CTF for Beginners: What Capture The Flag Is and How to Start
A Capture The Flag (CTF) is a security competition where you solve challenges to find a secret text called a flag, such as CSPK{example}, and submit it for points. It is the most popular safe way to learn hacking skills.
Types of CTF
- Jeopardy: a board of independent challenges by category and difficulty. Most beginner events use this.
- Attack-defence: teams defend their own servers while attacking others.
- King of the hill and mixed formats.
Challenge categories
Web, cryptography, forensics, reverse engineering, binary exploitation (pwn), OSINT, networking, Linux and miscellaneous puzzles. You can try most of them in our practice range.
How scoring works
Each challenge has points. Many events use dynamic scoring, where points drop as more teams solve it. The first solver may earn a "first blood" mark. Hints can cost points. The team with the most points when time ends wins; ties go to whoever reached the score first.
Your first week
- Create an account and try the easiest practice challenges.
- Read the write-ups after solving or when stuck.
- Join a live CTF competition solo or with friends; teams are listed in the community.
- Keep notes: every solved challenge is a reusable technique.
Rules to remember
Attack only the targets the organisers provide, do not attack other players or the platform, and do not share flags during a live event. Learn more about the tools you will use. Academies and companies can run their own contests through our partner programme.
Educational content. Use techniques only on systems you own or are authorised in writing to test. CyberSecurity.pk is independent and not a government body.