Interesting CTF Info

Well Known CTF Competitions

• Capture The Flag (CTF) at DEFCON: The first CTF at DEFCON was introduced in 1996, focusing on practical computing security. Known as the "Olympics of CTF," it's one of the oldest and most prestigious competitions, attracting participants from all over the world each year.

• SANS Holiday Hack Challenge: a unique CTF competition that combines cybersecurity challenges with a festive holiday theme. It features a storyline where participants solve puzzles and complete objectives in a virtual world. The challenge is renowned for its creativity, incorporating elements like custom music, interactive characters, and educational content. Each year, it offers an engaging environment for both beginners and experienced security enthusiasts to enhance their skills during the holiday season. https://www.holidayhackchallenge.com/

• PicoCTF: Created by Carnegie Mellon University, PicoCTF is specially designed for high school students to engage and inspire interest in cybersecurity. https://picoctf.org/

• Many tech companies put on CTFs each year like Google https://capturetheflag.withgoogle.com/

• And beyond the famous ones - there is probably at least one CTF going on every single weekend! See https://ctftime.org/event/list/upcoming

US Government CTF Cybersecurity Competitions

Even the US Government trains with CTF events and various cyber ranges which are cybersecurity exercises to help train a cybersecurity specialist and improve their skills in various areas.

The following video the President's Cup Cybersecurity Competition

And There Are "Real" Flags to Capture By Cybersecurity Pros

Even though this video is from 10 years ago we always show it in our classes at South Hills to show how professionals can get paid to show weaknesses in security systems!