FAQ

What is this?

Capture the Flag (CTF) competitions enable everyone to practice cybersecurity skills in a safe and fun environment. They are a security game where fictional challenges to "hack into" are presented and participants gather points by submitting "flags", which are pieces of text proving they solved the challenge.

The Monash Cyber Security Club (MonSec) is running an internal CTF for anyone interested in cybersecuriy, with no previous knowledge required!

When is the competition?

The competition starts on the 29th of April 2023 at 10:00AM AEST (GMT+10) and concludes at 5:00PM AEST (GMT+10), running for a total of seven (7) hours.

What does it cost to enter?

Entry to the competition is $5!

Do I need to be a Monash student or MonSec member?

No, anyone is welcome to participate! However to be eligible for prizes, you do need to be a Monash student. If you'd like to join MonSec and support us, you can find directions at monsec.io/join.

Is there any way I can prepare?

Other than an internet connected device, you do not need to prepare to solve most of the challenges! However, some of the challenges (binary exploitation) will require access to a Linux environment: you can install Kali Linux in Virtualbox.

Are there restrictions on team sizes?

Teams are limited to a maximum of five (5) competitors each.

What if I don't have a team?

Join our Discord server and post a message in #team-finder!

Are there prizes?

First place will receive a drone for each team member!

What teams are eligible?

A team which is eligible for prizes consists of members who are all:

1. Monash University students
2. New to MonSec's Capture the Flag competitions. This means if you participated in the Beginner CTF last year, you are welcome to participate, but are not eligible for prizes.

What is the flag format?

Flags are in the form FLAG{S0M3TH1N6_@HERE_$$$}.

Where can I learn more about MonSec?

We encourage you to browse our website and join our Discord server. Follow our YouTube channel and Facebook, and get to know us!

Rules

• Be excellent to each other.
• Do not break into the CTFd infrastructure, other competitors, and anything that is not in scope of the challenges.
• Do not use any brute-force tools on the CTFd infrastructure (e.g. dirbuster) - if you think you need it please ask one of the organisers first.
• Have fun! It's a game!