Award refers to any prize granted to Position Holders in Capture the Flag (CTF) Competitions, conducted either monthly or annually. Awards may include, but are not limited to, in-kind EC-Council Resources and cash prizes.

Acceptable Use Policy is the user agreement between you and EC-Council that lists out the provisions on the acceptable use of our Services.

Capture the Flag Challenges / CTF Challenges means the cybersecurity competition hosted by EC-Council or its affiliates on the Platform where the participants, based on their professional experience and expertise, compete in security-themed challenges for the purpose of obtaining the highest score and are expected to “capture the flags.”

Claim Period is defined in Clause 3(a) (ii).

The Hackerverse CTF is a league hosted by EC-Council for the cybersecurity community, featuring a series of Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions held throughout the year.

End of Season Award refers to Award granted to a Position Holder based on their cumulative score, which is calculated from their Awards won in CTF Challenges within the Hackerverse CTF.

In-kind EC-Council Resources refers to learning resources such as Microlearning subscriptions to cybersecurity video library, exam vouchers, online certification programs.

Guidelines refers to guidelines for the Hackerverse CTF which are found on guidelines page and which may be modified from time to time, at EC-Council’s sole discretion.

Platform means the platform on which the CTF competitions are hosted.

Position Holders means participants who have secured a certain ranking in the CTF competition, as determined by EC-Council, from time to time.

Participants mean the users of the Website who participate in the CTF competitions.

Services mean any service that is made available to you by EC-Council through this Website.

By using this website, you consent to receive electronic communications from us, our affiliates and partners. These communications may include notices, updates, and promotional materials. You agree that all agreements, notices, disclosures, and other communications that we provide to you electronically satisfy any legal requirement that such communications be in writing.

Please review our Privacy Policy, which forms a part of these terms.

The following rules govern Participant’s participation in Hackerverse CTF. By participating in our Hackerverse CTF, the Participant agrees to adhere to these rules. Non-compliance may result in disqualification and forfeiture of any prizes. EC-Council reserves the right to modify these rules at any time. Any changes to the rules will be communicated to all participants through official channels.

Scope of Attacks: Participants must only attempt to exploit, attack, or otherwise interact with systems and services explicitly designated as part of the CTF Challenges. Any 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: Do not attempt to hinder other Participants’ progress by any means, including denial of service attacks or deliberate misinformation.

Individual Participation: This is an individual competition. Each Participant must register with their own unique identity. The identity used for registration will be tied to all submissions and used for prize distribution. Participants are responsible for maintaining the security of their account and ensuring that only they are using it.

Use of Tools and Resources: Participants may use any publicly available tools or resources unless explicitly forbidden by a specific challenge. The use of commercial tools is allowed, but participants are responsible for obtaining proper licenses.

Ethical Conduct: All activities related to Hackerverse CTF must comply with applicable laws and regulations. Participants must respect the privacy and intellectual property rights of others.

Communication: Official competition announcements will be made through designated channels (email, competition platform, etc.). Participants are responsible for staying informed about any updates or changes communicated through these channels.

Scoring and Flags: Only valid flags submitted through the official platform will be counted. In case of any scoring discrepancies, the decision of EC-Council is final.

Disqualification: EC-Council reserves the right to disqualify any Participant for failing to abide by these rules or for any behavior deemed unethical or detrimental to the CTF competition. Disqualification decisions are at the sole discretion of EC-Council and are final.

Participants may be eligible for awards if they are a Position Holder, in addition to the terms given below. The details of the Award will be provided to Participants at the time of the CTF Competition and may be contained in the Guidelines. Awards are subject to terms, including the following:

Eligibility: To be eligible for an Award, a Participant must meet the criteria provided in the Guidelines. Winners need to show proof of eligibility, as determined by EC-Council in the Guidelines or elsewhere.

Claim Period: Awards must be claimed within one month of winning. Failure to claim the awards within this period will result in forfeiture.

Award Selection: For the monthly 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: Monthly 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. For the purposes of clarity, this clause shall not be applicable to End of Season Awards.

Non-Exchangeable Awards: Participants are not entitled to request substitutions, exchanges, or alterations of the awards. Awards granted by EC-Council cannot be exchanged or converted for cash or any other form of consideration. Similarly, cash awards cannot be exchanged or converted for In-kind EC-Council Resource or substituted with other resources or benefits. All awards are final and provided as stated.

Non-transferability of Awards: Awards granted to a Participant are personal to the recipient and cannot be transferred, assigned, or otherwise disposed of to another Participant or any third party, whether for consideration or otherwise. Any attempt to transfer or assign the award will render the award null and void. EC-Council reserves the right to revoke the award and take appropriate action if such attempts are identified.

