GopherCon 2023 Capture the Flag (CTF) - Go Capture the Flag, One Byte at a Time!

We’re excited to sponsor and moderate the inaugural Capture the Flag (CTF) challenge at GopherCon 2023. Thoughtfully curated for Go engineers of every expertise, the event promises a merger of multifarious security domains and one-of-a-kind engineering and security challenges — all centered around Go!

What is a Capture the Flag (CTF)?

A Capture the Flag (CTF) event is a competitive challenge in the field of cybersecurity where participants solve various security-related puzzles to obtain flags, which are typically digital tokens. Much like a high-tech scavenger hunt, participants search for these flags by navigating a series of technical challenges, such as breaking into computer systems, deciphering encrypted messages, or exploiting vulnerabilities in software. The goal is to find and "capture" as many flags as possible, often within a set timeframe, to earn points and outscore opponents.

Our battlefield covers a broad spectrum:

• Web Application Security
• Network Security
• Reverse Engineering
• Internet of Things (IoT)
• Cryptography
• Supply Chain Security
• Miscellaneous

Whether you’re a novice or a seasoned pro, seize this opportunity to showcase your engineering finesse, mingle with peers, acquire some intriguing skills, and vie for thrilling prizes. So, mark your calendar and gear up to wave the Go flag, byte by byte!

Attendance is not required to participate in the CTF, but there are a number of challenges that will require physical access to the conference. If you are not attending the conference, you will not be able to complete these challenges.

Table of Contents

Registration

Registration information for the CTF will be available at the CodePros booth in the hallway on the way to the main conference hall. Registration will be available starting at 10am on Tuesday, September 26th. The CTF will be available for the duration of the conference and will end at 5pm on Thursday, September 28th.

Registration information will also be posted here once it is available.

Prizes

The top team will receive prizes, and random winners will be drawn among the participants that solved a challenge regardless of team. Prizes will be announced at the conference.

NOTE: Prizes will only be awarded to participants who are attending the conference.

Prizes will be awarded at the GopherCon 2023 closing party on Thursday,

Rules

• No attacking the CTF infrastructure
• No attacking other teams
• No sharing flags

Flag Format

The flag format will be gc23{...}. The flags will be case sensitive.

Flag Submission

The flag submission application will be made available to attendees at the event with registrations starting on Community Day. During the conference there will be a table setup for attendees to register for the CTF or get help. The registration process will include a team name and a team password. The team password will be used to add new members to the team. The team name will be used to identify the team in the scoreboard. The team name will be visible to all attendees.

Getting Help

If you need help with a challenge, please visit the CodePros booth in the hallway on the way to the main conference hall. There will be a number of moderators available to help you with any issues you may have. Remember that it’s supposed to be fun, so don’t get frustrated if you get stuck. We’re here to help! You can also find us in the #gophercon-ctf channel on the GopherCon Slack.

Volunteers

If you are interested in volunteering for the CTF please contact us at [email protected]

Scoring

The scoring will be based on the number of points a team has. The points will all be set to the same value initially and will be adjusted based on the number of solves. Different challenges may have different point value reductions based on the difficulty of the challenge.

Scoring Ties

In the event of a tie the team that solved the most challenges first will be the winner.

GopherCon Code of Conduct

The GopherCon Code of Conduct will be enforced during the CTF. Any violations of the code of conduct will result in disqualification from the CTF.