2600 Magazine

What 2600 Magazine does

2600 Magazine, also known as "The Hacker Quarterly," is an American print and digital publication founded in 1984 by Emmanuel Goldstein that covers hacking, computer security, telecommunications, privacy, and digital civil liberties. It operates a quarterly magazine distributed via paid subscriptions in physical and digital (PDF/EPUB) formats, an online store selling back issues, branded clothing, and conference tickets, and a portfolio of audio products including weekly radio programs such as Off The Hook and Off The Wall plus specialty shows (Brain Damage, Chatterbox, Ministry of Truth, Shadow Over Li, VOLI). The organization also produces the biennial HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) conference series, held in New York since 1994 with 14 editions to date and a 15th (HOPE 26) returning to Manhattan in 2026; HOPE was separately incorporated as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in February 2026, enabling fundraising activities such as a 2026 EFF fundraiser.

The company's technology footprint is content-centric rather than platform-centric: a Drupal-based website, an e-commerce storefront at store.2600.com, RSS-based news dispatch, an official YouTube channel (Channel 2600), and active accounts across Twitter, Instagram, Mastodon, Bluesky, and multiple Facebook groups. No mobile app, public API, SDK, or AI-driven features are disclosed. Distribution combines direct mail subscriptions for the print magazine, physical newsstand availability, and global digital fulfillment.

2600's revenue model is diversified across five streams: recurring magazine subscriptions (print and digital), merchandise sales, conference ticket sales (notably HOPE), one-time back issue sales, and donations/fundraising following HOPE's 501(c)(3) status. Go-to-market is community-led rather than sales-led, anchored on the 40+ year brand, the HOPE conference cycle, and a global network of local "2600 meetings." Its primary customer segment is individual hackers and technology enthusiasts, with privacy advocates and digital rights supporters as a secondary segment. The organization is privately held, operated by Emmanuel Goldstein and a community of volunteers, with 11-50 employees and headquarters in Middle Island, New York.

Name

2600 Magazine

Legal name

2600 Magazine

Website

https://2600.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

2600 Magazine is a privately held American quarterly print and digital publication, founded in 1984, covering hacking, computer security, privacy, and digital civil liberties for a global community of hackers, technologists, and privacy advocates via subscriptions, radio shows, merchandise, and the biennial HOPE conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hacker Publications

NAICS

Periodical Publishers (513120)

SIC

Periodicals: Publishing Or Publishing & Printing (2721)

akta.pro primary industry

Science, Technology & Gaming Magazines (MPAJAEAL)

Keywords

• Hacker publications
• Cybersecurity magazines
• Information security media
• Technology print media
• Privacy advocacy content

Headquarters

HQ city

Middle Island

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Digital Commerce or Content

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Magazine Subscriptions: Quarterly print magazine distributed via subscription, available in both physical and digital formats.
2. Merchandise Sales: Clothing and branded merchandise sold through the 2600 store including hack-themed apparel.
3. Conference Tickets: HOPE conference attendance tickets sold for community events.
4. Donations and Fundraising: The organization conducts fundraisers, particularly for EFF, after gaining 501(c)(3) nonprofit status.
5. Back Issues and Archives: Sale of historical magazine back issues and archived content.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

2600 Magazine publishes The Hacker Quarterly, a seasonal print and digital magazine covering hacking, computer security, telecommunications, and civil liberties topics. The organization also produces weekly radio programs (Off The Hook, Off The Wall, and additional specialty shows), organizes the biennial HOPE (Hackers On Planet Earth) conference series, runs an online merchandise store, and maintains a global network of local 2600 community meetings.

Product overview

2600 Magazine is a hacker quarterly publication offering a unified portfolio centered on The Hacker Quarterly magazine, supplemented by radio programming (Off The Hook, Off The Wall, and specialty shows), the biennial HOPE conference series, and an online store. The organization fosters hacker culture through multiple channels including print/digital publications, community meetups, video content via Channel 2600, and the annual Hacker Digest compilation.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Off The Hook: Radio show produced by 2600
• Off The Wall
• HOPE
• Channel 2600

Products and services

• The Hacker Quarterly The main publication of 2600, a quarterly hacker magazine featuring articles on technology, security, telecommunications, and computer hacking topics. Published seasonally (Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter) with both print and digital editions available.
• Off The Hook Radio Show Weekly radio show broadcast on XM 115 / 91.5 Radio Free Brooklyn featuring discussions on hacking, technology news, and current events affecting the hacker community.
• Off The Wall Radio Show Radio show companion to Off The Hook, featuring additional commentary and discussions on technology and hacker culture.
• HOPE Conference Series Biennial hacker conference series held in New York and other locations featuring talks, workshops, and networking for the hacker community. HOPE became a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in February 2026 and HOPE 26 tickets are on sale.
• 2600 Store Online store selling subscriptions, back issues, clothing, and merchandise related to 2600 and hacker culture, including digital editions and conference tickets.
• Digital Editions (PDF and EPUB) PDF and EPUB digital versions of The Hacker Quarterly, available through the 2600 store as alternatives to the print edition.
• The Hacker Digest Annual compilation volume of articles from 2600 Magazine; Volume 42 released on 06.30.26.

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner2600 conducts fundraisers specifically for EFF, a nonprofit digital rights organization. After gaining its own 501(c)(3) status in February 2026, 2600 began organizing fundraisers to support EFF's mission of defending civil liberties in the digital realm.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Others

• EFF (Electronic Frontier Foundation): Nonprofit digital civil liberties organization and 2600's fundraising partner. Not a direct competitor but a closely adjacent institution operating in the same digital rights and hacker advocacy space, with overlapping audience and recurring partnership activity.

Direct peers

• Dark Reading: Cybersecurity news and analysis publication serving infosec professionals. Overlaps with 2600's security/hacking subject matter but targets an enterprise B2B audience rather than enthusiast/hobbyist hackers.
• The Hacker News: Security-focused news site covering vulnerabilities, breaches, and cybersecurity. Comparable to 2600's editorial coverage of security topics, though 2600 emphasizes community/culture while THN emphasizes daily news.
• Krebs on Security: Investigative security blog run by journalist Brian Krebs covering cybercrime and data breaches. Comparable as an independent, personality-driven security publication in the same cultural space as 2600.
• Hackaday: Online publication covering hardware hacking, DIY electronics, and security. Comparable to 2600 as a daily/online content destination for the hacker and maker community, with overlapping audience of technology enthusiasts.
• Phrack Magazine: Long-running hacker e-zine founded in 1985 covering computer security, phreaking, and hacker culture. Directly comparable to 2600 as one of the foundational independent hacker publications, though distributed digitally rather than in print.
• DEF CON Communications: Organizer of the annual DEF CON hacker conference and publisher of conference proceedings. Closely comparable to 2600's HOPE conference line and overlapping hacker/security community, with annual rather than biennial cadence.

Broad incumbents

• Wired: Mainstream technology and culture magazine covering hacking and cybersecurity within a much broader tech/lifestyle editorial mandate. Far larger scale and audience than 2600, but with historical roots in the same hacker-adjacent culture.
• Ars Technica: Technology news and analysis publication with deep security and IT coverage. Overlaps with 2600's technology readership but operates at significantly larger scale with professional staff and Condé Nast ownership.

Emerging players

• Schneier on Security: Long-running personal blog and newsletter by security expert Bruce Schneier covering cryptography, surveillance, and security policy. Comparable as an independent security commentary outlet with similar themes of digital rights and civil liberties.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/2600
• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/Channel2600
• Facebookfacebook.com/majordomo
• Instagraminstagram.com/2600
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/2600-magazine

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about 2600 Magazine