Calling all
cyber gladiators!

Are you ready to storm the digital battlefield and show the world what you’re made of? This isn’t just another competition—it’s an adrenaline-fueled showcase of your offensive security skills. Network exploitation, privilege escalation, lateral movement—if these phrases light a fire in your hacker’s heart, this is your stage.

The Hackerverse CTF is your chance to flex those skills, outsmart the competition, and prove that you’re a cybersecurity force to be reckoned with. Let’s see if you’ve got what it takes to rise above and capture the glory.

Important Note: CTF challenges will be available for participation during the last 9 days of every month.

Why Join This CTF Challenge?

Because you’re not just here to play you’re here to dominate. In the world of cybersecurity, offensive skills are your ticket to the top.

And let’s not forget—it’s completely free. No excuses, no barriers. Just you, your skills, and the challenge.

Hone real-world
hacking techniques

in a safe, competitive environment.

Showcase your
talent

to a global audience of peers and industry leaders.

Join a league of like-minded
cyber warriors

ready to push boundaries and break barriers.

Earn the bragging
rights

as the ultimate offensive security expert.

Who’s This For?

This is for the bold. The relentless. The ones who thrive on the thrill of the hack.

If you've ever:

Checkbox Dreamed of walking the digital tightrope of offensive security.
Checkbox Wanted to prove your skills against the best in the game.
Checkbox Relished the idea of taking down challenges like a cyber ninja.

Then it’s time to suit up, because this CTF was made for you.

The Hackerverse CTF Awards

Participate in CTF Challenges each month for a chance to win cash prizes and awards!

Monthly Awards

Every month, the Hackerverse CTF launches a new competition, giving you the chance to showcase your skills, dominate the leaderboard, and win awards.

1st
Place

Up to $2,500 in-kind EC-Council Resources*
(or $500 cash)

2nd
Place

Up to $1,500 in-kind EC-Council Resources*
(or $250 cash)

3rd
Place

Up to $1,000 in-kind EC-Council Resources*
(or $100 cash)

4th - 5th
Place

12 months free access to microlearning
cybersecurity video library*

6th - 10th
Place

9 months free access to microlearning
cybersecurity video library*

11th - 25th
Place

6 months free access to microlearning
cybersecurity video library*

End of Season Awards

Consistency is key—join every competition and collect flags all quarter long to earn the prestigious
End of Season awards.

1st
Place

$5,000 cash + 12 months free access to
microlearning cybersecurity video library*

2nd
Place

$2,500 cash + 12 months free access to
microlearning cybersecurity video library*

3rd
Place

$1,000 cash + 12 months free access to
microlearning cybersecurity video library*

4th - 10th
Place

$200 cash + 6 months free access to
microlearning cybersecurity video library*

11th - 20th
Place

$100 cash + 3 months free access to
cybersecurity video library*

*Please refer to our Terms of Service for complete details regarding awards and their claims.

Registration and Communication

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!

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.
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:
Bullet Rank in the 25th percentile or higher on the leaderboard
BulletSuccessfully complete at least 50% of Journeyman-level challenges
BulletTotal challenges completed: >= 30% of the total challenges available on the platform for the month
To attain Master rank, a player must:
BulletRank in the 50th percentile or higher on the leaderboard
BulletSuccessfully complete at least 50% of Master-level challenges
BulletTotal challenges completed: >= 30% of the total challenges available on the platform for the month
To reach Grandmaster rank, a player must:
BulletRank in the 75th percentile or higher on the leaderboard
BulletSuccessfully complete at least 50% of Grandmaster-level challenges
BulletTotal 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.

Scoring System in the Hackerverse CTF

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: 

Bullet Initial: The starting point value

Bullet Decay: Number of solves before reaching minimum points 

Bullet Minimum: The lowest possible point value

The point decay follows this formula: 
Bullet 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. 

Why Parabolic Decay?

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.

Challenge Difficulty Levels: A Quick Breakdown

Hackerverse CTF challenges are categorized into four distinct difficulty levels, each with its own point range:

Bullet Apprentice: Very Easy

Bullet Journeyman: Easy

Bullet Master: Medium

Bullet 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: Release Schedule

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.

Bullet Most challenges: remain available throughout the season, giving you the chance to catch up and earn points.

Bullet 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.

Prize Eligibility

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.

How to Qualify for Awards: Eligibility Criteria

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:

BulletLeaderboard Position: Secure a prize-winning position on the leaderboard.

Bullet Top Performers: Rank within the top 50th percentile of all participants.

Bullet Challenge Completion: Successfully complete at least 30% of all available challenges.

