Hackerverse Guidelines | Rules, Code of Conduct & Participation Policies

Registration and Communication

Once you register, the excitement begins! Expect the challenge details delivered straight to your inbox about a week before each start date.

Note: Expect challenge notifications before a challenge window opens. Every CTF brings a completely new competition; new challenges, a reset leaderboard, new winners.

Climb the Ranks on the Global Hackerverse CTF Leaderboard

Every challenge counts! Bring your A-game and rise to the top to earn cash and in-kind awards.
CTF Awards: Top players earn awards based on their standings at the end of each competition if they meet the award eligibility criteria. However, points earned during the current challenge will not carry over to the next challenge’s leaderboard.

Ranking Levels

Players are classified into four ranking levels: Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, and Grandmaster.
All players begin at the Apprentice level. Their final level is determined by the percentage of the total available points earned during the competition:
Apprentice: 1–25%
Journeyman: 26–50%
Master: 51–75%
Grandmaster: 76–100%
The level achieved at the end of the competition will be based on the player’s final score.
Please note: The scoring criteria apply only to the challenges available within each individual competition. Every CTF competition is independent, and scores or ranking levels do not carry over from one competition to another.

Understand the Scoring System in the Hackerverse CTF

Our scoring system rewards both skill and speed. Your score decides where you rank, and your time decides who comes out ahead when scores are tied. At EC-Council, we pride ourselves on transparency, so we're laying it all out for you.

Your Score Comes First: Players are ranked by their total score. The more challenges you solve, the higher you climb on the leaderboard.

Time Breaks the Tie: When two or more players have the same score, the player who finished in less time ranks higher. Your time is measured from the moment you start the lab to the moment you end it and submit your answers.

One Attempt Only: Each player gets a single attempt at the competition. You can't retake it to improve your score, so make every move count.

End the Lab When You're Done: Once you've finished all the questions, make sure to end the lab and submit your answers for grading. This stops the clock and ensures your time is calculated accurately. If you leave the lab open, the extra time may count against you in a tie.

Each challenge carries a set point value based on its difficulty and category.

See How Ranking Works in Practice

The leaderboard sorts players in two steps:

1. Players with the highest total score rank first.
2. If scores are tied, players who finished faster rank first.

For example: Player A and Player B both score 850 points. Player A ended the lab and submitted after 1 hour 20 minutes, while Player B took 1 hour 45 minutes, so Player A ranks higher. Player C scores 900 points in 2 hours 30 minutes and ranks above both of them, because a higher score always comes before a faster time.

Discover Why We Score This Way

This system keeps the competition simple, fair, and exciting. Speed can never beat a higher score, so solving more challenges is always what matters most. When scores are tied, efficiency and precision decide the winner. And because everyone gets just one attempt, every player competes on equal terms, with no advantage from replaying the same challenges.

New Challenges

New Hackerverse CTF competitions will be announced periodically, with each competition featuring its own schedule, challenge format, and cybersecurity focus.

Themes and challenge areas may vary across competitions and are not limited to any fixed set of topics. They may include areas such as:

Reverse Engineering
Binary Analysis
Malware Analysis
Digital Forensics
Cryptography
Offensive Security
OSINT
Creative and Analytical Problem Solving

Challenges are available only during the specified competition window unless otherwise stated. Each competition is independent, and challenges do not automatically carry over to future competitions.

Prize Eligibility

Participants are eligible for prizes in the competition they register and compete. Each CTF is an independent competition; there are no cumulative or End-of-Season awards. Register, compete, and win; every CTF competition is a new opportunity.

How to Qualify for Awards: Eligibility Criteria

Certificate of Participation: Awarded to participants who actively participate in the competition

Certificate of Appreciation: Awarded to the top 25 participants in each competition.

To qualify for awards, you must secure a place among the top competitors on the leaderboard.
Kindly refer to our Terms and Conditions for complete eligibility details.

Definitions

The Hackerverse CTF is a free monthly Capture the Flag (CTF) competition league hosted by EC-Council for the global cybersecurity community. The league features standalone CTF challenges, operating independently and having its own challenge window, leaderboard, and award cycle.

Awards

For the Awards, Position Holders securing 1st, 2nd, or 3rd positions shall be awarded an In-Kind EC-Council Resource or a cash Award, at EC-Council’s discretion. However, if the same Position Holder secures 1st, 2nd, or 3rd positions in subsequent months, they shall be required to opt for a cash Award as their Award.

Clubbing of Awards: Awards may be provided in the form of subscriptions for Microlearning resources. Awards provided in the form of subscription to Microlearning Cybersecurity Video Library shall be combined for a period of twelve months consecutively and must be claimed within the Claim Period.

TERMS VERSION: 1.0
LAST UPDATED: 11th February, 2026

Guidelines