Once you register, the excitement begins! Expect monthly challenge details delivered straight to your inbox about a week before each start date.
Note: We’re leveling up with a Discord server in the works—a hub for players to connect with organizers and fellow participants. Stay tuned!
Every challenge counts! Bring your A-game and rise to the top
to earn cash and in-kind awards.
Monthly Awards: Top players earn awards based on their standings at the end
of each month—if they meet award eligibility criteria.
End of Season Awards: Dominate the season and claim ultimate bragging
rights with grand prizes for the highest overall rankings!
Players on the leaderboard are
classified into four distinct ranking tiers: Apprentice, Journeyman, Master, and
Grandmaster.
All new players begin at the Apprentice rank. These are players with scores
below the 25th percentile.
To achieve Journeyman status, a player
must:
Rank in the 25th percentile or
higher on the leaderboard
Successfully complete at least 50% of
Journeyman-level challenges
Total challenges completed: >= 30% of
the total challenges available on the platform for the month
To attain Master rank, a player must:
Rank in the 50th percentile or higher
on the leaderboard
Successfully complete at least 50% of
Master-level challenges
Total challenges completed: >= 30% of
the total challenges available on the platform for the month
To reach Grandmaster rank, a player must:
Rank in the 75th percentile or higher
on the leaderboard
Successfully complete at least 50% of
Grandmaster-level challenges
Total challenges completed: >= 30% of
the total challenges available on the platform for the month
Please note: The eligibility criteria mentioned above are against cumulative challenges, available on the
platform. For example, a player who participates in the CTF challenge in the month of May will need to
fulfill the condition of completed at least 30% of the challenges at that point in time, i.e. minimum 30% of
the challenges from the months of March, April, and May.
As the season progresses, players' ranks may fluctuate based on their performance metrics and ability to
complete new challenges. Rankings are dynamic, allowing players to advance to higher tiers or move to lower
tiers depending on their ongoing achievements and relative standing on the leaderboard.
Our dynamic scoring system rewards both skill and speed. The
faster you solve challenges, the more points you earn.
At EC-Council, we pride ourselves on transparency, so we’re laying it all out for you.
Dynamic Scoring: A challenge’s point value decreases with each solve. This
means, the faster you solve, the more points you earn. As more players complete a challenge, the point value
naturally decreases.
Fair Play: Our scoring system ensures easier, frequently solved challenges
are worth fewer points than harder, less solved ones.
Initial challenge points range from 10 to 500, based on difficulty and category.
The scoring system tracks three key values per challenge:
Initial: The starting point value
Decay: Number of solves before
reaching minimum points
Minimum: The lowest possible point
value
The point decay follows this formula: value = (((minimum – initial) /
(decay ** 2)) * (solve_count ** 2)) + initial
value = math.ceil(value)
If the calculated value falls below the minimum, the minimum value is used instead.
This system ensures higher-value challenges keep their worth longer, unlike linear or exponential methods. It rewards precision and timing, keeping the competition fair and exciting.
Hackerverse CTF challenges are categorized into four distinct difficulty levels, each with its own point range:
Apprentice: Very Easy
Journeyman: Easy
Master: Medium
Grandmaster: Hard
Each challenge may include multiple questions or tasks, allowing players to earn points for solving individual components. This ensures partial credit for progress while keeping scoring consistent across difficulty tiers.
New challenges are launched on the platform during the second week of each month, each highlighting core cybersecurity themes including reverse engineering, malware analysis, forensics, cryptography, and offensive security.
Most challenges: remain available throughout the season, giving you the chance to catch up
and earn points.
Offensive Security challenges
are the exception—they’re accessible only during the month of their release.
Example: If you register in June, you can still access challenges from March and May but April challenges (including offensive security) will no longer be available.
Participants can only win prizes for the month they register and the End of Season awards.
Example: If you register in April, you’re eligible for April prizes and grand prizes at the season’s end. Prizes for earlier months won’t apply.
The Certificate of Participation will be sent by email to all those who complete Apprentice Challenges and at least one question should be answered correctly in Journeyman Challenges.
To qualify for awards in the Hackerverse CTF, participants must meet the following requirements:
Leaderboard Position: Secure a
prize-winning position on the leaderboard.
Top Performers: Rank within the top
50th percentile of all participants.
Challenge Completion: Successfully
complete at least 30% of all available challenges.
For top 3
positions, participants must successfully complete at least 50% of Master Level OR at least 50%
of Grand Master-level challenges.
Note: Refer to our Terms and Conditions for comprehensive eligibility information and complete award program details.
Experience EC-Council private Capture the Flag Competitions onsite at your location. Now offered fully virtually or onsite at select locations.
PLEASE NOTE: Your First Name and Last Name will appear on your personal certificate of participation.
