What is a ‘Capture the flag’ competition?
Participants solve various challenges with the aim of discovering a hidden chain – flag. Their task is to find this flag. In searching for the flag, participants use and expand their IT skills and knowledge.
I don’t want to compete alone, I would like to be a part of a team, what shall I do?
The competition is primarily designed for individuals, but teamwork is not prohibited. The number of members of any team does not affect the prize.
Whom shall I contact in case of questions or issues?
For general issues, please contact thecatch@cesnet.cz. In case of technical issues relating to the CTF platform, you can also contact the CESNET’s service desk at support@cesnet.cz.
It’s my first time here and this is my first CTF, what shall I do once I have registered (and logged) in the CTF portal?
The available challenges can be found under the Challenges bookmark. Detailed instructions shall be displayed by clicking at individual challenges. Typically, these contain a link or a file to download and process. Once you have found the flag (a chain in a pre-defined format), you enter it to the given challenge. In case the flag is correct, the challenge is displayed in green and points are assigned in your scoreboard.
How will the challenges be published?
All challenges will be released at the same time as the competition starts. Though, some challenges will be unlocked after solving its prerequisites.
Is there some penalization for taking hints?
Hint with no penalization is available under the View hint link, while the penalized hints are under the Unlock hint for X points label, where X is the number of points that will be subtracted from your score. But do not worry, all hints are free. You are welcome.
Can I guess the flag?
Theoretically yes, but it is not very likely that you will succeed. The flag is long and number of attempts is limited.