attract elite technical talent, according to DR.

The agency asserts that the operations serve Denmark's security.

Thomas Ahrenkiel, head of the military intelligence agency, stated in a press release that the hackers working within the agency contribute directly to “Denmark’s security.” He said that the agency provides a “quite unique” working environment and tasks for hackers, as it is the only entity legally authorized to carry out offensive hacking operations against targets abroad.
Ahrenkel explained that the hackers' work involves penetrating "adversaries'" networks and obtaining intelligence information, noting that these adversaries could be foreign countries or other external entities such as cybercriminals, armed networks, and others, according to the source.

The application process is open regardless of age or educational qualifications.

Applications undergo a rigorous selection process that includes tests of IQ, learning ability, personality traits, and technical skills. The institution does not impose age or educational background requirements, nor has it disclosed the number of potential admissions.
The statement quoted a hacker working for the agency, referred to by the pseudonym Oscar, as saying that the deciding factors in selection were mental attitude and practical abilities. He added: “We have people who came in with only a primary school certificate, and we have people with doctorates. We have young people and we have old people. You don’t have to follow a specific path to become a hacker in military intelligence.”.

The authority maintains the confidentiality of the training program details.

The agency declined to provide extensive details about the program's content, saying only that it is training that focuses on "attitudes, skills and mental ability," while emphasizing the importance of teamwork.
The organization launched the first version of the Hacker Academy in 2016, which included an offensive module on actual hacking techniques, while the last course before the shutdown was implemented in 2020.
The Danish Military Intelligence Service operates as the country's official military intelligence agency, collecting, analyzing and transmitting information relating to external circumstances of importance to Denmark's security.