PayPal Account: To receive a cash Award, candidates must have an active and valid PayPal account in good standing at the time of receipt of Award. The cash Award will only be transferred via PayPal to the account details provided by the winner. EC-Council will not be responsible for delays or failures in payment due to incorrect or invalid account details or issues with the PayPal service.

All taxes, levies, or charges applicable to the cash prize shall be the sole responsibility of the recipient. EC-Council shall not be liable for any tax obligations or related compliance arising from the receipt of such awards. Recipients are advised to consult their tax advisors to ensure compliance with applicable tax laws.

In the event that the Award won is an In-kind EC-Council Resource, additional Terms and Conditions may apply which must be accepted without modification by the recipient at the time of acceptance of the award. Failure to comply with the stipulated terms may result in action including but not limited to revocation of the award and any penalty for the breach of the terms, in addition to other legal remedies which may be available to EC-Council.

If an Award is won by a person under the age of 18, subject to applicable law, the Award will be awarded to the winner’s parent or guardian on their behalf.

If we are unable to contact the winner to collect the Award within a reasonable time, or such time period specified in any specific terms, the winner will forfeit their right to the Award entirely. In such an event, the winner shall have no claims against EC-Council.

EC-Council makes no representations or warranties regarding Awards. To the fullest extent permitted by law, we disclaim all liability related to any Award, including its fitness for a particular purpose, merchantability, or other conditions. We reserve the right to disqualify entrants from participating in our competitions or prevent winners from receiving their prizes if they engage in unsafe, illegal, unsociable, or inappropriate behavior, or breach any of the terms.

Award Discretion: You understand and acknowledge that the Awards are offered solely at EC-Council’s discretion. EC-Council reserves the right to modify its award policy at any time, including but not limited to changing the criteria, nature, or availability of awards. EC-Council also reserves the right to decide whether to offer Awards, and the provision of Awards is not guaranteed. Unless otherwise provided herein, the Awards cannot be combined with any other awards, promotions, or ongoing offers.

All cash Awards are denominated in United States Dollars (USD). The amount of cash Award deposited into your PayPal account may be subject to conversion into your local currency at the exchange rate determined by PayPal at the time of the transaction. EC-Council is not responsible for any variations in the amount received due to fluctuations in currency exchange rates or fees applied by PayPal or intermediary financial institutions. By accepting the Award, you acknowledge and agree that currency conversion rates and associated charges are beyond the control of EC-Council, and you waive any claims against EC-Council related to such fluctuations or deductions.

Additionally, if an award consists of an In-Kind EC-Council Resource, its value will be determined based on EC-Council’s USD pricing, irrespective of regional pricing variations. The pricing displayed on the platform or any other source may not reflect the valuation used for awarding purposes. EC-Council retains sole discretion in determining the applicable price and disclaims any liability for claims regarding the stated value of the In-Kind EC-Council Resource.

You agree to use the Services provided by EC-Council in compliance with the Acceptable Use Policy and Guidelines.

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TO THE MAXIMUM EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL WE BE LIABLE FOR ANY DIRECT, INDIRECT, PUNITIVE, INCIDENTAL, SPECIAL, CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES OR ANY DAMAGES WHATSOEVER INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, DAMAGES FOR LOSS OF DATA OR PROFITS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN ANY WAY CONNECTED WITH THE USE OR PERFORMANCE OF THE WEBSITE, WITH THE DELAY OR INABILITY TO USE THE WEBSITE OR RELATED SERVICES, THE PROVISION OF OR FAILURE TO PROVIDE SERVICES, OR FOR ANY INFORMATION, SOFTWARE, PRODUCTS, SERVICES AND RELATED GRAPHICS OBTAINED THROUGH THE WEBSITE, OR OTHERWISE ARISING OUT OF THE USE OF THE WEBSITE, WHETHER BASED ON CONTRACT, TORT, NEGLIGENCE, STRICT LIABILITY OR OTHERWISE, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF DAMAGES. BECAUSE SOME STATES/JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE EXCLUSION OR LIMITATION OF LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL OR INCIDENTAL DAMAGES, THE ABOVE LIMITATION MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IF YOU ARE DISSATISFIED WITH ANY PORTION OF THE WEBSITE, OR WITH ANY OF THESE TERMS OF USE, YOUR SOLE AND EXCLUSIVE REMEDY IS TO DISCONTINUE USING THE WEBSITE.

BY PARTICIPATING IN THE HACKERVERSE CTF AND UTILIZING THE ASSOCIATED SERVICES, YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU ASSUME SOLE RESPONSIBILITY AND LIABILITY FOR YOUR PARTICIPATION AND USE OF THE SERVICES. YOU ARE SOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT SUCH COMPETITIONS ARE LAWFUL AND PERMISSIBLE UNDER THE LAWS AND REGULATIONS OF YOUR JURISDICTION.

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