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Application & OT Security · Foundational

Capture the Flag (CTF)

A security competition or training exercise in which participants solve challenges to find hidden 'flags'.

Definition

Jeopardy-style CTFs present categories such as web, crypto, forensics and reverse engineering; attack-defense CTFs have teams protect their own services while testing others. CTFs build hands-on skills and are used in hiring and training.

Example

A university team practices web security in a jeopardy-style CTF before a national competition.

Exam tip

Training exercise, not an authorized test of production systems.

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