Bullet 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.

The Hackerverse CTF competition rules are designed to promote integrity, strategy, and skill. Participants must adhere to the rules, ensuring fair play, so every competitor has an equal shot at victory. Failure to comply with these rules may result in disqualification.

Scope of Attacks

Participants are strictly limited to exploiting, attacking, or interacting with systems and services that are explicitly designated as part of the CTF challenges.

Attempts to attack, exploit, or interfere with the competition infrastructure (including but not limited to the scoreboard, registration systems, or hosting platforms) are strictly prohibited and will result in immediate disqualification.

Fair Play

Participants must not interfere with others’ progress in any way. This includes, but is not limited to:

Bullet Denial of Service (DoS) attacks

Bullet Deliberately spreading misinformation

Maintaining fairness ensures a competitive and respectful environment for all participants. Violations will lead to disqualification.

Individual Participation

Hackerverse CTF competitions are designed for individual participants. Each player must:

Bullet Register with their own unique identity, which will be linked to all submissions and prize distributions.

Bullet Ensure their account is secure and used solely by them.

Participants are fully responsible for safeguarding their account credentials and ensuring no unauthorized access. Collaboration or account sharing is strictly prohibited.

Proof of Eligibility

All winners must provide valid proof of identity verifying their country of residence. Acceptable forms of verification include: PII should be masked

Bullet Government-issued ID

Bullet Passport

Bullet Driver’s license

For Student Division Winners:

Additional proof of student status is required, such as:

Bullet Government-issued ID with date of birth

Bullet Current student ID card

Bullet Official enrollment letter from the educational institution

Bullet Other relevant educational documentation

Organizer’s Rights:

The competition organizer reserves the right to:

Bullet Request additional verification if the initial documents are insufficient.

Bullet Disqualify participants who fail to provide adequate proof within 7 days of the request.

Bullet Withhold prizes until proper verification is submitted.

Bullet Reassign prizes if verification requirements are not met.

Participants are encouraged to ensure their documentation is ready and accurate to avoid delays or disqualification.

Use of Tools and Resources

Participants are permitted to use any publicly available tools or resources unless a specific challenge explicitly prohibits their use.

Bullet The use of commercial tools is allowed; however, participants are responsible for ensuring they have obtained proper licenses.

Bullet Any tools or resources must be used in compliance with their respective terms and conditions.

Ethical Conduct

All activities conducted as part of the CTF must strictly comply with applicable laws and regulations.

Key Guidelines:

BulletParticipants must respect the privacy of others and avoid unauthorized access to systems or data.

Bullet Intellectual property rights must be upheld, ensuring fair use of resources and materials.

Violations of ethical standards will result in disqualification and may lead to further consequences under applicable laws.

Communication

All official competition announcements will be made through designated channels, such as emails, the competition platform, etc.

Participant Responsibilities:

BulletStay updated by regularly checking these channels for announcements, updates, or changes.

Bullet Ensure timely acknowledgment of important communications to avoid missing critical information.

Staying informed is key to a smooth competition experience!

Scoring and Flags

BulletOnly valid flags submitted through the official platform will be accepted and counted toward your score.

Bullet In the event of any scoring discrepancies, the decision of the competition organizers will be considered final and binding.

Disqualification

The competition organizers reserve the right to disqualify any participant who:

BulletFails to comply with the competition rules.

BulletEngages in unethical behavior or actions detrimental to the competition.

Key Notes:

BulletDisqualification decisions are made at the sole discretion of the organizers.

BulletAll decisions regarding disqualification are final and cannot be appealed.

Participants are expected to uphold the integrity of the competition at all times.

Rule Changes

The competition organizers reserve the right to modify the rules at any time.

Key Points:

BulletAny changes will be communicated to participants through official channels.

BulletBy participating, you agree to adhere to all rules, including any updates or modifications.

Failure to comply with the rules may result in disqualification and forfeiture of prizes.

Join the Hackerverse CTF: Prove You’re a Force to Be Reckoned With

May 2025|The battlefield is calling.

This isn’t just an event—it’s your chance to outsmart, outmaneuver, and outlast the competition.

Sharpen your skills, prepare your arsenal, and step into the fray. The flag is waiting—will you be the one to capture it?

Let the games begin!

Separator Think sharp Separator Hack smarter Separator Play bolder Separator Think sharp Separator Hack smarter Separator Play bolder Separator Think sharp Separator Hack smarter Separator Play bolder Separator Think sharp Separator Hack smarter Separator Play bolder Separator Think sharp